Charleston City Paper - SEWE: Special 2022 Guide

I nside A LOOK AT THE 2022 FEATURED ARTISTS THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WITH BIRDS

e id u G 2 2 0 2 l ia c e p S

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F

WHY WILDLIFE EDUCATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT

2

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

F E B . 17-2 0 , 2 0 2 2 | S E W E . C O M

Photos courtesy SEWE

ollowing a year lost to the pandemic and countless setbacks, challenges, hurdles and uncertainties, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) is roaring towards its 40th year in downtown Charleston.

“We’re excited to be back,” said SEWE Executive Director John Powell. “It’s something we get excited about anyway, but this feels like more of a reunion than any show we’ve ever had.”

First held in 1983 as a way to share a love of wildlife, art and conservation, SEWE now hosts some 500 artists, exhibitors and wildlife experts and attracts 40,000 attendees each year. Over the years, the event has weathered ice storms, snow storms and nearhurricanes, and can now add a pandemic to that list.

The call to cancel last year’s show was difficult, Powell said, but he and theorganizers almost immediately set to work preparing for 2022. They started with It’s more like a reunion the usual template of five exhibit sites (Brittlebank Park, the Charleston Marriott, this year with not just Charleston Place, the Gaillard Center our attendees but our and Marion Square) and then went artist by artist and exhibit by exhibit, picking artists and exhibitors each carefully to create a balance between classic standbys (like the dog jumping-andand everyone involved retrieval shows and the petting zoo) and with the show.” new faces, such as guest artist of northern California Kathleen Dunphy.

—SEWE founder Jimmy Huggins

“

Popular events remain

Many of the finer details remain unchanged this year. General admission tickets are $35 for Friday and Saturday and $28 for Sunday. A three-day pass costs $70. Kids under 10 get in for free.

Other popular events include the SCWA Annual Sportsman’s Ball on Feb. 18, the Lowcountry Social on Feb. 19, and the Birds of a Feather Ladies Brunch Benefit on Feb. 19, which features a “threecourse lunch and all-inclusive bar service, including a Fords Gin martini fountain, a ​ live auction and a raffle with one-of-a-kind items.” Proceeds from the latter event go toward the Rhino Momma Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and regrowing the rhinoceros population.

Powell has been involved with the exposition — which operates as a nonprofit — for 17 years, but he reckons with the yearlong gap and evidence of general enthusiasm for community events, demonstrated by VIP tickets selling out earlier than ever before, this year’s SEWE might be the most sought CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

charlestoncitypaper.com

By Lewis Kendall

3

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

WELCOME WELCOME BACK SEWE!

4

We missed you!

BACK SEWE! WELCOME BACK SEWE!

WeWemissed you! missed you!

CROGHAN’S JEWEL BOX 3 0 8 K I N G S T R E E T | C H A R L E S TO N , S C 2 9 4 0 1 8 4 3 . 7 2 3 . 3 5 9 4 | C R O G H A N S J E W E L B OX . C O M

CROGHAN’S JEWEL BOX 3 0 8 K I N G S T R E E T | C H A R L E S TO N , S C 2 9 4 0 1 8 4 3 . 7 2 3 . 3 5 9 4 | C R O G H A N S J E W E L B OX . C O M CROGHAN’S JEWEL BOX

Courtesy SEWE

Nature conservationist and author, Jeff Corwin will entertain and delight SEWE attendees at the Gaillard Center on Friday, Feb. 18.

Wild CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

after he’s ever been a part of.

“There’s pent-up demand,” the 43-yearold said. “We’re going to have a really healthy crowd, in all senses of the word.”

Forty years later

SEWE President Jimmy Huggins marvels today at how the event has grown and developed. He says he never imagined what it has become, but notes several themes have remained constant, such as the idea that SEWE was and remains a community gathering and the kickoff to spring in the Lowcountry.

“It’s more like a reunion this year with not just our attendees but our artists and exhibitors and everyone involved with the show,” Huggins said. “It’s a constant nurturing game here in trying to keep the show Huggins fresh and alive.”

Art and artists have always been at the heart of the event, and this year is no different. Along with Dunphy, the crop includes featured artist

Julia Rogers, a returnee from the eastern shore of Maryland whose work features animals from her backyard and travels to Africa. Mark Kelvin Horton, last year’s featured artist and a Mount Pleasant local, also returns to display his tonal landscapes of the South Carolina coast.

“Fortunately, SEWE is so popular that artists and exhibitors from all over the country and beyond want to be a part of it and so we get to choose some of the best,” Powell said.

Partnerships are vital

After a two-year span that has tested individuals and organizations alike, SEWE’s mission to partner with wildlife and conservation groups feels particularly critical.

On top of the estimated $50 million in economic impact every year, the event provides exposure for and facilitates donations to a handful of partner nonprofits, agencies Powell and organizations, including Audubon South Carolina, Ducks Unlimited and the S.C Department of Natural Resources.

“There are conversations about conserva-

tion that are being had across an exhibitor booth, and there are also conversations being had over dinner with landowners and those that want to donate to some of these organizations,” Powell said. “That’s a perfect case of where we have art and conservation all tied together with a lot of our benefactors.”

“We provide a platform of 40,000 people that they don’t ever have access to,” he added of the participating organizations.

“To be able to give them that stage to where they can recruit volunteers or dollars is really important. They missed that opportunity in 2021 and so we’re excited to have them back.”

That impact spreads through the local economy, Powell noted, with attendees often spending time before and after SEWE exploring Charleston and the surrounding area.

“We’ve never felt a greater responsibility than in 2022 to kickstart the tourism season, to provide that economic boost and to show the city and those outside looking in that we’re safe, open for business and ready for people to return to Charleston like they do each year,” he said.

In his years of working with the event, Powell has seen a lot, from rowdy incidents with animals to an early near-hurricane.

But the magic of the event hasn’t faded. If anything, the pandemic has renewed his love for SEWE and the surrounding community he has helped build.

“

Fortunately, SEWE is so popular that artists and exhibitors from all over the country and beyond want to be a part of it and so we get to choose some of the best.”

A Glamourous Night Out - AND -

A black tie Hollywood celebration presented by The SHOWROOM CHARLESTON & RED CARPET ROCKS

Pre-Oscars Party PRE-OSCARS PARTY

—SEWE Executive Director John Powell

A Black Tie Extravaganza March Hollywood “You feel very much like a caretaker ofCelebratingFriday,

25

7-11pm The Greenhouse at Hotel Emeline

something that’s precious not only to the city but to each individual that is a participant or attendee,” Powell said. “The responsibility we feel is to artists and attendees to have this great product that they’ve come to expect. We’re ready to have a full show and Friday, March 25th 7-11pm show people we’re back.”

Pair of Tickets Includes: Hotel Emeline “No one 40 years ago could have anticiGreenhouse Gown Rental • Jewelry Rental pated what this show would become. We 181 Church Street Open Bar • Hors d’Oeuvres started off with a couple hundred exhibiCharleston tors and artists and it took off immediately Silent Auction and through the years we’ve grown to what $ 300 @redcarpetrocks we are now,” Huggins added. “The sky’s the Includes: 2 Tickets • Gown Rental • Jewelry Rental limit with this event.”

@theshowroomcharleston Open Bar • Hors d’oeuvres • Silent Auction

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sewe.com.

Tickets available at CityPaperTickets.com @redcarpetrocks

Purchase Tickets at: https://www.citypapertickets.com/ events/119561348/pre-oscars-party

@showroomcharleston

2205 MIDDLE STREET SULLIVAN’S ISLAND

817 ST. ANDREWS BLVD WEST ASHLEY

1109 PARK WEST BLVD MOUNT PLEASANT

charlestoncitypaper.com

SuRf TaCoS TeQuIlA

5

For the

love of art

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

By Lewis Kendall

6

here are a fair number of similarities between the South Carolina Lowcountry and the Chesapeake Bay on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where artist Julia Rogers grew up. Both feature marshes and open expanses of water populated by large packs of migrating birds, and other fauna and flora. Both areas are also, in Rogers’ estimation, the perfect inspiration for any devoted wildlife artist.

As the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE)’s featured artist for 2022, Rogers feels a good deal of responsibility, not only to best represent herself and her work, but also a sense of duty to the community of dozens of artists taking part in the annual exhibition.

Rogers got her start painting as a kid. Each year, her family attended Maryland’s equivalent to SEWE, the Waterfowl Festival, where she would spend hours perusing the artwork.

“You could do this,” she remembered her parents telling her. She majored in fine art in college and began building up a reputation through different exhibitions and paintings that drew from trips around the world.

“It just snowballed from there,” Rogers said. “I love the wildlife, but my love for the art is equal.”

Rogers first brought her work to SEWE in the 1990s, and said she is excited to be back to see how the event has changed. Her featured piece, “Golden Light,” was drawn from a gathering of swans she witnessed just a few miles from her house on the Miles River.

“It felt like Charleston to me: elegant, colorful, classic,” Rogers said of the painting.

Despite the frigid temperatures she braved to catch sight of the migrating swans, Rogers is a big fan of working outside. This style, typically called plein air painting, is a way to capture a moment in time and space — through light, emotion and tone.

A shared passion

Kathleen Dunphy, this year’s guest artist at SEWE, shares Rogers’ love for outdoor work. A resident of northern California, this perhaps comes as no surprise considering the consistently beautiful natural landscapes Dunphy has to work with right outside her door.

“Morning Choir” (detail) by Julia Rogers, 24"x24", oil on linen Indeed, one of the things that drew her to painting in the first place was the ability to depict the emotional depth of animal life that sometimes can only be captured in a single instant.

“When I go outside to do plein air [painting], I’m trying to catch that moment in time and put it on canvas,” Dunphy said. “If I catch that certain quality of light and that certain feel on canvas, I feel like I’ve tricked time. I’ve grabbed something and saved it.”

Dunphy describes her artistic journey as a “winding road that led me straight to where I am.” Several years ago, while living in Alaska, she began painting portraits of dogs and hanging them in veterinary clinics, attracting the occasional commission. Her budding success led her to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she crystalized her love for the craft and further honed her skills.

This year will be Dunphy’s first at SEWE, and she said she’s looking forward to making time to meet other artists and take in their work.

“I truly love painting and I truly love animals and to have the opportunity to bring the two of those together on the canvas and share that love with people is such a wonderful thing,” Dunphy said. “It’s going to be an incredible weekend.”

Moreover, as a member of Artists for Conservation and The Society of Animal Artists, SEWE’s mission is one that resonates closely with Dunphy.

“Animals have incredibly complex, deeper lives than

“Just After Sunset” by Mark Horton, 16”x20”, oil on canvas

maybe any of us would give them credit for,” she said. “The more we can show an appreciation for that and open people’s eyes to it, the more empathy we can have for protecting the lands that they have and keeping places clean and preserved and untouched so they can continue to thrive.”

Local connections

Those messages also resonate with Mark Kelvin Horton. A Mount Pleasant resident, Horton was named the featured artist

F E B . 17-2 0 , 2 0 2 2 | S E W E . C O M

for SEWE 2021 and is back to enjoy the crowds that were absent from last year’s canceled event.

Since he was young, Horton said he always wanted to paint. While living in New York City and working as a graphic designer, he spent days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, studying the Hudson River School artists and works of tonalism, as well as the British landscapes of Constable and Turner. His work was self-taught, and he started off displaying it in the Charleston art gallery owned by his late brother.

“I’ve always been interested in skies and storms and atmosphere,” Horton said, a statement that comes through in works like “Grey and Gold,” which depicts a moody sky brewing over a marsh.

And while this isn’t Horton’s first SEWE rodeo, he said he’s looking forward to having people back in town for the event, not only guests but artists as well — a community that he said he’s missed during the pandemic.

“One of my favorite things about it is you meet all these artists from all over the world. It’s almost like a reunion. Everybody supports everybody,” he said. “We’re all doing what we love and come from a beautiful place and are showing it.”

“Little Man” by Kathleen Dunphy, 30”x40”, oil on linen Attendees can peruse the exposition’s various artwork through the recently released digital art book. There are several events throughout the week where individuals can view and purchase the featured art and meet artists, including the Signature Gala & Sale on 7 to 11 p.m. on Thursday, as well as the Copley Fine Art Decoy Exhibit and Auction Preview and several other preview hours.

On Friday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m, artists will take part in the Quick Draw/Speed Sculpt and Auction, where a handful will have an hour to draw or sculpt a piece, which will then be liveauctioned.

Openin g March st 1 No Upfront Fees

Includes Pool Access at Marina

Brand New Sportsman Boats Center Consoles | Bay Boats

Access to other Boat Club Marinas Downtown, Seabrook & more

Located on the Stono River/Johns Island For More Information: info@stjohnsboatclub.com

daily chef inspired specials Happy Hour Monday - Friday 4pm - 6pm

DOWNTOWN

153 EAST BAY ST CHARLESON, SC 29401 843-577-5755

WEST ASHLEY

9 MAGNOLIA RD CHARLESTON, SC 29407 843-573-2277

charlestoncitypaper.com

FOR THE LOVE OF SEAFOOD

7

2022 SEWE SCHEDULE Events included with SEWE General Admission tickets and VIP badges.

For Tickets

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

10 a.m.

10 a.m.

11:30 a.m. Retriever Demonstration With Mike Stewart from 10:30 a.m.

Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of the Highly Successful Gundog” 10:30 a.m.

Presented by Pro Plan 9 a.m. DockDogs® Registration Opens Brittlebank Park Brittlebank Park 12 p.m. Chef Demo 10:30 a.m.

10 a.m. ALL EXHIBITS OPEN CIC Chef Michael Carmel Multiple Locations 11:30 a.m. demo with duck from Vital 10 a.m. DockDogs® Competitions Mission Farm farmer Jeff Ends at 5:30 p.m.

Siewicki, Commissioner Brittlebank Park Hugh Weathers Emcee 10 a.m. Copley Fine Art Decoy Exhibit Marion Square and Auction Preview Opens 12:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration Marriott Hotel Meet the Retrievers “Pathway 12 p.m.

10:30 a.m. Sheep and Duck Herding Demo to a Finished Gundog” Brittlebank Park Brittlebank Park 11 a.m. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Show 1 p.m. Chef Demo Gaillard Center Kiawah Island Ocean Course 11 a.m. Birds of Prey Flight Demos Chef John Ondo demo with Marion Square 12:30 p.m. sea beans from Heron Farms farmer Sam Norton 12:30 p.m.

Marion Square 1:30p.m. Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration Brittlebank Park 2 p.m. Jeff Corwin Gaillard Center 1 p.m.

2 p.m. Chef Demo

DOWNTOWN Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Chef 1 p.m.

The Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun Street Carrie Morey demo with (Monday-Friday 11 a.m.–6 p.m.) dairy from Hickory Hill Farm’s Charleston Visitors Center, Watson Dorn 375 Meeting Street Marion Square 2 p.m. Sheep and Duck Herding Demo (Daily, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.)

Brittlebank Park 3 p.m. Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration 1 p.m.

MOUNT PLEASANT Brittlebank Park

Town of Mount Pleasant Visitors 3 p.m. Quick Draw/Speed Sculpt Center, 99 Harry M. Hallman Jr. Blvd in and Auction 1:30 p.m. the New Mt Pleasant Waterfront Park Charleston Place (Daily, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.)

3 p.m. Birds of Prey Flight Demos 1:30pm Marion Square KIAWAH ISLAND 3 p.m. Chef Demo 2 p.m.

Kiawah Visitors Center, Tavern & Table Chef Ray Town Hall, 200 Beachwalker Drive England demo with fish from (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Abundant Seafood fisherman Mark Marhefka NORTH CHARLESTON Marion Square North Charleston Visitors Center/ 3:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration 2 p.m.

American LaFrance Fire Museum, With Mike Stewart from 4975-B Centre Point Drive 2 p.m.

Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of (Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) the Highly Successful Gundog” 3 p.m.

Presented by Pro Plan You may also purchase tickets on-site, Brittlebank Park during SEWE 2022, at the following 4:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration 3 p.m. locations: Meet the Retrievers “Pathway • Brittlebank Park to a Finished Gundog” • Charleston Place Hotel Brittlebank Park • Gaillard Center 6 p.m. Exhibits Close • Marion Square

Friday, Feb. 18

8

Saturday, Feb. 19

3:30 p.m. Jeff Corwin Gaillard Center DockDogs® Registration Opens 3:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration Brittlebank Park With Mike Stewart from ALL EXHIBITS OPEN Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of Multiple Locations the Highly Successful Gundog” Copley Fine Art Decoy Exhibit Presented by Pro Plan and Auction Preview Opens Brittlebank Park Marriott Hotel 4 p.m. Litter Trashes Everyone DockDogs® Competitions Puppet Show Ends at 5:30 p.m.

Brittlebank Park 4:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration Brittlebank Park Birds of Prey Flight Demos Meet the Retrievers “Pathway Marion Square to a Finished Gundog” Litter Trashes Everyone Brittlebank Park Puppet Show 6 p.m. Exhibits Close Brittlebank Park Sheep and Duck Herding Demo Brittlebank Park Retriever Demonstration 9 a.m. DockDogs® Registration Opens With Mike Stewart from Brittlebank Park 10 a.m. ALL EXHIBITS OPEN Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of Multiple Locations the Highly Successful Gundog” 10 a.m. DockDogs® Competitions Presented by Pro Plan Ends at 4:30 p.m.

Brittlebank Park Chef Demo Brittlebank Park Prohibition Chef Analisa 10 a.m. Copley Fine Art Decoy Exhibit and Auction Preview Opens LaPietra demo with heirloom Marriott Hotel corn grits from Altman Farms 10:30 a.m. Sheep and Duck Herding Demo farmer Will Altman Brittlebank Park Marion Square Jeff Corwin 11 a.m. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Show Gaillard Center Gaillard Center Retriever Demonstration 11:30 a.m. Retriever Demonstration Meet the Retrievers “Pathway With Mike Stewart from to a Finished Gundog” Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of Brittlebank Park the Highly Successful Gundog” U.S. Coast Guard Search Presented by Pro Plan and Rescue Demonstration Brittlebank Park Brittlebank Park 12 p.m. Chef Demo Chef Demo Delaney Oyster House, Shamil Royal Tern Chef David Pell Velázquez demo with shrimp demo with oysters from from Tarvin Seafood farmer Charleston Oyster Company Cindy Tarvin farmer Thomas Bierce Marion Square 12:30 p.m. Retriever Demonstration Marion Square Litter Trashes Everyone Meet the Retrievers “Pathway Puppet Show to a Finished Gundog” Brittlebank Park Brittlebank Park Birds of Prey Flight Demos 1 p.m. Chef Demo Marion Square Lowcountry Fresh Market Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration Chef Modou Jaiteh demo with Brittlebank Park rice from Joseph Fields Farm Chef Demo farmer Joseph Fields Roy’s Grille Chef Chris Marion Square 1 p.m. Birds of Prey Flight Demos Williams demo with pork Marion Square from Peculiar Pig Farm farmer 1:30p.m. Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration Marvin Ross Brittlebank Park Marion Square Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Show 2 p.m. Chef Demo Gaillard Center Restaurant 17 at the Hotel Sheep and Duck Herding Demo Domestique demo Chef Brittlebank Park Haydn Shaak with quail Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration eggs from Manchester Brittlebank Park Farms farmers Brittany Chef Demo and Matt Miller Lee Bros. demo with peanuts Marion Square 2 p.m. Retriever Demonstration from Old Tyme Bean Co. With Mike Stewart from farmer Josh Johnson Wildrose Kennels “7 Habits of Marion Square the Highly Successful Gundog”

Sunday, Feb. 20

SHUTTLE ROUTES

Fishburne St wn ssto Cro

17

Spring St Cannon St

Visitor Center Ann St John St

Ashley River

Calhoun

St

MARION SQUARE

Charlotte St

Charleston County Aquarium Public Parking Library Garage

o wo ck Lo Coming St

lvd

dB

GAILLARD CENTER SEWE Marketplace

Wentworth St

CHARLESTON PLACE Fine Art Gallery

STANDARD SHUTTLES

Hotel Emeline St

ad

Brittlebank Express

St

Que

en S t

Bro

ad

St

ay St

Bro

Eas tB

Mee

Aquarium Parking » Gaillard Center » Marion Square » Brittlebank/Marriott » Visitor Center » Charleston Place

ting

Kin

gS t

Full Route

Charleston Place » Brittlebank/Marriott

Cooper River

Gaillard Express Charleston Place » Gaillard Center

Brittlebank Express Brittlebank/Marriott » Marion Square

VIP Gaillard Gaillard Center » Charleston Place

VIP Brittlebank

Outdoor Venue

Gaillard Center » Brittlebank/Marriott

3 p.m.

3 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

5 p.m.

VIP Events SEWE VIP badge required.

Thursday, Feb. 17 1-5 p.m.

Tickets required.

Wednesday, Feb. 16

6 p.m.

Charleston Safari Club Annual Gala Open premium bar, decadent food, live entertainment, raffles, live auction and more. Safari attire is requested and encouraged. Tickets: $150 at charlestonsafariclub.org.

The Harbour Club at WestEdge

Friday, Feb. 18

6 p.m.

SCWA Sportsman’s Ball Semiformal/cocktail dress code event featuring live and silent auctions, raffles, drinks and food. Individual tickets, 8-top tables and 10-top tables available. Tickets and info at sewe.com.

Omar Shrine Temple, Mount Pleasant 6:30-10:30 p.m.

Ducks Unlimited Oyster Roast & Lowcountry Cookout Join East Cooper Ducks Unlimited for their 25th Annual Oyster Roast and LowCountry Cookout. Tickets $100+ at swew.com.

Charleston Visitor Center Bus Shed

Saturday, Feb. 19

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Birds of a Feather Ladies Brunch Benefit (SOLD OUT) Hotel Emeline 2-4 p.m.

Cocktails & Conservation with J. Drew Lanham and Garden & Gun Garden & Gun sits down with South Carolina author, poet, and ornithologist J. Drew Lanham. Cocktails served.

Tickets: $25 at sewe.com.

G&G Headquarters

VIP EXPRESS SHUTTLES

Presented by Pro Plan Brittlebank Park Chef Demo Life Raft Treats Chef Cynthia Wong demo with eggs from Storey Farms farmer Jeremy Storey Marion Square Orvis Fly Fishing Demonstration Brittlebank Park DockDogs® Finals Brittlebank Park Retriever Demonstration Meet the Retrievers “Pathway to a Finished Gundog” Brittlebank Park Exhibits Close

Special Events

Private Preview Presented by Audubon South Carolina at the Fine Art Gallery at Charleston Place

7-11 p.m. Signature Gala and Sale at Charleston Place

Friday, Feb. 18 9-10 a.m.

Private Preview Hour Fine Art Gallery at Charleston Place and SEWE Marketplace at Gaillard Center

Saturday, Feb. 19 9-10 a.m.

Private Preview Hour Fine Art Gallery at Charleston Place and SEWE Marketplace at Gaillard Center

7-11 p.m. SEWE Soiree** at Charleston Visitor Center **Ticket required; VIP badge does not admit

7:30-10:30 p.m.

Lowcountry Social (SOLD OUT) Brittlebank Park 6 p.m.

SCWA Duck Shuck Featuring live and silent auctions, raffles, drinks, appetizers, oysters and live music. Individual tickets, 8-top tables and 10-top tables available.

Tickets and info at sewe.com.

Omar Shrine Temple, Mount Pleasant

Sunday, Feb. 20

2-4 p.m.

Cocktails & Conservation with Mike Neiduski and Garden & Gun Garden & Gun sits down with Mike Neiduski, the Southeastern director of regional development for the Ruffed Grouse Society and the American Woodcock Society. Cocktails served.

Tickets: $25 at sewe.com.

G&G Headquarters

charlestoncitypaper.com

Lockwood Blvd

King St

Spring St

Garden & Gun

s St

Columbu

Rutledge St

Ashley Avenue

BRITTLEBANK PARK

CHARLESTON MARRIOTT

Y HW

East Bay St

KID ZONE

9

F E B . 17-2 0 , 2 0 2 2 | S E W E . C O M

Little-known facts about the Expo n honor of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition’s 40th anniversary, here are a few tidbits, facts and figures about the ever-popular Charleston event.

varies. The temperature has been as high as the 80s. On one occasion, a near-hurricane threatened to delay the event, and on another there was enough snow accumulation on the outdoor tents that organizers feared they might collapse.

STEADY GROWTH

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

By Lewis Kendal

When founded in February of 1983, SEWE took place with 100 exhibitors, attracting some 5,000 attendees. Now the exposition boasts more than 40,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors from around the country.

AN ECONOMIC BOOSTER Since its formation, SEWE has totalled an economic impact of more than $1 billion.

501(SEWE)3

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

In 1996, the organization behind SEWE became a nonprofit and has remained one ever since.

10

W

Courtesy SEWE

INFLUENTIAL FIGURES

in its infancy, Wells Fargo and Dominion Energy were the first two sponsors of SEWE and have remained backers every year since.

A REGULAR ZOO

Although dogs and birds may be the species typically associated with SEWE, the Despite the occasional weather-related event has seen “an untold number of spehurtle over the years, 2021 remains the only cies” come to downtown Charleston over year since its advent SEWE has not held an the years, according to executive director in-person event.

John Powell. That list includes tigers, bears, monkeys, camels, sloths and penguins, among others.

WHAT’S IN A DATE

Jack Hanna, eminent American zookeeper and former director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was first featured at SEWE in 2004. He has returned several times in the years since.

SEWE is always held the weekend preceding Presidents’ Day in February. It is often thought the event is held on the second weekend of the month (Valentine’s Day weekend).

HIGHS AND LOWS

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE

Because of its late winter timing, the weather around SEWE weekend always

While the company names are different than they were back when the event was

ldlife

843-853-6337 229 St. Philip St. Order Online at DalsPizza.com

FREE RANGERS Due to its proximity to the coast and surrounding natural lands, urban Charleston has its fair share of wildlife.

On more than one occasion during SEWE weekend, individuals have spotted wild foxes or raccoons and called organizers to inform them that their animals were on the loose.

11

charlestoncitypaper.com

F E B . 17-2 0 , 2 0 2 2 | S E W E . C O M

The importance of working with

birds

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

By Lewis Kendall

12

im Elliot, founder and executive director of the Avian Conservation Center in Awendaw, has an anecdote he likes to use when describing the work his organization performs.

Several years ago, the center began testing the blood of birds who were admitted to its medical clinic for care. Because a good number of these birds were vultures, often injured through interactions with humans — stricken by vehicles, colliding with man-made objects, or even poisoned — Elliot and his coworkers wanted to check for any potential environmental health issues.

What the center found was significantly elevated levels of lead in the birds’ blood, an indication to Elliot that the element was building up to potentially harmful levels in the soil, vegetation and water in the vultures’ habitat.

The research, however, was only half the equation.

The center also used its resident vultures as an educational tool, demonstrating the importance of the birds as an indicator of overall ecosystem health, as well as attempting to dispel the myths and negative connotations commonly associated with the carrion feeders, also called “Charleston eagles” in the 1800s.

“Those are meaningful shifts,” Elliot said. “Those little victories that we’re able to mark along the way keep us from being discouraged about it all.”

In the perfect spot

A Charleston native, Elliot said he’s been a student of birds his entire life. In 1991, he pivoted from a career in commercial real estate to found what was then called the Charleston Raptor Center. Over the years, the center has grown and now operates as an umbrella nonprofit overseeing three divisions: the Center for Birds of Prey, the Avian Medical Center, and the South Carolina Oil Spill Treatment Facility. The center is open to the public for tours, flight demonstrations and educational opportunities. It hosts roughly 120 different bird species from around the world.

The backdrop for the center is the South Carolina coastline and surrounding natural areas such as the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge, which sits smack in the middle of a bird migration track. It’s the perfect place for working with birds, Elliot said.

“We have a temperate climate and being on the coast gives us an amazing array of bird life,” he said. “That sort of undisturbed landscape just gets in your blood. The natural attributes of this area are just so darn appealing.”

But these habitats are shrinking, and with them bird populations. According to a recent study, the U.S. and Canada have lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970.

“

We have a temperate climate and being on the coast gives us an amazing array of bird life.

That sort of undisturbed landscape just gets in your blood. The natural attributes of this area are just so darn appealing.”

—Jim Elliot, founder and executive director of the Avian Conservation Center

“We’re headed in the wrong direction, but hopefully we can do some things to correct that trend,” Elliot told the City Paper. “Humans are literally competing with other creatures for the same space. How we do that and how sensitive we are to it and what we’re willing to do to accommodate (them) is what we’re hoping to be able to influence.”

A growing impact

Photos courtesy SEWE

The center’s impact has grown over the years thanks in part to its partnership with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, a relationship that Elliot describes as “symbiotic.”

“Our visibility is enhanced so much by being there and being able to interact with that many people from that wide of an area in a short period of time,” he said. “It’s a relationship that we value and appreciate.”

This type of exposure is critical for an organization that thrives on donations, interest and volunteer work, he added.

“The more folks we can reach and the more our message is heard, it’s all we can do,” Elliot said. “The alternative is to do nothing, but that’s not acceptable. We’re not going to save the world, but we’re going to do what we can as well as we can and hopefully we’ll have a little impact.”

THAN IS A WH RY N O W M U ST T YO KE Y

OCT

OBE

U

THE

PE RF

AM Y

AS D LE TEX

E

OGTROT SOUL

of the

SOUT

H

G TIN R O H S PS O U T

R / NOV

EMB

ER 202

1

O B E ST

F TH

S TA LE E O M TH

FR COCK W O OODO D S , W TROUT K B R O OR E A M S , ST O S E GO DS, F IE L A L T ID K S , C R E E RE an d M

O

iel, DOG TOP cocker spand.

English a day afiel for in, an Calv ds ready stan

charlestoncitypaper.com

A D RE

EC T

G TAB KSGIVIN

SE T

13

F E B . 17-2 0 , 2 0 2 2 | S E W E . C O M

Why wildlife education is vitally important

By Sara Green

Kids and adults constantly ask questions about how they can help wildlife. They wonder: Can one person really do anything to help? Here, in my state? How can I personally make a difference?

We get overwhelmed thinking about all of the threats that face wildlife and the natural areas that they rely on. Through amazing nature shows with breathtaking scenery and stunning footage, we see wildlife all over the world facing serious Green issues like pollution, climate change and overharvesting.

We’re hooked and we want to help, but we don’t know where to start. There is, however, great news. We don’t have to save the world all at once. It begins with small steps, right in our own backyard.

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 02.16.2022

Palmetto state is blessed with special places

14

3 8 8 1 S AVA N N A H H W Y. J O H N S I S L A N D 843-974-5353 M A R I N E WA R E H O U S E C E N T E R . C O M

South Carolina is blessed with an incredible diversity of natural resources that are beautiful and accessible. There are many different habitat types, from mountain streams, the rolling piedmont to the sandhills with longleaf pine. There’s verdant and the coastal plain with bottomland hardwood forest as well as highly productive saltmarshes and expansive beaches. These diverse habitats provide for an incredible array of wildlife.

The southeast United States is a worldwide hotspot for reptile and amphibian biodiversity and holds an amazing number of salamanders, frogs and snakes. American alligators are common all along the coastal plain, and we have four species of sea turtles in the waters off our coast.

In addition, black bears are common in the mountains and in the upper coastal plain. Bobcats are abundant along the coast and now are also increasing in numbers in the piedmont.

We see hundreds of species of resident and migratory birds. Prothonotary warblers migrate from Colombia, South America, and breed here in our state. Purple martins migrate from Brazil, and the first and largest roost on the East Coast is right in the middle of our state on Lake Murray.

Shorebirds like red knots and whimbrels migrate from South America all the way to the Arctic tundra and have critical stopover points on our beaches. Roseate spoonbills are increasing in number along our coast as their range shifts northward.

Monarch butterflies, which have seen drastic reductions in populations, migrate from Canada to Mexico, and have now been found to overwinter in South Carolina’s Lowcountry also.

All of our wildlife, the native plants they depend on and the amazingly beautiful places that we cherish for vacations, for outdoor recreation, for solace — all of this is in jeopardy. There are threats in the form of new housing developments, invasive species, pollution, increased storms, flooding issues and so much more, right here in South Carolina.

How you can help daily

Thankfully, there are small things that each of us can do which will really make a difference, especially when we educate others about our actions.

One step is right outside your own door.

You can create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat with native plants, sources of freshwater and nesting boxes. Even a small yard can be certified by the National Wildlife Federation after providing food, water, cover and places to raise young. This action has a big impact for wildlife and gives you the opportunity to educate your neighbors and spread the word throughout your community. Habitat gardens can also be created at parks, libraries, churches, schools and businesses. Your entire town could be a certified Community Wildlife Habitat. You can find out more information about habitat gardening at: scwf.org/habitats It also is important to think about all our actions and how they might impact wildlife.

Children are watching, so demonstrate positive actions. Examples: Buy sustainably-sourced meat and produce, take reusable bags to the grocery store, skip the straw at restaurants, pick up litter. Even your morning cup of coffee has an impact on wildlife. Switching to shade-grown coffee protects valuable habitat in the winter range of many of our songbirds.

Take extra steps to disconnect kids from electronics and help them connect with nature. Take them to parks, subscribe them to Ranger Rick magazine and help their teachers find environmental education materials.

For more information on connecting with nature, visit scwf.org. Increase your impact even further by donating to help provide school programs, teacher workshops, nesting boxes and advocacy programs.

Sara Green, a longtime wildlife educator, is executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, now in its 91st year. More: scwf.org

South Carolina’s Newest Lakefront Community NEW HOMES starting in the $300s McCord’s Ferry at Lake Marion is a master-planned lakefront community in a natural forest setting

888-832-LAKE

mccordsferryatlakemarion.com 102 Audubon Blvd. | Elloree, SC |

Inspired by nature. Designed for

you .

S E E W H AT MC CO R D’ S FERRY HA S TO OFFER

charlestoncitypaper.com

neighboring Santee State Park. Our 678-acre property is on the south shore of South Carolina’s largest freshwater lake and will be offering a lakefront pavilion, private boat ramp and dock, gated boat and RV storage, and miles of nature trails. Centered around outdoor living, with renowned golf and fishing just minutes away, McCord’s Ferry offers a slower pace of life yet the convenience to everyday needs.

15

Find out what’s inside the red barn...

FEB. 18-20 IN MARION SQUARE