An important battle has been raging in the swamp for the past two years. It's not battle fought with blood but one of legal issues. At stake is the largest, remaining virgin stand of bald cypress and tupelo gum blackwater forest in the world.
Carefully preserved in its natural setting, the Francis Beidler Forest encompasses more than 10,500 acres of Four Hole Swamp near Harleyville, SC. The National Audubon Society acquired the land in 1969 and opened the forest to the public August 23, 1977. The National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy established this forest as an Audubon Sanctuary.
In our last visit to the swamp, I admired the unique beauty of the cypress knees as I walked the boardwalk with my children. Just as they would imagine shapes within the clouds, the children were having fun naming of each knee poking through the swamp. Unexpectedly, a large bird swooped down into the top of a nearby tree to feed waiting young fledglings. The sounds and sights were astonishing as the two fledglings fought over and devoured the feast. We were totally captivated by the unfolding scene. Then as swiftly as the bird had entered, it flew out through the trees. The fledglings again became silent and the ambiance of the swamp returned with the playful songs of birds and a woodpecker knocking at a tree. Bullfrogs mysteriously croaked off in the distance. The sounds of nature, both soothing and enchanting, filled our ears.
This peace and serenity is threatened. Two years ago a developer purchased land to build a stockcar racetrack nearby. The plans were kept quiet at first. Neither the surrounding community nor the swamp caretakers were aware of the impending threat. When the community discovered what was happening, they became outraged and turned their voices to the Beidler Forest. "How could this be?" "How can it be stopped?" "What will you do?" Norman Brunswig, Sanctuary Manager, looked into the issue and found no way to stop the racetrack from being built. His heart was heavy. He worried for his beloved forest. Even if the race track was not in the swamp or touching its borders, the sound would frighten away many animals and begin an ecological change.
The ecology of a place such as Francis Beidler Forest is very fragile. Many people do not understand how severely small changes can affect the swamp as a whole. It wasn't until February 1997, when Beidler Forest was nominated as a National Historical Site, that noise pollution could be used as an issue. Now Norman had a reason to force decibel testing to prove the impact of sound on the swamp. However, would this be enough?
The community was not silent through this period. They felt devastated when Norman told them that Beidler Forest alone could not stop the racetrack. The thought of losing the serenity of their community was unacceptable. A local farmer called a meeting and people came from all around. Norman was there, never realizing just how many neighbors the swamp had. Scattered across the farmlands, they seldom have an opportunity to meet as a group. This meeting in the barn was likely the first time ever these people had come together. A real community was being born. Together they would fight! Perhaps by standing united, they could find a way to stop this project. No one in the community wanted it. The swamp caretakers opposed it. Even the surrounding communities voiced their opinions against the project by sending more than 500 individual letters to the Office of Coastal Resource Management.
There is no way to be certain how this issue will be decided. Legally, it is approaching a delicate crossroads. The decision lies in the hand of the law. You can help preserve these delicate eco systems. Write to your senators and representatives and let them know how important it is to protect these recognized sanctuaries and surrounding areas, or E-mail us at swamp@pride-net.com.