Eyes on the Skies: How Lowcountry Land Trust Preserves and Protects Bird Habitats

By Ashley Demosthenes

Through these ongoing conservation efforts, Lowcountry Land Trust and its private landowner partners ensure that the Lowcountry remains a haven for a remarkable diversity of bird species and other wildlife.

Imagine the South Carolina Lowcountry’s sweeping marshes and serene pine forests alive with birds—from the graceful herons and egrets to the federally threatened Red-cockaded Woodpecker.Lowcountry Land Trustis not just protecting land but actively stewarding the critical habitats on properties in its ownership, partnering with landowners to support their efforts to sustain species diversity, and enrich the natural landscape.

Conservation Efforts Include Quintessential Environments

Conch Creek Islands: Adjacent to Goldbug Island, Conch Creek Islands play a vital role as a habitat for numerous species of wading birds, including Great Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Great Egrets, and White Ibis. Protected since May 2022, safeguarding these habitats was a driving force in the property's protection.

Brosnan Forest: Protected since 2008, Brosnan Forest is one of the most intensively managed longleaf pine forests under a Lowcountry Land Trust easement and is a sanctuary for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, a federally threatened species. The mature longleaf pines provide essential nesting cavities for these protected birds, whose survival is closely linked to preserving this habitat. 

Plum Hill: Historic ricefields at Plum Hill offer a rich, year-round habitat for warm-weather shorebirds and wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl. These wetlands, which have been protected since December 2011, are part of broader conservation efforts in the ACE Basin. 

Through these ongoing conservation efforts, Lowcountry Land Trust and its private landowner partners ensure that the Lowcountry remains a haven for a remarkable diversity of bird species and other wildlife. By safeguarding places like Conch Creek Islands, Brosnan Forest and Plum Hill, the Trust not only preserves South Carolina’s natural beauty but also protects vital ecosystems that are essential to the region’s biodiversity and that provide significant public benefits. This work reflects a commitment to future generations, who will inherit a landscape steeped in wildlife and natural heritage and the opportunity to experience these timeless habitats.