ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge in Beaufort County, US
The Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge covers around 11,800 acres and includes bottomland forests, freshwater marshes, and managed wetland areas. The refuge is split into two separate sections along the Edisto River and Combahee River with distinct ecosystems.
The refuge was established to protect wetland habitats and their wildlife, becoming an important conservation area over the decades. Within its boundaries stands Grove Plantation, a manor house built in 1828 that survived the Civil War era.
The former rice fields within the refuge show how people once managed this land, with preserved irrigation channels still visible throughout the area. These systems reflect an older way of organizing the landscape that shaped the region.
You can access the refuge at two separate entry points, allowing you to explore different areas for hiking, photography, hunting, and bird watching. The best time to visit depends on what activities or wildlife viewing you prefer.
The refuge protects one of the largest continuous wetland areas along the Atlantic Coast and provides critical habitat for wood storks. These birds use the waters and marsh areas as hunting grounds and for raising their young.
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