Caught on camera

Enjoy these photos from April and May, courtesy of our employees around the state!

Fire suppression
Andersonville Island fire on Lake Hartwell May 4, courtesy of Piedmont West Unit Forester Trey Cox.
Aiken County railroad fire, courtesy of Coastal Region Pilot Jimmy Tobias
Aiken County railroad fire, courtesy of Coastal Region Pilot Jimmy Tobias: “We had the fire boss tankers dropping water on it. That fire brought out a lot of cooperation between us and the U.S. Forest Service, along with personnel from the Savannah River Site in Barnwell County and numerous fire departments. That fire was 3 miles long, I believe.”
Logging site fire in Colleton County April 21, courtesy of Jimmy Tobias
Another view of the skidder fire in Colleton County. From Pilot Jimmy Tobias: “Lost a skidder, then a few days later the loader was burned up too. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment destroyed.”
Columbia curiosities


Piedmont Region Urban Forestry Specialist Ann Huyler sent in a photo of a suspected opossum (Didelphis virginiana) skeleton with a Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) at Harbison State Forest.

From Ann: “Yes, that is the lovely common name for the butterfly! And, the opossum is (Spartanburg/Union Sector FMO) Clay Howard’s best guess. The thickness of the fur is very remarkable.”

A Question Mark butterfly rests near a suspected oppossum skeleton.
  • Coneflower
  • Crinum lily
  • Coneflowers
Bring on the rain

Public Information Coordinator Madeline Stewart snapped some close-up pictures around headquarters between several rain showers May 27 and 28.

  • Baldcypress
  • Eastern redbud leaf
  • Eastern redbud leaf
  • A tree is reflected in the raindrops on an Eastern redbud leaf at Headquarters, courtesy of Public Information Coordinator Madeline Stewart.
Redbud jelly

FIA Coordinator Byron Rominger used flowers from an Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) to make jelly. It was very good and had a beautiful pink hue!

Eastern redbud is found throughout the state and is a common ornamental, but it can also be found as scattered trees in small
populations.

Eastern redbud flowers

The blooms are pinkish-lavender and are among the first to bloom in the spring.

It is an understory species in open woods and
is found on moist, loam or sandy soils in valleys or
bottomlands.

Thanks to Byron for sharing!

American holly growing out of an Eastern redcedar
Crazy combination

Piedmont Region Urban Forestry Specialist Ann Huyler found American holly (Ilex opaca) growing out of an Eastern redcedar (Cercis canadensis).

Interesting loblolly

Environmental Education Program Manager Matt Schnabel found this strangely formed loblolly pine tree (Pinus taeda) at Jarvis Creek Park on Hilton Head Island. (Click on the image to enlarge)

Strangely formed loblolly pine
Two young turkey vultures in their nest within a live oak tree stump in Charleston County
A rare view

Lower Charleston/Dorchester Sector Wildland Firefighter David Hardy captured a spectacular scene while out plowing fire lines in Meggett in Charleston County May 20:

“The landowner asked if I wanted to see something cool. We walked over to a hollowed-out live oak tree stump about 4 feet in diameter, where we saw two very young turkey vultures in their nest. It was almost like they posed for the picture I took. In all my years of being in the woods, this was a first.“

Wildfire strategy game

Forest Management Chief Russell Hubright stumbled upon this themed board game, Hotshots: A Cooperative Wildfire Fighting Game, by Fireside Games.

Hotshots is an award-winning, co-op, press-your-luck, strategy game where 1-4 wildfire fighters team up as Hotshots to battle against a raging forest fire.

A new version, including LED Light-Up Flame Tokens, revised rules, upgraded features and new characters, civilians and terrain options, is launching soon! How cool is that?

Fantastic fox

Retired Santee Unit Forester Walt Woodrum sent photos he took of a fox behind the Anderson Civic Center April 16.

  • Happy 8th birthday, Finn!
A special celebration

GIS Analyst Victor Frontroth and family celebrated his dog Finn’s 8th birthday in May! Finn enjoyed spending time in Edisto swimming in the ocean and relaxing on the beach with his family.

Harbison sunrise and moonrise

Piedmont Region Urban Forestry Specialist Ann Huyler captured a sunrise/moonrise around dawn at Harbison State Forest April 14.

Pawpaw tree
Pawpaw flowers
Pawpaw fruit
Pawpaw coming soon…

Forest Health Coordinator David Jenkins found developing pawpaw fruit at Harbison State Forest.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) produces the largest edible fruit native to North America. Even as a smaller understory tree, the pawpaw can grow up to 30 feet tall and prefers rich, moist soils along streams and in bottoms.⁠

Pawpaw is commonly used as an ornamental tree, and wildlife like opossums, foxes, squirrels, raccoons and birds feed on the fruit when it’s ripe and yellowish brown.⁠

Speaking of, the fruit ripens in late summer and peaks August to October. Although it starts out looking like a small, green potato, the pawpaw fruit is said to taste like a creamy combo of banana, mango, vanilla and citrus. It doesn’t last long, though, and tends to spoil in three to five days.⁠ However, handle with care, as some people may develop dermatitis from handling this fruit!

The pawpaw fruit is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and it’s high in unsaturated fats, proteins and carbohydrates. They’re richer than apples, peaches or grapes in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and sulfur, plus they have a good balance of amino acids!

Flowers are purple-brown with six petals and appear with or before the smooth, dark green simple and pinnate leaves.⁠

There is a dwarf species, too.

Forest finds

Wee Tee State Forest Assistant Forest Director John Bryan spotted this barred owl while patrolling the forest.

Owl perched in a tree at Wee Tee State Forest

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