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Restoration Recap: Conestee Nature Preserve
2024 marked the second exciting year of habitat restoration at Conestee Nature Preserve in partnership with Conestee staff and the Palmetto Conservation Corps.
This year the restoration objectives were two-fold: first to continue ecological enhancements in the Henderson and Forrester meadows, and second to initiate invasives removal in the floodplain forest along the Reedy River. While vastly different in terms of hydrology, soils, and species composition, these restoration sites have been identified as ecologically significant, supporting a wide variety of birds, amphibians, and plant species. With over 600-acres of natural area included in the preserve, intentional prioritization of our scope of work was an important element of maximizing our efforts. Unfortunately, while grasslands and riverine forests represent two incredibly important ecosystems in the Upstate, they are also increasingly threatened by altered management regimes, exotic species and changing weather dynamics.
A dedicated crew of six worked for five full days in the preserve for a total of 240-man hours directed towards the restoration project objectives. The first three days were spent removing Bradford pear, sweetgum, persimmon, and loblolly from the Henderson and Forester Meadows, effectively setting back the clock on succession. In the absence of historical fire regimes, these open successional habitats are especially vulnerable to conversion to closed-canopy forest. The crew hand-cut and treated undesirable woody species resulting in the improvement of 6.6 acres of grassland habitat at the preserve. This work ensures that the birds, pollinators, and other wildlife that are entirely reliant on open and relatively treeless ecosystems will continue to call Conestee home.
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