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www.santeerefugefriends.org
Friends Invite You to Come to
Santee NW Refuge
"The best birding
center in South Carolina and the Southeast."
Santee NW Refuge 2125
Fort Watson Rd. Summerton, SC 29148
803-478-2217 West of I-95, exit 102 @
US 301/US 15, 6 miles south of Summerton, SC
"When one tugs at a single thing
in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world"
- John Muir
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The purpose of the
Friends of Santee National Wildlife Refuge
is to promote
conservation, awareness, and appreciation of
the
Santee National Wildlife Refuge
and to provide assistance to the Refuge programs in welcoming visitors to Santee NW Refuge.
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April
22-24, 2011 4th Santee
Birding & Nature
Festival
Santee
National Wildlife Refuge,
other locations and Santee: 803-478-2217
http://www.fws.gov/santee/pdf/Santee-birding-festival-2010.pdf
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July 22, 2010
Recovery Act Funds Wetlands Restoration and Road Improvements at Santee
National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Tags: Region 4, Santee NWR, Southeast
Region
Contact: Phil Kloer, (404) 679-7125, philip_kloer@fws.gov
Summerton, S.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded contracts for major wetlands restoration
and road repairs at Santee National Wildlife Refuge totaling more than $1.8
million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
One contract, for $1,105,742, is awarded to Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure
Inc. of Alpharetta, Ga., for repairs to public roads in the refuge. The
second contract, for $724,377, is awarded to Ducks Unlimited for improvements
to the refuge’s impoundment system that will help it to better manage waterfowl.
“These stimulus-funded improvements will provide needed construction jobs
in the area and help boost the region’s economy,” Salazar said. “In addition,
the public, including duck hunters, will see the benefits of better roads
and better wildlife management.”
Ducks Unlimited is working with refuge staff to design the extensive wetland
habitat rehabilitation projects. “This joint venture with Ducks Unlimited
brings a second element of wetland management expertise and engineering
to the Santee National Wildlife Refuge,” said refuge manager Marc Epstein.
“There is a whole community of wildlife that is enhanced when we restore
these wetlands.”
When these projects are completed, the refuge will be able to provide improved
habitat conditions for numerous species of waterfowl and migratory birds
that utilize the refuge as a wintering area, a stop-over point, or as summer
nesting grounds. In turn, visitors will have increased opportunities to view
these migratory birds undisturbed in their native landscape.
“Ducks Unlimited is happy to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
on ARRA projects like this one, because it is a win-win-win situation,”
said Dr. Scott C. Yaich, Director of Conservation Operations for Ducks Unlimited.
“First, these ARRA funds are being used to address priority needs on national
wildlife refuges, and studies have also documented that refuges are significant
economic generators for local communities across the country. Second, these
projects contribute significantly to meeting the conservation needs of waterfowl
and many other wildlife species. And finally, this project puts people to
work and directly benefits the local economy, just as ARRA intended. As
in all Ducks Unlimited projects, our organization is committed to using
local workers and companies as much as possible.”
On the refuge’s Cuddo Unit, the 125-acre Timber Island Field waterfowl
habitat improvements includes redesigning the interior dikes, constructing
7,419 feet of new dikes, and rehabilitating 6,469 feet of existing perimeter
dike. New water control structures will also be installed to enhance water
delivery and management to the restored wetland complex. This project will
allow impoundments and adjacent reservoirs to be managed more effectively
for migratory bird populations. Additionally, a pumping system and engine
will be replaced to allow proper drainage of the impoundment complex.
The refuge’s Bluff Unit is the most heavily used waterfowl area on the
refuge. This unit consists of three primary wetland impoundments. The ARRA
project will create a fourth impoundment and purchase a mobile pump to help
service this system. In concert with the DU/ARRA projects, the refuge staff
will be improving water delivery and drainage to these systems including
installation of a planned six new water control structures.
The road improvement projects awarded to Shaw will include repairs on the
Cuddo and Pine Island units. The roads, which are badly eroded, will be
resurfaced and drainage will be enhanced. These roads are used by hunters
during hunting season, as well as by the general public, including bicycles
and pedestrian hikers.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed in 2009 gave $3 billion
to the Department of the Interior.
The ARRA funds represent an important component of the President’s plan
to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected
challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under ARRA, Interior
is making an investment in conserving America’s timeless treasures – our
stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture
and heritage – while helping American families and their communities prosper
again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs
of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.
“With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior
and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that
will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come,” Salazar
said.
Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and
accountability in the implementation of the Department’s economic recovery
projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project
on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery.
Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery,
Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely
with Interior’s Inspector General to ensure the recovery program is meeting
the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency set
by President Obama.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. For questions, comments
or concerns email us at recoveryact@fws.gov. For more information on our
work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
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May 19th, 2010
Marc Epstein,
Refuge Manager 803-478-2217
Summerton, SC….The Santee National Wildlife Refuge is pleased to announce
several important habitat management and restoration projects beginning
this spring and continuing through the summer months. The American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) has provided additional support to
Santee NWR to rehabilitate and enhance migratory bird habitat on the Cuddo
and the Bluff Unit’s impoundments. The US Fish and Wildlife Service
began rehabilitating these systems in 2008 with replacement of antiquated
pumping systems, water control structures, clearing water delivery systems,
and restoring dikes. With ARRA funding, the refuge will contract Ducks
Unlimited (DU) to perform most of the on-the-ground construction. DU
is working together with refuge staff to design the extensive wetland habitat
rehabilitation projects. Refuge Manager Marc Epstein stated, “This
joint venture with Ducks Unlimited brings a second element of wetland management
expertise and engineering to the Santee National Wildlife Refuge.”
On the Cuddo Unit, the 125 acre Timber Island Field waterfowl habitat
improvements includes redesigning the interior dikes, constructing 7,419
feet of new dikes, and rehabilitating 6,469 feet of existing perimeter dike.
New water control structures will also be installed to enhance water delivery
and management to the restored wetland complex. This project will
allow impoundments and adjacent greentree reservoirs to be managed more
effectively for migratory bird populations. Additionally, a pumping
system and engine will be replaced to allow proper drainage of the impoundment
complex.
The Bluff Unit is the most heavily used waterfowl area on the refuge.
This unit consists of 3 primary wetland impoundments. The ARRA project
will create a fourth impoundment and purchase a well needed mobile pump
to help service this system. In concert with the DU/ARRA projects,
the refuge staff will be improving water delivery and drainage to these
systems to include installing about 6 new water control structures.
When these two rehabilitation projects are completed, the refuge will
be able to provide improved habitat conditions for numerous species of waterfowl
and migratory birds that utilize the refuge as a wintering area, a stop-over
point, or as summer nesting grounds. In turn, visitors will have
increased opportunities to view these migratory bird species, undisturbed,
in their native landscape. Additional ARRA projects to start this
spring include road repair projects on the Cuddo and Pine Island Unit.
Although not part of ARRA, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also
planning to replace the antiquated water pumping system on the Pine Island
Unit this year. Refuge Manager Marc Epstein noted that … “We appreciate
the great comments from our community on the recent improvements to the
refuge. The Santee NWR has been receiving a lot of attention over
the past few years, with upgrading the wildlife drive on the Cuddo Unit,
new hiking and kayak trails, observation towers, and the rehabilitated Visitors
Center … just to mention a few projects.”
If you have specific questions about these projects or about the Santee
National Wildlife Refuge, please contact the Refuge Manager at 803-478-2217
or visit www.fws.gov/santee.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible
for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and
their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
Santee NWR is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the
Service, which includes more than 150 million acres and 550 national wildlife
refuges. The agency oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds
of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
State fish and wildlife agencies.
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Cuddo Wildlife Drive re-opening on the
Cuddo Unit of Santee National Wildlife Refuge to visitors.
December 11, 2009.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge Cuddo Unit to Re-Open To Visitors
Summerton, S. C....... Santee National Wildlife Refuge is excited
to announce the reopening of the Cuddo Unit
for visitation beginning December 11, 2009. Cuddo has been closed
for five months to complete the well
needed Wildlife Drive rehabilitation project. As part of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,
the 7.5 mile Wildlife Drive was completely resurfaced, adding new
parking areas and water control structures,
cleaning drainages, and adding numbered trail markers to the Drive.
The project was a partnership between the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Federal Highway Administration.
A new Wildlife Drive Interpretive Guide will soon be available both
at the Cuddo Unit information kiosk and at
the refuge’s Visitor Center. The interpretive guide will direct visitors
around the Wildlife Drive loop, having
directional and interpretive information about the area that coincides
with the numbered markers. In addition to
the existing 3 miles of hiking trails, new trails have been established
including a canoe/kayak trail that will also
be outlined on this interpretive guide.
A wide diversity of habitats can be observed on Cuddo’s Wildlife
Drive with open fields, forest, forested
bottomland hardwood wetlands, cypress swamps, and greentree habitats
making this area a great place to view
wildlife in their natural surroundings. Alligators, white-tailed
deer, and wild turkey are often easily viewed
from the Drive with a segment aptly named “Alligator Alley”. Please
remember that feeding wild animals is
illegal and littering is strictly prohibited.
This area is renowned among bird watchers for the diversity of waterbirds
and song birds present including
nesting painted bunting during the summer months. Cuddo has been
touted as one of the best inland birding
areas east of the Mississippi during the winter months.
The Cuddo Unit of Santee National Wildlife Refuge is the largest
of the refuge’s four units, and offers an
abundance of recreational opportunities for individuals who enjoy
being outdoors. We encourage checking in at
the refuge’s Visitor Center for the most up-to-date trail information
before your visit. Also, the western portion
of Cuddo is closed to all hiking, bicycling, and water access from
Nov 1 – Mar 1 each year as a migratory bird
sanctuary area. All points west of the Wildlife Drive will re-open
for hiking and bicycling on March 1, 2010.
The Cuddo Unit is open to visitation from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm daily
from Oct 1 – Mar 31 and 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
April 1- Sept 30.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 as a sanctuary
for migratory birds. The
refuge encompasses just over 12,400 acres of habitat along the banks
of Lake Marion in four separate
units. The refuge visitor center as well as the Santee Indian Mound
and site of Fort Watson are located
on the Bluff Unit, 8 miles south of Summerton on Hwy 15/301.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge is one of 550 national wildlife refuges
across the country that make
up over 150 million acres of land and water for fish and wildlife
conservation. The refuge system also
offers a variety of outdoor activities, including fishing, hunting,
environmental education, wildlife
observation and photography. Each year, about 40 million Americans
discover the wonders of nature
by visiting a wildlife refuge.
For more information about the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, contact
the refuge office at 803-478-
2217 or email Susan_Heisey@fws.gov -fws
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Visitor Center Schedule • Normal hours of
operation are Tuesday through Friday, and the first Saturday of each
month from 8:00AM – 4:00PM. We recommend calling ahead to ensure the
center will be open (803-478-2217).
CLOSED On Sundays and Mondays
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Fishing on the Refuge:
All areas open to boating are also open to fishing, as
well as the Scott's Lake Public Fishing Beach. These areas produce
largemouth bass, catfish and bream. All Federal and State regulations
are in effect. For more information, contact the refuge.
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Posted on Fri, Sep. 28, 2007 TheState.com
"Off the beaten
trail"
Cuddo bike path in Santee
refuge a great place to check out wildlife
By JOEY HOLLEMAN - jholleman@thestate.com
It’s more a dirt road than a bike trail, and
the knee-high grass makes pedaling a bike difficult in some
sections.
Despite those drawbacks, the critter-filled
surroundings on the banks of Lake Marion make the 8.7-mile bike
trail through the Cuddo Unit of the Santee National Wildlife Refuge
worth the trip.
Usually, spotting wildlife while riding a bike
is nearly impossible. On a nearly two-hour ride in Cuddo, I saw
some large gators on land and in the water, two deer, a great blue
heron, several great egrets, a wide variety of ducks and so many
butterflies that at times I felt the need to slow down so they wouldn’t
smack me in the face.
Other sections of the 15,095-acre preserve in
Clarendon County have plenty of hiking trails, but Cuddo has
the refuge’s only trail designated for bikes. (Hiking is allowed
on the bike trail.) Unlike the main office of the Santee Refuge,
which is just a couple miles from I-95, you have to travel several
miles on back roads to get to the Cuddo Unit entrance.
The gate is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. April through
September and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. October through February. The Cuddo
Unit is closed to hikers and bikers during two deer hunts Sept.
30-Oct. 6 and Oct. 15-20.
The rest of the year, Cuddo is all about wildlife
viewing. I stopped three times on my bike trip to take photos.
A bird-watcher with more patience might want to stop 10 times,
especially when cooler nights take the sting out of the bug population.
It’s obvious the refuge staff spends more time
worrying about resident wildlife than human visitors. The bike
trail is nothing more than a dirt road used sparingly by refuge
workers and, for two weeks a year, hunters.
The dearth of trail markers prompted me to go
against Robert Frost’s advice and take the road more traveled
whenever there was a choice. Only once did that fail me. Near
the end of the clockwise loop, I went straight when I should have
turned right. But 100 yards down the wrong road, I came upon a “dead
end” sign and turned around.
The trail winds through a basic pine/immature
hardwood forest. The first must-stop spot is a couple of miles
into the journey when only the trail/road separates Lake Marion
from a pond.
Two large gators sunbathed on an island in the
pond. What looked like large moving sticks in the lake cove meant
at least a half-dozen more gators hang out in the area. The Cuddo
Unit has the highest concentration of gators, and the largest individuals,
in the refuge.
If you encounter a gator sunbathing on the bike
trail, you’d best turn around and try the loop going the other
direction.
I made it only a few hundred yards more before
leaving the bike behind to stroll on the clam-covered shore of
the drought-sunken lake. Back on the bike, what had been an easy
ride turned difficult when the dirt road gave way to thick grass.
I bet no more than a dozen bikes had cut through that grass in the past
couple of months.
The tall, thick grass, which dominated two of
the next three miles, made the bike seem like it had two flat
tires. This would be an ideal section for a Lowcountry biker training
for long, uphill climbs.
In the middle of the grassy section is the other
hard-to-resist stop on a point between two lake coves. Small cypress
trees spike the broad lake vista. On this sunny day, yellow and purple
wildflowers blanketed the edges of the road, and the flocks of butterflies
made it seem many of the yellow flowers had sprung wings.
After another mile of grassy road and one brief
wrong turn, the final mile or two back to the car was an easy
pedal. Just for kicks, I drove the full 7.5-mile auto trail in
Cuddo, which reminded me why it’s much more interesting to hike or
bike, even if you have to plow through tall grass.
Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366.
BIKE RIDE: A place to ride at the Santee
National Wildlife Refuge
WHAT: 8.7-mile bike trail
WHERE: Cuddo Unit of the Santee National Wildlife
Refuge
WHEN: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. April through September;
8 a.m.-5 p.m. October through February. Closed to hikers and
bikers during deer hunts Sept. 30-Oct. 6 and Oct. 15-20.
DIRECTIONS FROM COLUMBIA: Take I-26 east to
I-95 north. Get off at exit 108. Turn right, and go about 1½
miles to the end of road. Turn left, and go 2 miles to Davis Crossroads.
Just past the crossroads, take the first paved road to the right
and go about 4 miles. Turn right and go about ½ mile until
road dead-ends. Turn right, and the entrance to the Cuddo Unit
is on the left. Refuge signs make it easier than it seems.
FEES: Free INFORMATION:
(803) 478-2217 or www.fws.gov/santee
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Come to Santee NW Refuge
and join for 2009.
Friends of Santee National
Wildlife Refuge
invite
you to join or
renew your
membership for 2009.
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Student
$10
Individual
$25
Family
$40
Patron
$100
Sponsor
$250
Corporate
$500
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The
purposes of Santee Refuge Friends are exclusively
charitable and educational within the meaning of the Section
501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954
and is an independent, non-profit organization.
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Designation:
"Important
Bird Area" by
National Audubon Society Based on: endangered species,
watch list species and concentrations of birds
(waterfowl,
colonial waterbeds and exceptional
numbers of migratory land birds).
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Become a Member
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Santee Refuge Recognized as an Important
Bird Area by Audubon
Friends of Santee National Wildlife
Refuge announced that the National Audubon Society
had conferred the designation of "Important Bird Area"
(IBA) upon Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
This announcement was made at the conclusion of
International Migratory Bird Day activities held on
the refuge on Saturday, May 15th, 2004.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge was selected as an Important
Bird Area on the basis of three nominating
criteria: Endangered Species, WatchList
Species, and Concentrations of Birds (waterfowl,
colonial waterbirds, and exceptional number
of migratory landbirds). Quoting from Paul
Koehler, Audubon's coordinator for South Carolina's
Important Bird Area Program, "I applaud the management
and conservation efforts at Santee NWR that contribute
toward it being named an Important Bird Area".
There are now 30 IBA's that have been recognized
in South Carolina and nearly 1,500 across the United
States. Congratulations to the refuge staff
on this special recognition. Two signs designating
Santee NWR as an Important Bird Area are erected
at visitor contact areas to help underscore the
importance of the refuge for bird populations.
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Santee National Wildlife Refuge Migratory
Waterfowl Ground Census:
Species:
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1-6-09
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12-12-08
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11-26-08
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1-17-07
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Hooded Merganser
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2
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2
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10
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30
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Mallard
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1315
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312
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501
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1525
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American Black Duck
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62
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20
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22
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145
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Gadwall
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310
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40
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7
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385
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American Wigeon
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840
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120
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12
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136
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Green-winged Teal
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2964
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1020
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912
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1900
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Northern Shoveler
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140
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10
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0
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40
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Northern Pintail
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22
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7
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0
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22
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Wood Duck
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612
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2580
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2883
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1775
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Lesser Scaup
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0
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20
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2
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30
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Ring-necked Duck
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1737
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750
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330
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3950
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Canada Goose
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1180
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710
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504
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1032
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Tundra Swan
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0
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0
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0
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4
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American Coot
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44
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85
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100
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750
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Pied-billed Grebe
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0
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0
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0
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78
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Bufflehead
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3
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0
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8
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0
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Canvasback
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12
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0
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0
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0
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Blue-winged Teal
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120
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0
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0
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0
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Totals
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9363
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5680
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5381
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11802
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Come walk the new nature trails
between the Visitor Center and
Indian Mound.
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New Binoculars at the Visitor
Center,
thanks
to Friends and Santee Cooper.
New Binoculars in place
& dedicated Oct 16, 2004.
Visitors on the deck
have increased 30%.
Thank you Santee Cooper
for your donation.
We are working hard to increase membership
and to get members involved with proposed
projects on the Refuge.
If you have a special
skill or interest please let us know.
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First visitors to use
the new glasses, June 19, 2004.
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New Refuge System Exhibit Panels at SC Welcome Center
Two new exhibit panels promoting
the Refuge System, the Centennial celebration,
and inviting travels to visit the refuges
located near Interstate 95 were erected at the
SC Welcome Center and Rest Area sites just across
Lake Marion. The panels which are housed
in covered, outdoor kiosks also include a section
devoted to Santee
National Wildlife Refuge.
Several hundred thousand
travelers on I-95 could view these panels
annually.
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Find the Cuddo Driving
Trail with the new sign installed by Gene;
revised in 2010, look for new sign.
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Young spring gator seen
in Cuddo, 2004.
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