The McAlhany Nature Preserve
For Almost 30 Years: On Saturday, October
13, 2007 we celebrated the preserve's 20th anniversary at the McAlhany property with a BBQ and
remarks to rededicate our commitment. We were proud to host local friends and a few relations of Marvin McAlhany for whom the preserve is named.
The Charleston chapter manages the McAlhany Nature Preserve. This beautiful 367 acre property on the Edisto River near St. George, SC was donated to the Charleston Natural History Society (CNHS) in 1986, and it was dedicated as a nature preserve in honor of Marvin McAlhany on January 18, 1987.
›› download a PDF of the ongoing species list — part of our continuing efforts to document the flora and fauna of the preserve. [rev 04/09/14]
›› download a map and driving directions to the McAlhany Nature Preserve
In order to ensure that McAlhany remains undeveloped, CNHS entered a conservation
easement agreement with the Lowcountry Open Land Trust on December 19, 2001.
Over the past several years the chapter has renewed its commitment to the management
of the preserve.
For a relatively small piece of land it includes an incredibly
diverse array of habitats, beginning with 1.5 miles of frontage on the Edisto
River and a nine-acre oxbow lake. Some other notable features include: a mixed
Mesophytic hardwood bluff (great for spring wildflowers); a beech, magnolia and
spruce pine hammock – a possibly unique plant association; upland oak-hickory
forest; bottomland hardwoods forest (including many acres along Cattle Creek);
freshwater marsh; a low water limestone outcrop; and of course the cabin and
picnic area near the lake.
There is a major long-term longleaf pine and native
grass restoration project in progress in old field area across Wire Road, and
members have begun to make improvements to the trail system (and hope to add
new trails in the future).
The chapter hosts occasional barbeques as well as nature walks and working fieldtrips to the property.