6
June 2014
Landscaping to Protect Wildlife
Two of Kiawah’s greatest attributes are its beautiful natural landscapes and
its abundance of wildlife. These two go hand-in-hand, not only surviving,
but flourishing off of the success of the other. At the KICA Landscape
Symposium in April, the Kiawah Conservancy discussed ways that
property owners can keep their personal landscaping pristine, while also
helping out our local wildlife and Kiawah’s natural habitat.
At the symposium event, experts including land planners, native plant
industry members, KICA, the ARB and the Kiawah Conservancy were
on-hand to provide guidance and answer questions. Justin Core, land
preservation coordinator for the Conservancy, presented a program titled
“Preserving Kiawah’s Natural Diversity Through Habitat Improvement.”
Inevitably, as development takes place, much of the natural habitat is
removed to make way for building. The Kiawah Conservancy’s Naturally
Kiawah Habitat Improvement Program was designed to reverse the removal
of habitat by restoring as much of pre-development coverage as possible.
The Conservancy’s Naturally Kiawah Designation recognizes properties
that have been maintained to provide the best possible habitat for island
wildlife. Optimal landscaping includes: buffers between properties; at least
50% of the main yard covered by understory vegetation (small trees, shrubs
and groundcover); and no evidence of invasive plant species.
Justin’s presentation focused on two of the island’s most popular and widely
recognized species: bobcats and painted buntings (pictured left). The
Town of Kiawah Island, with the help of the Conservancy, has conducted
important research involving bobcats including collaring and studying
their movements. Information gathered by tracking the movements of
the bobcats amply demonstrates the importance of shrub thickets and
understory as places for them to find shelter and rest. Similarly the research
completed by Sarah Latshaw, College of Charleston, from 2008-2011,
“Restoration of Maritime Habitat on a Barrier Island Using the Painted
Bunting (Passerina ciris) as a Flagship Species” demonstrates the need
to maintain the natural habitat in order to provide for the needs of this
special bird. Aaron Given, wildlife biologist for the town, has continued to
monitor and band painted buntings around the island since 2011.
These principles apply to wildlife across the island. Native plant species
appropriately incorporated into developed properties provide food, resting
places and shelter for birds, butterflies and a host of small animals. The
Naturally Kiawah Demonstration Garden, located in Night Heron Park,
incorporates numerous species of native plants (along with non-native,
non-invasive varieties) and is a key place to visit to obtain information
about how to landscape attractively in a manner that creates important
habi FB