|
Introduction >>
Green business practices and operations >>
Freshwater habitats and watersheds >>
Marine and coastal issues >>
Sustainable Seafood Initiative >>
Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation >>
Reporting Stranded and Injured Wildlife >>
 |
| Attendees of the South Carolina Mussel Symposium (click the image to enlarge). |
The third annual South Carolina Freshwater Mussel Symposium was held at the South Carolina Aquarium, January 24-25, 2006. This event, co-sponsored by the SC Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, brings together state and Federal agencies, consultants, private industry, educational institutions, and NGOs from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia to discuss freshwater mussel conservation issues in South Carolina.
These symposiums have been very successful at identifying needed conservation measures for the freshwater mussels of South Carolina. By bringing professionals together from across the state and opening up avenues for cooperation, this group has been instrumental in conducting surveys, advocating for cleaner waterways, and putting together land protection projects that will protect critical habitats for many aquatic species, especially the Federally listed Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata).
The group will meet again in January 2007. If you are interested in learning more about freshwater mussel conservation in South Carolina, please contact Lora Zimmerman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (843)727-4707 ext. 226.
 Hybrid Vehicles: A Choice that Conserves Resources
are just a few of the reasons why hybrid vehicles are a smart choice.
Hybrid cars combine two types of energy to create a more environmentally-friendly form of transportation. The main source of energy is electricity stored in a battery. The battery is able to recharge itself while the car is turned on, so there is no need to plug it in at the end of the day.
A gas-powered engine supplements the electrical power. The car is able to automatically switch between power systems and is able to maintain speeds and acceleration of typical gas powered cars. By emitting less harmful chemicals into the environment, hybrid vehicles can help to reduce pollution.
Reducing pollution helps natural habitats and inhabitants like those you can see at the South Carolina Aquarium, where we strive to inspire conservation by excelling in education and in the care, display and study of aquatic life.
The theme of the South Carolina Aquarium is a journey from the mountains to the sea, across the varied landscape of the state. South Carolina is small, just 300 miles across and 40th in size of all the states, yet it is in the top 10 or 15 states in terms of its biodiversity (the range of animals and plants that live there). This rich biodiversity is a reflection of the wide range of habitats found in the state, and the South Carolina Aquarium celebrates this biodiversity in its exhibits and programs.
Like any modern aquarium or zoo, the South Carolina Aquarium must attract people with innovative marketing techniques and promotions, intrigue people with its exhibits, inform them with its interpretive graphics and on-site and off-site programs, and involve them in making a difference though partnerships with other like-minded organizations. Ultimately the goal of the Aquarium is to promote the conservation of South Carolina's habitats and biodiversity, so that these habitats can be enjoyed by future generations of South Carolinians. With this in mind, a cornerstone to the Aquarium's approach to conservation (and its related research projects) is the sustainable use of natural resources through careful, science-based management and consultation and involvement with the various stakeholders.
In the end, however, conservation is about people and creating a sense of optimism through partnerships and involvement. Conservation programs and activities at the Aquarium can be divided into three broad areas: green business practices and operations, freshwater habitats and watersheds, and marine and coastal issues.
| Green business practices and operations |
Through its own business practices and operations, the Aquarium seeks to encourage others to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example, Aquarium staff and volunteers are committed to recycling paper, cardboard and aluminum and reducing power consumption (both at work and at home). The Aquarium also requires that its caterers choose local seafood that has been caught in a sustainable fashion, and that they do not serve Chilean seabass, shark or orange roughy (three types of seafood that are showing clear signs of overfishing). Furthermore, the life support systems for most of the Aquarium's exhibits reuse and recycle water, which also helps to control operating cost and maintains optimal conditions for the Aquarium's diverse living collection. Wherever possible the Aquarium chooses recycled products--such as paper--for its routine operations, and develops seasonal programs with a conservation theme, such demonstrating ways to reduce waste and recycle around the Christmas holidays.
| Freshwater habitats and watersheds |
In 1999, even before it had opened, the Aquarium partnered with the local office of the National Audubon Society, the Beidler Forest Sanctuary, Clemson Extension Service, Orangeburg County Soil and Water Conservation District, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), and South Carolina Department of Environmental Health (SCDHEC) in a study of the watershed of the Four Holes Swamp. This involved students from rural areas of Orangeburg County researching local oral histories of the area, measuring prevailing water quality conditions and discussing issues with local resource managers.
In a continuing partnership with SC DHEC and the City of Charleston (and with additional funding provided by the Bayer Corporation) the Aquarium has installed an exhibit that will demonstrate the importance of non-point source pollution in local watersheds. This new exhibit emphasizes the fact that while large-scale pollution incidents tend to capture media attention, it is often the more insidious and less obvious non-point source pollution that can have severe, long-term impacts on habitats and wildlife.
The Aquarium has partnered with the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League (SC CCL) to raise awareness concerning the alternatives to urban sprawl. To date this partnership has involved including pertinent information in the Aquarium's school program materials and in Tributaries, the Aquarium member's magazine, and inviting SC CCL to participate in on-site events at the Aquarium.
 |
| The endangered Robust Redhorse Sucker was once thought to be extinct for over one hundred years before suddenly "reemerging" about a decade ago. |
In February 2001 the South Carolina Aquarium became the first public aquarium to join the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee. The robust redhorse is a large and very attractive freshwater fish that was lost to science for over one hundred years, largely as a result of habitat alteration and perhaps overfishing. The conservation committee is responsible for developing a multifaceted conservation effort for the species, involving various state and federal agencies, universities and public and private organizations.
The Aquarium is also a member of Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, and International Migratory Bird Day, and in 2000 the Aquarium supported the tagging and release of a pair of Carolina ospreys by the University of Minnesota and the Nature Conservancy's "Wings of the Americas" program. The Aquarium also partners with the South Carolina Birds of Prey Center to promote the conservation of raptors through education and public demonstrations.
| Marine and coastal issues |
Before it opened in the spring of 2000, the Aquarium partnered with The South Carolina Conservation Association, SeaWeb's "Save our Swordfish" campaign, several local restaurants, and a class from a local middle school, to promote the need for sustainable fisheries, especially in regard to Atlantic swordfish.
The Aquarium's first special exhibit, "Fishing for Solutions", was borrowed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and described some of the challenges currently facing ocean fisheries. Four conservation organizations (Worldwide Fund for Nature, SC CCL, Audubon and the Aquarium) were featured, and as a result of the exhibit each organization received several thousand cards requesting more information and involvement. Similarly, information from the exhibit frequently showed up in the Aquarium's guest exit surveys. As a part of the Aquarium's planned schedule of exhibit change and refurbishment, "Fishing for Solutions" was replaced by "Unbelievable Floating Objects: Rhythms of the Coast" in March 2002. This latter exhibit also has a clear conservation theme, emphasizing the need to "think global, but act local".
|
| Volunteers sweep the marsh picking up trash and debris. |
Each year the Aquarium participates in the Ocean Conservancy's National Beach Sweep program. The primary organizers in South Carolina are the South Carolina SeaGrant Consortium and the SC DNR, and Aquarium staff and volunteers assist in the effort to remove debris from local beaches (as well as the banks of rivers as a part of River Sweep).
The Aquarium is a member of the of The Ocean Project, an international collaborative effort of several hundred zoos, aquariums, museums and conservation organizations aimed at promoting a coordinated campaign for ocean conservation through consistent, research-based conservation messages, programs and activities.
The Aquarium has partnered with the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary to promote the National Marine Sanctuary Program, and working with the League of Women's Voter and SC CCL, has hosted public meetings on marine sanctuaries and mercury levels in fish. Further public forums are planned.
In February 2001 the Aquarium was designated as a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center by Coastal America. This designation facilitates collaboration with the federal agencies that make up this active partnership, and between the Aquarium and the 13 other learning centers, especially those in the south-east region.
| Reporting Stranded and Injured Wildlife |
The Aquarium works closely with state and federal agencies - and wildlife rehabilitation facilities all across the south-east - to rescue and rehabilitate injured and stranded wildlife, especially sea turtles. Conservation laws and regulations protect some of these species. Therefore, in the first instance, please report all stranded and injured wildlife as follows:
- Monday - Friday (8.30 AM - 5.00 PM): South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (Fort Johnson) at 843 953 9300
- All other times: SC DNR's 24 hour "Operation Coastwatch" hotline at 800-922-5431
Injured or stranded sea turtles may also be reported to the SC DNR's Sea Turtle Coordinator at (843) 953-9014/5/6/7.
For information on local and regional wildlife rehabilitation facilities, please contact the Aquarium at 843/579-8558 or 8595.
|
