SCW February 2026

South Carolina Wildlife magazine . . . 

behind the scenes!

Here’s a sneak peek of the March-April 2026 cover of South Carolina Wildlife magazine, the flagship publication of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. SCW Editor Cindy Thompson captured this photograph, a tranquil moment at Morris Island as the sun was setting over the ocean horizon.

Observing Nature

South Carolina Wildlife magazine’s March-April 2026 cover features a serene sunset on a springlike day along the Carolina coast. Gulls and terns flying overhead, marine life streaming through the salt water, waves lapping gently against the shoreline. The perfection of nature’s work, in every season, is profound.

The recent snowfall across South Carolina offered an opportunity to slow down and soak in the tranquility of nature’s grand displays. During this cold snap, many of us took note of robins, cedar waxwings, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, cardinals and other birds as they flocked through the skies and visited our back yards. Their collective symphony rings on in our memories even as we resume our regular errands throughout the day. Magical, memorable, irreplaceable.

Robin in the snow, by Cindy Thompson

As the temperatures plummeted and a mix of rain, snow and sleet fell to the ground between the final hours of January and the first of February, a flurry of photos, texts and phone calls ensued. “How much snow did you get?” we asked one another.

Each brilliant season of the year is filled with vast changes in nature that present wonderful opportunities to be curious, to learn and explore.

The March-April 2026 edition of South Carolina Wildlife magazine (the flagship publication of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) shines a spotlight on the importance of observing nature and ways to work in concert with nature, serving as stewards of our state’s natural resources.

Oftentimes many wondrous events in nature can be observed right outside a window or in a back yard. Citizen science is a rewarding way for communities to collaborate with local and large-scale scientific research. And the beauty of citizen science is that we can serve as local conservationists who are making positive changes at the global level by recording observations while we are in our back yards, at a park, on school grounds or simply looking out a window.

Every Drop Counts!

CoCoRaHS

Many citizen science opportunities are featured in the lineup of stories in the SCW March-April 2026 issue. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network (CoCoRaHS) is a grassroots citizen science project that engages backyard weather observers. This is a very popular volunteer weather observation program in South Carolina! CoCoRaHS incorporates science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. And it’s fun for all ages! If you are interested in observing precipitation in your backyard, visit CoCoRaHS today! April is National Citizen Science Month, and in addition to CoCoRaHS, SCDNR has multiple Citizen Science Opportunities that rely on participation of citizen scientists. 

Read the full article, written by SCDNR State Climatology staff, in the upcoming issue of South Carolina Wildlife.

Rain showers over a field of sunflowers, by Cindy Thompson

Great Backyard Bird Count

Download Merlin or eBird apps on your cellphone and you can participate in a global bird count this weekend! The Great Backyard Bird Count will take place from Friday, February 13 through Monday, February 16, 2026. Join the world in this international bird count. You can follow the excitement via www.BirdCount.org. The world map on this website will light up as bird sightings around the world are submitted via Merlin and eBird.

Great Southeast Pollinator Census

The SCW March-April issue also features a beautifully illustrated and informative article about pollinators that is contributed by Clemson Extension School and Community Gardening Coordinator Amy Dabbs. This article announces the results of the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census, and provides all you need to know to sign up and get ready for the August 21 and 22, 2026 census. 

Joe-Pye weed, photo courtesy of Barbara H. Smith, Clemson Extension

Painted lady visiting blazing star, by Barbara H. Smith, Clemson Extension

In her article about the Southeast Pollinator Census, Dabbs lists the top five native plants visited by insects during the last Southeast pollinator count: Joe-Pye weed, cutleaf coneflower, narrowleaf sunflower, swamp milkweed and dense blazing star. Incorporating native plants in landscape planning will support more pollinating insects, Dabbs explains, because these plants provide abundant, high-quality nectar and pollen. Coordinators of the census are striving to increase participation in the 2026 pollinator census, because pollinator populations are declining, and citizen scientists can help reverse population declines. Visit https://gsepc.org/ to sign up or learn how to help pollinators in your backyard. Read the full article in the upcoming edition of South Carolina Wildlife!

Wildlife on Your Land

Be sure to check out the next “Wildlife on Your Land” segment in the March-April issue of South Carolina Wildlife!

SCDNR Small Game Program Leader Michael Hook explains how a partnership between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the SCDNR has created a team of “private lands biologists” who are working across the state to assist landowners.

Hook explains, “With the amount of forest land scattered across the state, many of the landowners that reach out for assistance are forest landowners. These properties range from five acres to several thousand acres.” This team of biologists offers a broad spectrum of expertise to provide guidance in agriculture and wildlife management, erosion control and more. If you are interested in learning more about these services, visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/species/quail.html.

Landowner Field Day, photo courtesy Michael Hook

This is just the tip of the iceberg! The March-April edition of South Carolina Wildlife will feature articles about owls, bats of Oconee, boating safety, archaeology, the Carolina Wren, the story of an incredible turkey hunting triumph, an award-winning Greenville Conservation District team, and much more!

Don’t miss a single issue of South Carolina Wildlife!

If you are not already a SCW subscriber, please visit GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.com or SCWildlife.com to subscribe today.

South Carolina Wildlife throwback

Spring 1968

South Carolina Wildlife, Spring 1968

Many Thanks!

Thank you for supporting South Carolina Wildlife magazine, the flagship publication of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

If you are not already a subscriber, please visit GoOutdoorsSouthCarolina.com or SCWildlife.com to receive bi-monthly editions of this award-winning magazine. 

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
South Carolina Wildlife magazine
P.O. Box 167
Columbia, SC  29202