Hello, Adventurers! Welcome to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If you love outdoor activities such as hiking, paddling, exploring nature, and learning about wildlife, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the Coastal Expeditions blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. To our return readers, thank you for your support! We commend you for being committed to learning. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Speaking of educational resources, The Outdoor School consists of afterschool programs, weekly camps, school field trips, and more! We offer hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, kayaking, and camping. Basically anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. If you are an educator interested in planning a fun trip for the students at your school, do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Our last article was a continuation of our camping series! Our first article was dedicated to explaining the key differences between forest and beach camping, as both types of camping require special gear and preparation. Our most recent article was dedicated to winter camping! Yes, people do camping during the winter and, for many, this is their favorite time of year to do so! It’s almost never a bad time to luxuriate outdoors, but winter camping does come with a few caveats. Along with packing the right clothing, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, you’ll also need to be aware of the dangers of camping in cold weather. We discussed how to deal with frostbite and avoid hypothermia, as well as how to keep your campsite unappealing to hungry animals. Winter camping offers an opportunity to reset our circadian rhythms, reconnect with nature, and spend time underneath the stars. If you’re interested in planning your own winter camping adventure, definitely give our last article a read!

Today, we’ll be discussing a topic that is quite near-and-dear to our hearts: coastal conservation. Environmental conservation is defined as “the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations, and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.” Environmental conservation is what will allow us to enjoy the natural splendor of our world for years to come and is responsible for the survival of multiple species of invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals (including us!). If we each do our part, big or small, to contribute to the preservation of our natural environment, we can make a difference! That’s why today’s article is dedicated to exploring why conservation is important, which conservation efforts are taking place here in the Lowcountry, and how you can help! If you’re interested in learning more, read on!

Why is conservation important?

According to National Geographic, “conservation is the care and protection of [air, minerals, plants, soil, water, and wildlife] so that they can persist for future generations. It includes maintaining the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems, as well as functions of the environment, such as nutrient cycling.” Natural processes do not occur within a vacuum. Rather, each aspect of nature influences (and is influenced by) another aspect of nature and so on. In this way, the longevity of an entire food chain can depend upon the smallest microorganisms present at the very depths of said ecosystem. For example, coral reefs are home to many different species of fish and crustaceans. When human beings overfish these populations, the coral reef is depleted of algae-eaters. Without algae-eaters, the reef experiences a bloom of fleshy algae. Fleshy algae produces a nutrient called dissolved organic carbon and microbes feed on this carbon, which leads to a bloom of microbes. This overgrowth of microbes leads to depletion of oxygen within the reef and an increase in disease. The reef grows unhealthy and begins to die. This process is called microbialization and, as you can see, is kick-started by the actions of humans.

When we are unaware of the impact of our actions, we can accidentally trigger the extinction of certain habitats and species. An excess of extinction leads to decreased biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important? Well, in the same way our bodies need a variety of nutrients to grow and remain healthy, so too does the natural world require a variety of organisms, ecosystems, and ecological processes to remain healthy. Significant decreases in biodiversity almost always lead to disease, overgrowth of pests, and infertility. For example, after planting in the same field for numerous seasons, it’s recommended that farmers allow the field to lie fallow for a season or two. Why? Because this allows the land to regain organic matter and nutrients, retain moisture, cut down on pathogens, and de-pest (by way of predators). Continuing to plant the same field, nonstop, would eventually lead to the land becoming non-arable. Fallowing is considered to be a biodiversity practice and its introduction revolutionized farming.

Another aspect of conservation is attempting to undo some of the harm perpetrated by humans. For example, the bald eagle almost became extinct in the United States during the twentieth century, when human use of a pesticide called DDT began to make their eggshells extraordinarily thin. Due to this, the U.S. population of bald eagles went from 300,000 to 500,000 during the 1800s to 412 nesting pairs by 1950. For this reason, the bald eagle was placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. government and given special protections. The species was taken off of the endangered species list in 1995 and placed on the threatened species list, instead. Finally, in 2007, the bald eagle was taken off of the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife list (for the contiguous states) altogether. This goes to show progress can be made when individuals, organizations, and governments prioritize conservation!

Coastal Conservation Efforts

Crab Bank is located in Charleston’s harbor, near Shem Creek. It’s one of several kayaking destinations for coastal adventurers but, primarily, Crab Bank acts as a breeding ground for a bevy of shorebirds. From brown pelicans to black skimmers, from royal terns to American oystercatchers–summertime sees Crab Bank play home to as many as 5,000 nests. It’s a true ecological masterpiece and a rare Charleston treasure. Crab Bank has traditionally consisted of a long, curved sandbank. From above, its length resembles a smile (with a grassy end). However, after years of eroding and a particularly brutal Hurricane Irma, much of the bank has washed away. This disappearance has left many birds who return to Crab Bank year after year with no place to nest. The Coastal Conservation League recognized this and teamed up with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, along with the Coastal Expeditions Foundation, to remedy the problem.

Project Save Crab Bank will entail using sand dredged from the deepening of Charleston Harbor to rebuild the bank. Rather than conservation, this project will be along the lines of  a restoration. What’s the difference? Well, according to Eco-Intelligent, “Conservation and restoration use different ecological principles. Conservation tends to focus more on the population level of an ecosystem… Restoration, meanwhile, is more of a community-level science. When you are reviving an ecosystem, you do not look at one species; you are to look at the entire collection of populations of different species.” Both conservation and restoration are distinctly different from preservation. This is evidenced by the difference between National Parks and National Forests. While national forests are protected and thus conserved, they can still be used for hunting and recreational activities. National Parks are, for the most part, preserved–that is to say, protected from human activity.

How can you help conserve our coast?

The restoration of the Crab Bank Seabird Sanctuary was successfully completed! Over 1.4 million dollars was raised for the effort, thanks to the generous donations of people like you! However, Crab Bank is only one of five similar islands off the the South Carolina coast. To participate in further conservation efforts, you can visit the Coastal Expeditions Foundation site here. To help you turn your passion into action, here are a few more ways you can practice environmental conservation:

1. Volunteer to clean up litter in your community.
2. Educate yourself about ongoing conservation efforts.
3. Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
4. Choose sustainable made clothes and food.
5. Use non-toxic chemicals at home and around your yard.
6. Protect the sea turtles! You can read about how here.
7. Plant a tree.
8. Conserve water, where possible.
9. Leave nature as you found it.
10. Conserve energy or use natural energy.

You can also volunteer to assist The Charleston Waterkeeper, an organization dedicated to protecting Charleston’s waterways, restoring clean waters for fishing and swimming, and advocating against water pollution. For more information on how you can donate or volunteer, visit their website!

One of the best parts about conservation is enjoying nature in all its splendor! Make sure you get outside and explore what nature has to offer. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! We can’t wait to teach you more about conservation. Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!