The Habitat Health of Kiawah Island
Kiawah’s rich ecology is demonstrated by the numerous
wildlife species which are supported by the various
habitats found across the Island. The Island’s maritime
forest, tidal salt marsh, and shrub thicket habitats
support a great diversity of resident wildlife who live
on the Island year-round and the seasonal migratory
wildlife. Protection and enhancement of these habitats
makes Kiawah Island unique among developed resort
communities.
Gaining a complete understanding of the Island’s
distinct habitats and the wildlife interactions within
them allows the Kiawah Conservancy to make
important decisions regarding land conservation and
habitat improvement. The following information is a
review of the current state of the Island’s habitats.
Kiawah Island Habitats
• Intertidal Beach: Nesting and foraging space for a
variety of shorebirds.
• Dunes: Nesting place for our sea turtles and an
important storm buffer for the Island.
• Maritime Shrub Thicket: Shrub thickets found
behind beach dunes are the most important daytime
resting cover for bobcats.
• Maritime Forest: Upland forest habitats on the
Island are the most diverse habitat on Kiawah and
support a host of wildlife.
• Salt Shrub Thicket: Found on the edge of tidal salt
marshes, it is critical habitat for painted buntings
and other migratory songbirds.
• Tidal Salt Marsh: One of the most productive
habitat types on Earth, providing space for wading
birds and nursery areas for fish.
• Ponds: Heavily utilized by alligators, wading birds
and migratory waterfowl.
• Freshwater Wetlands: Critical habitat for amphibian
populations.
The remaining portions of the Island are composed
primarily of developed land, golf courses, streets, and
parks.
Naturally Kiawah Habitat Program
As development continues on the Island, enhancement
of the natural habitat in these areas is essential to the
continued success of the various wildlife found on
Kiawah. The Conservancy developed the Naturally
Kiawah Habitat Program to encourage property
owners to have habitat friendly landscapes. Residential
properties on Kiawah are assessed continually and
those with habitat friendly landscapes receive the
Naturally Kiawah Emblem, which is placed on their
mailbox.
For a property owner’s landscape to receive the
Naturally Kiawah designation, it must provide wildlife
habitat by including the following features:
• Dense side buffers that include a variety of
understory and ground cover plantings adjacent
to neighboring properties. Buffer strips provide a
means for privacy from adjacent lots or roads, and
they also ensure that wildlife has ample cover to nest
or rest. These strips of habitat also serve as important
travel corridors for wildlife that connect natural
areas.
4 Photo by Pamela Cohen