After last year’s drain, Cypress Wetlands are looking much better. Here’s the latest
Cypress Wetlands in Port Royal is nearing the end of a months-long rehabilitation that caused a stir last fall after visitors noticed the freshwater ecosystem had been drained out.
In six to eight weeks, town manager Van Willis estimated, rehabilitation of the wetlands’ rich wildlife habitats will be finished — likely a welcome development for the hundreds of herons, hawks, eagles, owls, ducks and geese that call the wetlands home, as well as the humans that flock there each day.
In September, the town began a $400,000 renovation project to curtail the growth of invasive plants and tree species and make the area more habitable for its birds. But the project involved drying out the wetlands, removing problematic vegetation and replanting welcome vegetation in a mulch- and bulldozer-filled process that disturbed some locals. Although the area stayed open, the town blocked off the pathway system, which leads visitors through the wetlands’ canals and rookery.
With the exception of a water control structure that needs to be installed, Willis said, the renovations are complete, and the wetlands are starting to look like they used to. In 1999, the historic wetlands were developed to serve as a stormwater retention pond and wildlife habitat, where birds can roost and nest safely.
“We’ve been pretty pleased with the work,” Willis said. “Obviously, there have been some folks that have thought that we decimated the wetlands, but I can promise you we hired the foremost experts in the state of South Carolina.”
Dean Harrigal, a wildlife biologist with Folk Land Management, the firm performing the renovations, said they planted 500 trees in the wetlands just last week.
“Habitat renovation is like a house renovation,” he said. “The construction phase can be kind of ugly. ... You look past the little short-term ugliness for the long-term gain.”
The Friends of the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands have embraced the project as an educational opportunity, organization president Kate Hamilton Pardee said.
“People feel so attached to the wetlands,” Hamilton Pardee said. “It was very important to get the right information out.”
She said one of the challenges of the renovation project was that some residents and visitors didn’t understand what was happening and why, so the group has been trying to keep the public updated with informational videos, photos and social media posts. They hope also to have a wetlands livestream camera operating soon, which board member Nathan Sturre is overseeing.
“The Port Royal Cypress Wetlands is one of the best places to visit that I’ve ever been,” Hamilton Pardee said. “It’s so user-friendly for all members in the family, and it’s well taken care of. It’s not only an incredible place to visit, but it’s a functional wetland with wildlife abound.”
With the weather warming up, alligators have already been spotted in the wetlands this year. A wide array of other wildlife, birds and vegetation put nature on display with an easy walking path for visitors.
“We can all be really happy about what’s being done there,” Hamilton Pardee said. “It’s a one in a million, if not more, kind of place to visit.”
The Friends of the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands was founded by Pete Richards in October 2019, and now has six board members that work closely with town officials.
