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National Great Outdoors Month

National Great Outdoors Month is celebrated in June and serves as a reminder to enjoy and appreciate our state parks and wildlife refuges. This observation, begun in 1998, encourages us to explore our parks and enjoy the beauty that awaits us in our natural world.

National Great Outdoors Month is celebrated in June and serves as a reminder to enjoy and appreciate our state parks and wildlife refuges. This observation, begun in 1998, encourages us to explore our parks and enjoy the beauty that awaits us in our natural world.

Content Type
Dewberry | Bulls Island Natural Area (S.C.) Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4 9

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4
Episode 9
The Dike – Vast fields of Cord Grass populate this area. The fresh water impoundments, with much lower levels of salinity, are perfect places for shore and sea birds such as Yellowleg birds, Black...
Dewberry | Bulls Island Natural Area (S.C.) Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4 11

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4
Episode 11
Great Egret birds, whose nests were initially destroyed by Hurricane Hugo, have flocked back to the island to rebuild their homes.
 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3 6

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 6
Hurricane Hugo damage revisited – Here we see further evidence of damage caused by Hurricane Hugo. The tall canopy trees like pines, oaks, and palmettos have been stripped bare. Nature is slowly...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 2 4

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 4
Foothills- “flat rock communities” can be found here: outcroppings of rock with standing water. Endemic flowers are a species of flower only found in these communities, such as Cottony Groundsel...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1 1

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 1
Rudy and Jim visit Forty Acre Rock, which is in Flat Creek Heritage Preserve, in Lancaster, S.C. Pine Forest - The forest, once dominated by hardwood trees, is now populated with mostly pine trees...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1 3

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 3
Damage from Hurricane Hugo, seen with some of the pine trees knocked over by high force winds, still remain. Yellow Jessamine and Japanese Honeysuckle plants can be seen growing over the damage left...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1 2

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 2
At the same stop, Rudy and Jim come across a few common species of insects which populate the area: a male Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, a Sunflier dragonfly, and a cluster of Fall Webworm silk is...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 2 5

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 5
The significant amount of warm rain water greatly benefits the plant and animal life here. In one of these pools of water found in the rock outcroppings, Spotted Salamander egg masses can be seen...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 5 8

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 5
Episode 8
Rudy and Jim discuss the process of exfoliation, which commonly takes place on rock outcroppings such as this one. Here, on this island of soil, we see more yellow jessamine, moss, red cedar trees...
Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 2 - Spotted Salamander
   - Episode 5 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 3 6

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 6
Vernal Pools - Red Cedar trees commonly populate these rock outcropping areas. Lichens break down the rock surface, creating the dirt in which plants can grow. Black Rock Moss Haircap Moss...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 6 9

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 6
Episode 9
Large masses of granite such as this one, are sometimes called “Plutons,” named after the Roman god of the underworld. This is due the hot liquid granite coming up from the ground and cooling...
 Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 4 7

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Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) Stop 4
Episode 7
After the rock gets broken down into soil, the first species of plant life to grow in these areas are mainly Stonecrops, along with Rock Sandwort.
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2 4

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 4
Before the trees start to bloom, the flowers in the area explode with blossoms first. Here we see Lousewort and Pennywort flowers. While observing the flowers, Rudy and Jim come across a Black Chinned...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 3 7

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 7
Another characteristic of this forest which makes it unique is that it is has remained relatively unchanged for millions of years. The Mayapple flower is a common flower in the area, and features an...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 1 1

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 1
Rudy and Jim visit Appalachian Cove, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina. Some of the flowering plants found here have cousins nowhere else in the world except China and Japan. At this first...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 5 11

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 5
Episode 11
In the same stop, Rudy and Jim talk about the plants growing on a nearby rock: moss, Walking Fern, and another Canada Violet. On a nearby tree, Rudy and Jim find a cocoon of a Large Silkworm Moth.
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 6 12

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 6
Episode 12
The constant stream of mist coming from the waterfall at this next stop affects the variety of plants found here. The mountain, like the forest, is ancient, and the waterfall continues to wear away...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 5 10

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 5
Episode 10
At this next stop, Rudy and Jim find Canada Violets, White Trillium, Blue Cohosh, and a Green Frog can be seen close-by near the stream. Other plants which dominate the area are Yellow Buckeye trees...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2 6

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 6
The increased amount of rain makes for a much more diversified forest when it comes to the tall trees in the area. Here we see the Tulip Tree, and the Understory Tree. Along the way Rudy and Jim come...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 1 2

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 2
Some of the trees found in the area also have blossoms. The redbud is one example. On a nearby hickory tree, Rudy and Jim come across a woodpecker called a yellow bellied sap-sucker, which has come to...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 3 8

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 8
In the same stop, Rudy and Jim find a species of reptile called the Green Anole lizard, and they describe the differences between a salamander and a lizard. Illustrating more of the forest’s diversity...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2 5

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 5
When pieces of trees fall to the ground, nature has a way to recycle that debris. A species of mushroom known as the False Turkey Tail helps break down the rotting wood, adding nutrients to soil in...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2 3

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 3
Cove forests are very popular with visitors, due to the rich bottom soil found here. One animal which does very well in these areas is the beaver. Its work can be seen here with its telltale signs of...
Bellwort | Appalachian Cove (S.C.) | NatureScene Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 4 9

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Appalachian Cove (S.C.) Stop 4
Episode 9
The cove got its shape from streams of water periodically carving out the rock. Witch Hazel and Rhododendrons are species of plants which benefit from the moisture of nearby streams.