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Things
we love about
KIAWAH
One
of the things you have to love about Kiawah Island is that it is so photogenic. On the
cover of this issue of Naturally Kiawah, Sharon Templin pressed the button on her camera and captured an image that
transports us to a time and place we love. Sharon and many like her are able to preserve the natural world of Kiawah in
the most gratifying ways. Because the Kiawah Conservancy is committed to preserving and enhancing the Island’s unique
balance of nature and development, we thought we would ask our friends and neighbors to help us tell the story of what
goes on here.
It is a story without a beginning and without an ending. It is about a place, Kiawah Island. It is about its beach,
its creeks and river. It is about its highways and by-ways and bike trails. It is about the things that grow and are nurtured
here: the plants, the wildlife and the humankind. It is about its smallest things and its largest things. It is about its reality
as well as the feelings, impressions and memories it evokes.
The Kiawah Conservancy has gathered more than 101 of the things we love about Kiawah Island. There is much
to learn from this endeavor and we have reached some conclusions. We now know that the list is ever-growing and
endless. And we feel confident that we should never take these things for granted.
The Kiawah Conservancy welcomes your donations of time and resources as an investment in the future of this
beautiful Island. Through its support of research, its educational forums, its community outreach, its land preservation and
habitat improvement programs, the Kiawah Conservancy helps protect and enhance the natural habitat for years to come.
Through the semiannual publication of Naturally Kiawah, the Kiawah Conservancy tells the story of this place and hopes
to raise your awareness of the health, balance and diversity of the flora and fauna here. Welcome Shauneen Hutchinson
as the new editor of Naturally Kiawah and turn to number 107 of the things we love about Kiawah to read her preview of
Volume 32 of Naturally Kiawah.
2
No.
Editor
The Unexpected
Sharon Templin
My cousin and I set out before sunrise to capture the essence of the early morning wildlife.
The serenity and peace of a misty Kiawah morning had all the elements of a perfect day and as dawn
emerged, thick mist washed over the marshes and ponds.
Driving along Bufflehead Drive, we spotted this great blue heron sitting on the bridge
overlooking the 17th tee on Osprey Point Golf Course. I snapped a few shots of him on the rail before he
gracefully took flight.
The mist, the spanish moss casually draped from the majestic trees and this magnificent bird are
only a glimpse of Kiawah’s beauty and native wildlife.
As I explored the Island in my quest for wildlife photo opps, I met several fellow
photographers. Two of the ladies were especially welcoming and invited me to join them at their home.
My visit was too short to take advantage of the local photography community, but maybe next time.
Kiawah holds many memories dear to my heart. My cousin Joann Cunningham-Moskowitz and
her husband Erwin have a wonderful getaway home in West Beach, making these moments possible.
Joann, our cousin Marylin and I have visited Kiawah many times and cherish the tranquility that
Kiawah brings to our lives.
The morning this photograph was taken, Joann was my tour guide and photography support
person (literally, because several times I used her shoulder to stabilize my camera). When I snapped
this photograph, I never expected the dramatic results I discovered when I downloaded my pictures
from the day.
The Kiawah Conservancy has
done a wonderful job of nurturing a community
with a deep respe