Carolina Bays Are BAE

Not a Carolina Bay pictured but a road in the Francis Marion that leads to one of the bays!

Carolina Bays are one of the Lowcountry’s most mysterious landscapes! These distinctive oval-shaped wetlands are scattered across the southeastern Coastal Plain, including locally in the Francis Marion National Forest. Their exact origin of creation is still debated, but their ecological importance is anything but mysterious. Carolina Bays and other depressional wetlands provide unique habitat for plants, amphibians, reptiles, and other wildlife, with some supporting rare plant communities and fire-maintained pond cypress savannas. Recently we have discovered a much better idea of just how many of these wetlands are tucked into the Forest: using LiDAR mapping, researchers identified 83 Carolina bays and 435 additional depression ponds within the Francis Marion National Forest boundary! (Forest Service).

So, how can you see one? Many of these wetlands are tucked away within the Forest and aren’t necessarily obvious from the road, but you can explore Carolina Bay and wetland habitats through designated recreation areas, trails, and natural areas throughout the Francis Marion. The Awendaw Savanna Wildflower Viewing Site, for example, is one of the Forest’s special places for experiencing its fire-maintained coastal ecosystems. Keep an eye out for shallow depressions, pond cypress, swamp tupelo, wetland plants, and wildlife that depend on these unique habitats, and remember that these sensitive wetlands are best enjoyed from established roads and trails rather than wandering directly into them. (Forest Service⁠). Staying on trails and established roads prevents damaging the ecosystem.