South Carolina’s “sister reserves” leverage partnerships to offer unique learning opportunities by land and bay!
SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Marine Education Program and education staff from ACE Basin NERR visit Hobcaw Barony each year in spring and fall to offer field trips for local 5th-12th grade Georgetown County students. The Baruch Foundation, which manages the Hobcaw property, generously provides water access from the beautiful Hobcaw House pier overlooking Winyah Bay. Students experience land activities at the Hobcaw Barony Discovery Center and the Kimbel freshwater pond, then travel though the forests of Hobcaw to board the EV Discovery vessel for water quality testing, trawling for marine life, and sightseeing on the third largest estuary on the east coast.
Thanks to funding from the Francis P. Bunnelle Foundation, this October over 300 students from five local schools participated in the activities, and in addition, the Reserves hosted a staff and volunteer trip for adults during the weeklong visit. Students of all ages saw an amazing collection of wildlife, including eagles, osprey, sturgeon, dolphin, shrimp, crabs, and even stingrays and jellyfish.
