Audubon Beidler Forest

Audubon Beidler Forest

Audubon Beidler Forest protects one of the largest remaining stands of old-growth cypress-tupelo swamp forest in North America, located within Four Holes Swamp in the South Carolina coastal plain. The sanctuary preserves thousands of acres of blackwater wetland habitat shaped by slow-moving streams and seasonal flooding that support ecosystems characteristic of the southeastern United States.

An elevated boardwalk trail allows visitors to experience the interior of the swamp environment while minimizing disturbance to sensitive plant communities and wildlife habitat. The forest contains bald cypress trees that may be more than one thousand years old, illustrating the long ecological history of wetland environments within the region. The sanctuary also supports numerous bird species, reptiles, and amphibians associated with humid subtropical ecosystems.

Beidler Forest represents one of the most intact examples of old-growth floodplain forest remaining in the southeastern United States. The preserved landscape provides insight into ecological conditions that were once widespread across coastal wetlands prior to modern land use changes.