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\n[\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_margin=”10px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”]<\/p>\n
By\u00a0MADISON POINDEXTER\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0MARIA JUTTON<\/strong><\/p>\n Wet leaves squish under master naturalist Bob Askins\u2019 feet as he walks down the elevated boardwalk at Congaree National Park toward Weston Lake.\u00a0<\/p>\n He follows the winding path through the old-growth forest. Tall pines and mostly bare trees create a thin, brown canopy 150 feet high. Aside from occasional bird calls or squirrel chatter, hearing other wildlife is slim this time of year. A mile and a half down the trail, Askins reaches the end of the elevated boardwalk, where the trail descends farther into the forest.\u00a0<\/p>\n On this day, the lower boardwalk is completely underwater.\u00a0<\/p>\n After three decades of visiting the park and five years as a master naturalist and volunteer tour guide, Askins doesn\u2019t let flooding stop him from enjoying the Congaree. As he points out, high waters don\u2019t drown out the features that make the Congaree special.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s lots of little things you can notice while walking in the park,\u201d Askins says. \u201cI could stay out here all day.\u201d<\/p>\n At Congaree National Park, most low-lying trails are underwater. But flooding is a process that is beneficial to the park\u2019s floodplain environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Greg Cunningham, chief of interpretation, education and visitor services at the park, says people sometimes have a negative view of such weather events.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cAs a society, we tend to think of floods and fires as something just bad,\u201d Cunningham says. \u201cIn the right places like Congaree, both fire and flood can be very beneficial to ecosystems.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Congaree and Wateree rivers flood the region about 10 times per year as a natural process of the ecosystem. The rivers drain an area the size of Maryland, one that stretches to the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. With every flood, sediment<\/span> from the rivers enriches the soil and helps<\/span> trees grow taller and faster. Flooding also washes away invasive species that can\u2019t survive in the ever-changing floodplain, allowing the native wildlife to flourish.<\/p>\n The most recent flood crest in early February was one of the highest water levels recorded since 1985, second only to the 2015 floods.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a significant flood for the last 30 or 40 years, but at Congaree that\u2019s natural,\u201d says David Shelley, chief of resource stewardship and science for Congaree National Park. \u201cUltimately, the flood plain in terms of natural systems and ecology, its role is to catch this water.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Thirty-five million acres of old-growth forest once covered the eastern United States. Ninety-seven percent of that habitat is gone, and Congaree is the largest intact section left. Shelley believes<\/span> visiting Congaree National Park is an opportunity to tangibly connect with history.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a chance to experience a bit of the raw wilderness out of which our society in the South has evolved and developed,\u201d Shelley says.<\/p>\n Visitors come from around the world to take advantage of the experiences the national park offers. Askins enjoys giving tours and talking with people from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always amazed at how many people come from places very far away and they come just to see this park,\u201d Askins says. \u201cI think sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to have a resource like that so close by.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Volunteers from the community help maintain the integrity of the park\u2019s natural resources and keep it running smoothly for visitors. Although the park only has 15 full-time staff members, it relies on a network of 150 to 200 core volunteers. \u201cIt\u2019s not my park, and it\u2019s not the National Park Service’s park,\u201d Cunningham says. \u201cIt\u2019s the American people\u2019s park, and together we can take care of it and make it what it needs to be. We can\u2019t do it on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n Askins looks through his binoculars at the sparse canopy of loblolly pines and pink-tinged maples. Although he doesn\u2019t spot many birds due to the chilly temperature, he does admire the history the trees hold in their roots.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a fraction of what it once was,\u201d Askins says. \u201cIt represents what\u2019s possible, what the potential is if we don\u2019t mess with it too much.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/graphic-final-yay.jpg” _builder_version=”4.3.4″ box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/CongareeP3W_Jutton.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 1″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 1″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”]<\/p>\n A bridge at Cedar Creek Canoe Landing sits barely above water level at Congaree National Park. Usually, visitors can canoe under the bridge.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/CongareeP4W_Poindexter.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” 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box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 3″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” 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box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”]<\/p>\n Water covers the lower levels of the boardwalk at Congaree National Park.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/CongareeP1W_Poindexter.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” always_center_on_mobile=”on”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”]<\/p>\n A bench next to the lower boardwalk is almost completely covered by floodwaters.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Master naturalist and volunteer tour guide Bob Askins takes Carolina News reporters Madison Poindexter and Maria Jutton on a walk through flooded Congaree National 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benefits of fire and flood<\/h4>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n