Growing Local 
Friends of Coastal South Carolina reports that while longleaf pine ecosystems once comprised approximately 56 percent of the Francis Marion National Forest, they now account for only 19 percent. However, the S.C. Wildlife Federation is among the organizations working to help, currently using three grants to plant longleaf pine seedlings and enhance existing stands across at least 10,000 acres around the forest.

Going Forth 
Each tree is equipped with both male and female reproductive parts. Pollen starts shedding in the spring and, once fertilized, woody cones begin to develop. Growing up to 12 inches long, the cones open, allowing the wing-like seeds to fall to the ground in October and November and germinate—if they aren’t first gobbled up by birds, squirrels, mice, or ants.

Hot Stuff 
When a ground fire sweeps through a forest, it becomes an asset to these pyrophytes (woody plants with thick, unusually flame-resistant bark) by thinning underbrush and preparing the ground to receive new seeds. Native Americans often set blazes within these habitats to ensure they stayed well-suited to the plants and animals that benefitted their lifestyle, as well as to ease travel and cut down on the chance of large wildfires.

Pitching In 
During the 18th century, South Carolinians began to tap these trees’ resin to make turpentine, tar, and pitch (a concentrated form of tar painted on wooden ships to make them watertight), creating a ”naval stores” industry, which centers around goods used in building and maintaining ships.

High Regard 
Esteemed for its hardiness and rich yellow hue, longleaf pine lumber has long been favored for making furniture and flooring, as well as for building houses. The material’s popularity led to centuries of over-harvesting, which contributed to the decimation of the old-growth forests.

Standing Tall 
Longleaf pines were called “mast pines” in Colonial times because their strength, straightness, and height made them ideal as masts for sailing ships. When the British Royal Navy found a particularly desirable pine, they carved a broad arrow into the trunk to mark it as one claimed by the Crown—a “King’s tree.” According to lore, this is how Kingstree, South Carolina, got its name.

Good Woods 
In the mid-1800s, spending the hot, buggy, disease-prone summer “in the pines” was thought to be healthful. Plantation families’ propensity for doing so gave rise to summer resort communities such as Pineville, Pinopolis, Summerville, and Walterboro.

Check Mate Courtship activities begin around mid-October, with males often chasing their female conquests for nearly a week prior to mating. The buck remains with the doe for a few days to keep other suitors at bay, then moves on to find additional partners before the breeding period—called ”rutting”—ends.

Numbers Game Because deer breed so easily, they can quickly become overpopulated, particularly now that many of their former natural predators, such as wolves and cougars, are dwindling. Hunting is considered an efficient way to keep their numbers in check, and it is carefully regulated, with season dates and harvesting methods and limits adjusted annually.

Into the Blue With eyes that only contain two classes of photoreceptors, these mammals can’t distinguish some colors, including orange (thus hunters often don it). However, deer far surpass us in their ability to see blue and ultraviolet hues—the very ones most prevalent during their peak feeding times: sunrise and sunset.

Bambi Bambinos At birth, fawns are covered with spots that help camouflage them until they are large enough to begin foraging, at approximately eight to 10 weeks old.

On the Menu Like sheep and cows, deer are ruminants, meaning they have four-chambered stomachs. This tummy trait allows the animal to eat materials—such as the buds and twigs of woody trees and shrubs—that some other critters can’t digest. Wild herbs and fruits (including acorns) are beloved snacks, as are crops like corn.

Big Bucks Males are primarily recognized for their antlers; an older animal usually boasts a larger ”rack” with more points. Shed in early winter, the boney structure starts growing back in the spring, covered with a fuzzy tissue. This ”velvet” is loaded with nerve endings that make antlers very sensitive to pain. Prior to mating season, blood flow to the rack ceases, feeling disappears, and bucks scrape their headgear on trees, rubbing away the velvet.

White Flag Come September, decreasing daylight triggers the creature’s coat to grow thicker and darker—the better for retaining body heat and blending into wintertime settings. What doesn’t change is the bright white underside of the animal’s tail. When surprised or alarmed, the deer flicks this feature straight up in an alert to comrades and then runs away in a zig-zagging motion.

Loyal Lovebirds - Studies show that Carolina wrens tend to choose mates, with whom they generally pair for life, according to like size (they can grow as long as five and a half inches, with an 11.4-inch wingspan). Couples forage and move around their territory together, aggressively scolding away intruders.

High-Tailing It - Eighteenth-century naturalist John James Audubon wrote of the creature, “Its tail is almost constantly erect.” Indeed, the distinctive “tail-up” position and the white “eyebrow” stripe that runs above each peeper make these birds easy to recognize.

Hop To It - Primarily ground feeders, the animal uses a distinctive ”hop-hop” motion while foraging for beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, moths, and other bugs—they may even snag a lizard or tree frog on occasion. Want to attract them to your yard? Hang suet feeders.

Feathered Nest - Both male and female work to construct a cup-shaped, domed nest using a variety of materials—from grasses and Spanish moss to pine needles, hair, feathers, and string. With a side entrance, it often features a woven extension rather like a porch or ramp.

Changing Tunes - While females call out when alarmed, only their better halves can employ the signature ”tea-kettle-tea-kettle-tea-kettle-tea!” Boasting one of the loudest songs per volume among all birds, the male cycles among several dozen song variations. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, one Carolina wren sang nearly 3,000 times in a single day.

Coin Star - The Carolina wren is the South Carolina state bird and in 2000 was also chosen to be featured on the back of the state quarter.

Flight Time - This wren lives a long time compared to some of its avian relations—between six and seven years (a house sparrow’s lifespan is half that). Prime predators include blue jays, brown-headed cow birds, hawks, and snakes.