Welcome to a very special edition of our blog friends, nature lovers, and adventures of all ages! Have you been out enjoying the changing season and all of its beautiful attributes since you read our last blog? The only thing that gets in the way of really enjoying this time of year is how early the sun likes to set. However, grabbing a flashlight can turn that all around. You would be amazed at the incredible wildlife you can enjoy thanks to your handy dandy flashlight. In this blog, we are going to dive deep into one of our many passions, and that is education. When you take a tour with us, regardless if it is on a SUP, a kayak, in a canoe, on a boat, hiking, or a multi-sport trip, a large part of what we talk about and will show our guests is all centered around education. We talk about the history of where we’re touring, the importance of the natural ecosystem, about the wildlife and plant life that inhabit every tour destination, the importance of the marsh, and we will even teach you how to use every piece of equipment successfully to enjoy each of our tours. Our tours are fun, family-friendly, and you’re going to see so many beautiful things. We love to use these opportunities to teach our guests, because where better to learn than right in the middle of nature itself? We also like to use these moments to teach because our guests can see how special our wildlife and plant life are right at that moment and understand why it needs to be preserved. Today, we are going to be talking about some of the best ways the wildlife and plant life are being preserved right here in Charleston and what you can do to help.

[Your Fingerprint]

When it comes down to it, animals and plants were all here in Charleston before we were. Then we came along and cramped their style. We took away their habitats, used up so much of their natural resources, and added a massive amount of pollution that severely damaged and endangered a lot of our plant and animal life. A lot of this was done way before our time when settlers and colonists came to Charleston, and over those hundreds of years, humans have slowed down these destructive ways. Thanks to the development of wildlife conservation groups and environmental awareness this has started slow, and the focus has been shifting to what we can do now to help protect and care for the world around us. What we can do now comes in many different forms. Here are a few things to think about:

[Finding a Pearl]

Charleston is known for its seafood and most importantly it’s known for its oysters. However, due to oysters being in such high demand, the natural oyster beds, the number of different species of oysters, and just the amount of oysters available have faced serious depletion. Thankfully to restaurants, oyster farmers, and conversationalists that keep locally sourced ideals in mind, this has all started to change. They have all realized that natural local oysters are doing more than just feeding Charleston. They are helping Charleston thrive, the waterways remain healthy, and provide a healthy habitat for the world around the oyster beds. New kinds of breeds of oysters are finally coming back to Charleston, more oysters are growing, and the oyster beds are looking better than they have in a very long time.

One of the biggest pushes in making this happen right here in Charleston is the restoration of the natural oyster beds. Multiple organizations are out there working hard every day with their team of researchers and volunteers to make this possible. Love oysters? That’s great! Once you enjoy your next dozen, don’t throw away your shells. Recycle them instead! According to the S.C Sea Grant Consortium, an oyster shell is the best foundation for young oysters looking for a home to latch onto. Thanks to the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program (SCORE), these big changes in restoring the oyster beds to what they used to be are happening. What these teams of incredible scientists and volunteers do is place bushels of loose shells every year on top of local oyster bed sites across Charleston to help regrow and repopulate oyster reefs. According to Sea Grant, the reefs are growing at an exponential rate due to this work.

These oysters aren’t for you and me to enjoy, they’re used instead to help restore the ecosystem. While oysters offer huge health benefits to those who eat them, they also help clean the water they live in. Oysters act as natural filters and clean up the pollution left behind by fishermen, and both commercial and recreational activity on the water. The more natural oysters in our water, the cleaner it is. Without them, that ecosystem could go down the drain. According to Sea Grant, these oysters help stabilize the marsh, provide healthy habitats for the native fish, and the crab and shrimp found locally. Give back and save your shells or donate your time to one of these amazing organizations, like Sea Grant, to keep our oceans clean!

[Create your Wildlife]

Thanks to the South Carolina Wildlife Foundation, our wildlife and plant life is being protected and preserved in even more unique ways today than they have ever been before. They love educating others just as much as we do, and we love them for it. One of our favorite ways they suggest giving back to nature and helping to preserve the native wildlife of South Carolina is to garden. That’s right, your favorite pastime could save our wildlife! With their help, you can turn any green space into a Certified Wildlife Habitat! All you need to do is research what wild and plant life can live in the areas you have to work in and provide a sustainable source of food, water, cover, and a place for these animals to raise their young. Cultivate an area that attracts native butterflies and bees, if you live close to a lake or pond, provide the above-listed elements to attract and care for wildlife native to these bodies of water, and do the same if you live close to the beach. Give back and provide to the natural world around you, and it will do the same for you. To learn more, follow the link below!

By spending a few hours or a few dollars on the natural world around us, we can help keep it safe, healthy, and alive. If you need some inspiration please come take a tour with us soon! Our guides are guaranteed to teach and inspire you about the world around you!