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| Dr. Bridges (center) and Dr. Wiggers talk with a guest |
The
Nemours Wildlife Foundation held a Spring Oyster Roast for their Friends of Nemours group to jump start 2022. The formal announcement and introduction of their new director Dr. Andrew Bridges, was well received by the crowd of outdoor enthusiasts. Before shucking oysters, a seated program under the big tent allowed for a special celebration of the past at Nemours, with Joe Hamilton receiving the Order of the Palmetto award, and telling a story or two. Nemours Chair Mike McShane then closed by saying the Nemours Wildlife Foundation is at an inflection point between past accomplishments, and increasing their partnerships going ahead to steward the legacy of Eugene and Laura DuPont.
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Joe Hamilton receives Order of Palmetto,
from S.C. Senator Chip Campsen |
Dr. Andrew Bridges is an Alabama native, and after attending UF, he pursued a PHD at Va. Tech and a Masters at Texas A&M. He worked in Texas under Dr. Jim Teer, before moving to California for work and starting a family. "I am glad to be back in the South now," said Bridges. "Glad to raise my kids in the South and to share that coming to Nemours Wildlife Foundation is the greatest honor of my life. The gift that the DuPont Family left to the world is unique and everyone in attendance is a part of that story, and your continued support will be integral to my work here."
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| Beautiful Setting for a Spring Oyster Roast |
Joe Hamilton was recognized with the Order of Palmetto by S.C. Senator
Chip Campsen and was asked to share a story from Nemours. "It was 40 years ago when I was a deer biologist with SCDNR that I came to Nemours for a spotlight survey with Eugene DuPont," said Hamilton. "That night we saw over 100 white-tailed deer and a large amount of 'rack' bucks. When I noticed that kind of age ratio in place, and recognized Mr. DuPont's strategy of a VERY limited mature buck harvest each year, it changed how I looked at deer management." Of course, Hamilton went on the found the Quality Deer Management Association in the Lowcountry, spawning a national movement that carries on today as the National Deer Association. Hamilton is retired and resides in Colleton County with his wife Donna.
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| The Wagon Tour stops at an impoundment for Birding |
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Gigi McShane welcomes
Dan Sherman from D.C. |
After the program, Jimmy Fitts catering served up chili, cornbread and cheese biscuits to balance out the heaping piles of hot oysters that were splashed onto the ten tables that guests quickly surrounded. Besides local private landowners that serve on the Nemours Board, these oyster eaters were conservation leaders from The Nature Conservancy, Clemson University, the Master Naturalist Association, Land Trusts, and NGO's. The weather was sunny and cool with a bit of a gusty wind after lunch, but that did not deter the wagon ride Plantation Tours that started at 1. A mature bald eagle flew directly over the wagon as it passed an active eagle nest, and the tour passed by impoundments, salt marsh, upland pine savannahs and hardwood bottoms which underscore the rich diversity of habitat found at Nemours. Their leadership in research via their
New Science Lab, and hands-on habitat management produces a landscape scale conservation model on 10,000-acres for all to see.
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| Sporting Table Decor and Souvenir Knife |
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