L AY O F T H E L A N D • N AT U R E / W I L D L I F E
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It is so go o d that we ca n develo p an area a nd still have these speci e s th a t are no t o nly an ins p i ra ti o n and a great sigh t, but als o play a ro le i n the enviro nm e n t.
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ilton Head Island, awardwinning for its inviting beaches, topflight recreation and premier resorts, also holds the outstanding designation as one of the country’s first resort destinations to account for preservation of the natural environment in its master design plan. Moreover, it’s one of the country’s few municipalities to be named as an Audubon International Certified Sustainable Community. As a guiding principle of development, the town government, developers and planners are dedicated to the guardianship of all natural resources — water, land and wildlife. Amid Hilton Head Island’s sand dunes, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes and maritime forests, some of the resident wildlife includes bottlenose dolphins, alligators, loggerhead sea turtles and a rich variety of more than 220 species of birds. You’ll spot manatees in the
summer and bald eagles in the winter, and you’re likely to see white-tailed deer, egrets and sea otters. Bird watchers come to Hilton Head Island just to catch a glimpse of the neotropical migrant birds known as painted buntings. Other migratory birds, such as the endangered red knots, use the island as a stopping point along their journey. Callawassie Island, a nearby Lowcountry river island with hundreds of Backyard Wildlife Habitats, was the first Certified Wildlife Habitat Community in the state. Great egrets and great blue herons abound, and bald eagles have nested on Callawassie for many years. “It is so good that we can develop an area and still have these species that are not only an inspiration and a great sight, but also play a role in the environment,” says Carlos Chacon, manager of natural history at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn.
24 • 20 20 OFFI CI AL VACAT IO N P L A N N E R
V I E W F R O M T H E WAT E R Discover the natural beauty of Hilton Head Island with Outside Hilton Head. Family friendly offerings include guided kayak tours, dolphin watching trips and fishing excursions. The island’s successful management of loggerhead sea turtle nesting season has led to loggerheads nesting in record numbers in recent years — in fact, 2019 saw 463 nests, the highest number of sea turtle nests in the island’s history. Dawn Brut, the museum’s curator of education, encourages everyone to be aware of the nesting season. To help hatchlings along their journey “home” to the ocean, follow the Turtle Tips listed on the next page.
