Back In Time

A hidden gem in coastal South Carolina is Clemson University’s Baruch Institute of Ecology and Forest Science. Tucked away off Highway 17 in Georgetown County, a staff of a few dozen study the forests and wetlands on this 17,000-acre tract of land to determine the environmental impact of changing land-use patterns, coastal natural resource conservation, forestry, water quality and watershed management. A visit to the property is like stepping back in time, where the animals rule the planet. See everything from wild turkeys, to water fowl to alligators deer. The work Clemson researchers are doing at Baruch provides information to help public policy decision-makers manage growth issues so the state’s coastal environment can be preserved for future generations.