REVIEW AND APPROVAL S CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUG E McBee, South Carolina ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1999 . -o 1CC~ Gfi~~~a~~~ i_ZZ_01 Refuge Manager Date Refuge Supervisor Review Date ///7-3/0/ Regional Office Approval Date • CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUG E McBee, South Carolina • ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1999 • U. S. Department of the Interio r Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge Syste m • TABLE OF CONTENTS q Page INTRODUCTION i A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.......... .... ............................... 1 C. LAND ACOUISITION 1. Fee Title Nothing to Report 2. Easements 2 3. Other Nothing to Report D. PLANNING . 1 . Master Plan Nothing to Report 2. Management Plan Nothing to Report 3. Public Participation Nothing to Report 4. Compliance w/Environmental & Cultural Resources Mandates 3 5. Research and Investigations 3 6. Other 6 E. ADMINISTRATION 1. Personnel 6 2. Youth Programs 8 3. Other Manpower Programs Nothing to Report 4. Volunteer Programs 9 5. Funding 1 1 6. Safety 12 • 7. Technical Assistance 1 3 8. Other 13 F. HABITAT MANAGEMEN T 1. General 13 2. Wetlands 1 4 3. Forests 1 4 4. Croplands 1 7 5. Grasslands 1 7 6. Other Habitats - Fields 17 7. Grazing Nothing to Report 8. Haying Nothing to Report 9. Fire Management 1 7 10. Pest Control Nothing to Report 11. Water Rights Nothing to Report • 12 . Wilderness and Special Areas Nothing to Report 13. Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Easements 19 • Page G. WILDLIFE 1. Wildlife Diversity 20 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 20 3. Waterfowl 23 4. Marsh and Water Birds 24 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 24 6. Raptors 24 7. Other Migratory Birds 25 8. Game Mammals 25 9. Marine Mammals Nothing to Report 10. Other Resident Wildlife 25 11. Fisheries Resources 25 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to Report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to Report • 14. Scientific Collections Nothing to Report 15. Animal Control Nothing to Report 16. Marking and Banding 26 H. PUBLIC USE 1. General 26 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students 27 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to Report 4. Interpretive Foot Trails 28 5. Interpretive Tour Routes 28 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations 28 7. Other Interpretive Programs 29 8. Hunting 29 9. Fishing 3 1 10. Trapping Nothing to Report • 11. Wildlife Observation Nothing to Report 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation 3 1 13. Camping Nothing to Report 14. Picnicking Nothing to Report 15. Off-Road Vehicling Nothing to Report 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to Report 17. Law Enforcement 31 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to Report 19. Concessions Nothing to Report I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIE S 1. New Construction Nothing to Report 2. Rehabilitiation Nothing to Report 3. Major Maintenance 33 4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement 34 5. Communications Systems Nothing to Report 6. Computer Systems 34 Page • I. EQUIPMENTAND FACILITIES (CONT'D) 7. Energy Conservation Nothing to Report 8. Other Nothing to Report J. OTHERITEMS 1. Cooperative Programs 34 2. Other Economic Uses Nothing to Repor t 3. Items of Interest 35 4. Credits 37 K. FEEDBACK 38 L. INFORMATIONPACKET (inside back cover) • • • INTRODUCTIO N Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge overlies a portion of the Fall Line region of South Carolina , which forms the transition zone between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Piedmont Plateau . In prehistoric times the coastal plain was covered by an ancient ocean into which rivers from adjacen t mountainous regions drained . Silt and sand deposited along the coastline from these streams eventually formed into a band of sand dunes, which are today known as the Sandhills Region of North and Sout h Carolina. Human habitation of the Sandhills has probably existed for more than 10,000 years . Before the arrival of European man, the region was sparsely populated by scattered Indian tribes, which came to be known a s the Catawba Nation . Little information is available concerning the early history of European man in this area. Not until the 16th century was the area visited by explorers and for the next 150 years, the onl y people to visit the region on a regular basis were trappers and traders in search of furs and hides . Europeans did not begin to establish permanent settlements in inland South Carolina until the mid-1700's . Vast longleaf pine forests dominated the landscape of the Sandhills when European man first settled i n this area . These supported major lumber and naval store industries by the late 1800's . However, by the • early 1900's these forests had been completely destroyed and farming became the predominant lifestyl e in this region . Poor agricultural practices and deep infertile soils combined to spell the doom of thi s industry . The lands within the Sandhills region were badly eroded and essentially a biological deser t when acquisition for the refuge began in 1934. The refuge was established by Executive Order Number 8067 dated March 17, 1939 under authority o f the 1933 National Industrial Recovery Act and the Emergency Relief Appropriation of 1935 . The U . S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages 45,348 acres as the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge . Elevations on the refuge range from 250 to 500 feet above mean sea level . The topography i s characterized by gently rolling hills and deep sandy soils with occasional outcroppings of red and kaoli n clays. Uniquely, much of the flora and fauna found on the east side of the refuge is characteristic of thos e forms generally associated with the Coastal Plain while those on the west side are associated with th e Piedmont Plateau . The dominant forest type is longleaf pine with a scattered understory of turkey oak . Where clay outcroppings occur, longleaf is replaced by loblolly pine and blue jack oak is the mos t common understory species . • The eastern portion of the refuge drains into Black Creek and its tributaries . Water in these streams is clear but stained black due to th e presence of organic acids . Flood plain swamp s occur along some of the larger streams . The western portion of the refuge drains into Lynche s River and its tributaries. The tributaries of Lynches River are similar to those of Black Cree k except that they are deeper and swifter . The mainstream of Lynches River originates in th e Piedmont Plateau in the vicinity of the refuge . It is characterized by slightly stained and turbid water with predominantly clay banks . Pocosin ecotones, swamp hardwood forests, and dense stands of evergreen shrubs border these stream s producing some of the best wildlife habitat foun d on the refuge. Thirty small impoundments having dark, clear water have been constructed on these tributaries; most of these have been stocked with bass and bream . Habitat diversity has been increase d • by the creation of many small fields scattered throughout the refuge . CAROLINA SANDHILLS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNITED STATE S CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLIN A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH A190 •ILOLIFE SERVIC E 80. 201 eO•I S' ROTS ' fom CARI nA ~~ FM- s .nwiLL rrF f ~ rrn R~ ouLmroa "dilk AnJ OEI VICINITY MA P a. so KffE 4. .f • LEGEND REFUG E BOUNDAR Y em a COMPILED IN THE DIVISION OF REALTY FRO M SURVEYS eT USG.S :. MEA N =~ OECL .HATlL V y) • 0 U :o 2640 5 . 0 Of00 HIE D ti t0 FEE T Scal e — 5-4r ATLANTA, GEORGIA JUNE . 1974 4R-5 ? REVISED 12/86 • A. HIGHLIGHTS • Refuge receives the 1999 Forest Conservation Award from the South Carolina Wildlif e Federation . (F .3) • The first-ever park ranger and refuge biologist positions are filled at the refuge . Park Ranger Kay McCutcheon and Refuge Biologist Laura Shiver give both programs a tremendous boost. (E .1 ) • Refuge outreach efforts expand with numerous programs presented throughout the area . (H.1 ) • Refuge experiences a record red-cockaded woodpecker nesting season with 93 nests an d 198 chicks banded. (G .2) • Refuge staff conduct the largest red-cockaded woodpecker translocation to date . Thirteen • birds were trapped in one night and were taken to Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. (G.2) • Refuge staff provides assistance and equipment on numerous details throughout the year t o other refuges, the Regional Office, Washington Office, and major project fires . (H.1,F .9,I .8) • Partners for Fish and Wildlife Agreements are signed with four local landowners restorin g 176 acres of longleaf pine on private lands. (C.3) • Patricia McCoy fills vacant Office Assistant position . (E .1 ) • USGS-BRD conducts first-ever refuge aquatic and reptile and amphibian surveys . (D.5) • Although Lake Bee Dam has been repaired, three other dams on refuge lakes fail . (1 .3) • • Refuge loses Engineering Equipment Operator Jack Oliver after 22 years to retirement an d Forestry Technician Greg Askins to Lower Suwannee NWR . B. CLIMATIC CONDITION S Calendar year 1999 started out relatively normal for temperatures and rainfall but the refug e was still feeling the effects of the drought begun in 1998 . In May, the dry weather returned an d the refuge was deficient in precipitation amounts . No relief came until September whe n Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd brought over nine inches of rain to the area . If it weren't for the hurricanes, the refuge would have been severely behind in annual precipitation that could hav e affected prescribed burning efforts in Calendar Year 2000 . A summary of 1999 climati c information is contained in Table 1 on the following page . • Table 1 . Temperature, Relative Humidity and Precipitatio n • CY 19. 99 Minimum Maximu m Avg Minimum Avg Tota l Month Temp Temp Temp RH Rh Rainfall January 14 79 49 21 73 5.33 February 20 77 49 16 68 2.25 March 25 81 50 16 61 3.71 April 36 90 65 21 67 5.43 May 44 92 69 24 68 1 .1 6 June 54 101 75 23 76 3.95 July 62 104 81 30 77 1 .61 August 59 105 81 24 72 2.92 September 42 94 71 27 77 9.76 October 32 86 61 33 82 2.32 November 27 80 56 0* 74 2.44 December 22 73 46 18 74 2.05 • Yearly Averages/Total 36 89 63 21 72 42.93 C.