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Explore South Carolina

Learn about South Carolina. You may be surprised at what you'll find!  

In addition to the topics below, you can also delve into South Carolina's history by visiting the Social Studies section.

Public schools observe John C. Calhoun's birthday, March 18, as South Carolina Day. 

 

Within this Collection

Content Type
Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 4 - Bald Cypress And Papaw
   - Episode 6 Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 7 11

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Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 7
Episode 11
At this last stop at Congaree Swamp, Rudy and Jim find another Sweetgum tree, which grows very well in this wet, muddy environment. A record size Willow Oak tree, toppled over by the wind, knocked...
Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 4 - Bald Cypress And Papaw
   - Episode 6 Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 5 7

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Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 5
Episode 7
Oxbow Lake – A Laurel Oak tree has found a way to support itself in the muddy, wet soil. Water Tupelo trees, Bald Cypress trees, and Loblolly Pines dominate the areas closer to the swamp.
 Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6 8

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Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6
Episode 8
Cedar Creek – As Rudy and Jim explore Cedar Creek, they spot a large Brown Water snake.
Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 4 - Bald Cypress And Papaw
   - Episode 6 Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6 10

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Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6
Episode 10
Closer to the water, Rudy and Jim find more Cypress-Tupelo trees, and come across two Clubtail dragonflies in the process of mating.
Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 4 - Bald Cypress And Papaw
   - Episode 6 Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6 9

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Congaree Swamp (S.C.) Stop 6
Episode 9
Congaree Swamp is abundant with insect life. Rudy and Jim come across a newly emerged dragonfly, and a Zebra Swallowtail butterfly is seen feeding on a White Clover flower. A Clubtail dragonfly is...
 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 2 5

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 5
At the same stop, vines and flowering plants can also be seen growing in this area. We see Yellow Jessamine, and Toadflax.
Bumblebee | Bulls Island Natural Area (S.C.) Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 2 4

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 2
Episode 4
Sandy soils – At this stop, we see Southern Magnolia trees, which help keep the sandy ground stable. With this one magnolia tree, Rudy and Jim find holes left behind by beetles, and woodpeckers which...
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 - The Ghost Beach | NatureScene
   - Episode 12 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1 1

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 1
Bulls Island was one of the most heavily damaged areas in South Carolina by Hurricane Hugo. Rudy and Jim visit Bulls Island to observe how nature is healing itself after the deadly hurricane. Here at...
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 2 - Sandy Soil Trees, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron, And Wild Turkey
   - Episode 4 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 12

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5
Episode 12
“Ghost Beach” - Rudy and Jim further assess the damage to the island by Hurricane Hugo. The pines and live oaks at the shore line are gone, but the Palmetto trees survived. The water is slowly eroding...
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 - The Ghost Beach | NatureScene
   - Episode 12 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4 10

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 4
Episode 10
Rudy and Jim catch a full sized adult alligator sneaking around the area, and also find a Four-Lined Rat snake, also known as a Live-Oak snake.
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 - The Ghost Beach | NatureScene
   - Episode 12 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3 7

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 7
At the same stop, Rudy and Jim find more plants typical of barrier islands: Devil’s Walking Stick, Prickly Ash, and Buckthorn. In a shady area close by, Rudy and Jim find a resting Eastern Cottonmouth...
 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1 3

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 3
On the other side of the impoundment we see the effects of Hurricane Hugo. The area once dominated by canopy trees like tall pines, are no longer there.
Bumblebee | Bulls Island Natural Area (S.C.) Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1 2

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 1
Episode 2
At the same stop, Rudy and Jim come across a Northern Mockingbird, and a Red-Wing Blackbird perched in some nearby trees, making their distinctive bird-calls. Feeding on some nearby Dewberry flowers...
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 - The Ghost Beach | NatureScene
   - Episode 12 Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3 8

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Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 3
Episode 8
Osprey birds and Bald Eagles can also be seen nesting in this wildlife refuge.
Bumblebee | 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...
Bulls Island (S.C.) Stop 5 - The Ghost Beach | NatureScene
   - Episode 12 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.
Bumblebee | Bulls Island Natural Area (S.C.) 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...
Flowering Dogwood | Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) 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...
Flowering Dogwood | Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) 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...
Flowering Dogwood | Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) 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...
Flowering Dogwood | Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) 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...
Japanese Honeysuckle and Carolina Yellow Jessamine | Forty Acre Rock (S.C.) 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...