Tate's Trail

The Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is one of the Southeast’s premiere sites for viewing the rapidly diminishing longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystem. Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1939. Its establishing purpose was to provide habitat for migratory birds, to demonstrate sound management practices that enhance natural resource conservation, and to provide wildlife-oriented recreation opportunities. The land was badly eroded and very little wildlife was to be found when the refuge was purchased by the federal government under the provisions of the Resettlement Act. Efforts began immediately to restore this damaged, barren land to a healthy, rich habitat for the plants and animals that once lived here. Over time, the responsibilities have been added for restoration and enhancement of longleaf pine habitat for the benefit of the red-cockaded woodpecker, named as an endangered species in 1970. The refuge operates under mandates to provide environmental education and interpretation of its work. Habitat improvement and restoration of native plant communities, monitoring the populations of the RCW and other species, and assessing the impacts of management actions on the wildlife and habitats are critical elements in the refuge's operations. Today, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 47,850 acres, including fee ownership of 45,348 acres, and nine conservation easements totaling 2,502 acres. The majority of the refuge lies in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. There is one fee title tract totaling 210 acres in Marlboro County. Numerous small creeks and tributaries, along with thirty man-made lakes and ponds and 1,200 acres of fields, support a diversity of habitats for wildlife.