Palmetto Bluff

Palmetto Bluff Conservancy July Photo Contest
2026-07-01 - 2026-07-31 | South Carolina
July Theme: The Saltmarsh
The Palmetto Bluff Conservancy hosts a monthly photo contest that highlights the flora and fauna of the Lowcountry, and we want to see what you’ve seen! Each month will celebrate a different, Conservancy-related theme. All ages and skill levels are welcome! Photos must be submitted to info@pbconservancy.org to participate.
How are the photos judged?
Conservancy Educator, Aaron, will review each submission to ensure the photos meet all requirements. Approved entries will be sent to the Conservancy team to be judged in a blind judging.
Prizes: Our top three participants will receive raffle tickets (3 tickets for first place, 2 tickets for second place, and 1 ticket for third place) that will go into a pot for the chance to win a pair of Burn Fest tickets. The drawing will occur following the last Brown Bag Lunch of October.
Rules:

Submitting a photo to the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy photo contest gives the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy permission to use the photo for posts, publications, products, and advertising.
Each participant may submit one photo per month related to that month’s theme. The photo does not need to be taken within that month.
All images must be taken in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
All photos must have complete information attached, including subjects, dates, and locations.
Animal and plant photographs must be wild; no captive animals or planted specimens.
The animal must be alive, and the photo be taken under natural conditions and in an ethical manner that places the welfare of the subject above the photographer’s desire to obtain an image.
Photos modified with AI will not be accepted.

Brown Bag Lunch: Thomas Jefferson
2026-07-01 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Palmetto Bluff resident David Miller, great-great-great-great grandson of Thomas Jefferson, shares his research and family stories of the life of his famous ancestor.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_g6fmCRbyS-K0dbWdwzjiww

Discovering the Past: Wilson Cemetery Walk
2026-07-02 08:00 - 09:30, 2026-08-06 08:00 - 09:30, 2026-09-03 09:00 - 10:30 | Wilson Village Post Office, 15 Village Park Square, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Join Palmetto Bluff Archaeologists as we stroll among the cemeteries of Wilson Village and hear tales of the lives of those who lay at rest.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

19th Century Games
2026-07-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Moreland Green
For centuries, kids have found ways to entertain themselves whether it was through games of skill or activities that teach techniques useful in other applications. Join us as we take a step into the past and play games that were popular in the 1800s!
Closed-toed shoes required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Explore PBC: Hog Island Hard Marsh
2026-07-08 09:00 - 11:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Join the Conservancy as we venture out onto Hog Island’s hard marsh and discuss this unique ecosystem.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Brown Bag Lunch: Microfish of the Bluff
2026-07-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish are all common freshwater fish that we hear about consistently, but these are not the only inhabitants of Palmetto Bluff’s waterways. There are many species of “microfish” (fish that generally stay under 6 inches) that thrive in the Bluff’s wetlands, lagoons, and tidal bodies. Anderson Dewig, intern for the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy and microfish enthusiast, will give an overview of the small fish species that live in the fresh and brackish water of the bluff.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pZOgKWzqReeCZaM4Fvn7DQ

Explore PBC: Marsh Ecology
2026-07-09 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-23 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-08-06 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-08-20 09:00 - 10:00 | Moreland Landing
What lives in the salt marsh? Come find out as we head to Moreland Landing to check crab traps, throw cast nets, and search for critters just below the surface.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Explore PBC: Road to Anson
2026-07-10 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-09-04 09:00 - 11:30 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
New to Palmetto Bluff and wish to have a glimpse of what the Conservancy does? Join us as we travel down Whitehouse Road, stopping at various locations to observe areas where we conduct research and land management. At the end, we will see the stunning view of the New River from what will one day be Anson Village.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Brown Bag Lunch: Revolutionary War in Beaufort County
2026-07-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Revolutionary unrest in Beaufort District began in 1772 with the Beaufort Assembly, and the years prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence saw several other early acts of armed resistance to British presence and rule. From that time, over 100 ambushes, battles, raids and skirmishes were fought in the local area, more than one-quarter of all such hostilities waged in the entire war in SC. For this talk, Lowcountry Historian Richard Thomas will trace the more significant military engagements fought on the waterways and lands of the Beaufort District in the years 1775-1785, some of them following the formal end of war in September 1783. A special emphasis will be placed on the retaliatory incidents between Loyalist and Patriot partisans along the May River and among neighboring sea islands in the years 1780-1781.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5zcUYzx_T8efwRnfAo1MVw

Meandering Naturalist
2026-07-20 08:00 - 10:00, 2026-08-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Join us on a casual stroll through River Road Preserve where Conservancy staff will point out unique plants, animals, and answer any questions participants have along the way.
Walk-ins welcome.

Brown Bag Lunch: Eastern Wild Turkey
2026-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
The eastern wild turkey is a charismatic species with a storied history of hunting and land stewardship involved in managing their population for future generations. Join a biologist from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources as they discuss the life history, management, and research dedicated to this majestic galliform.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_E3qMG8l1Q_S40FKaa-2Dgw

Explore PBC: Creatures of the Night
2026-07-24 20:30 - 22:30 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
What goes bump in the night? Join the Conservancy as we head out into the woods to look and listen for nocturnal wildlife residing at Palmetto Bluff. We will listen for nocturnal wildlife, check light traps for insects, and even meet with Conservancy staff conducting bat research!
Head lamps, closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Explore PBC: Turtles of Palmetto Bluff
2026-07-31 09:00 - 11:30, 2026-08-21 09:00 - 11:30 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
What turtles live at Palmetto Bluff? Let’s find out! Join the Conservancy as we check turtle traps throughout the Bluff, identify what we catch, and discuss the features and adaptations that make these reptiles so cool!
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Bluff Blitz!
2026-08-02 - 2026-08-08 | South Carolina
Get your phones ready for the Conservancy’s seasonal Bluff Blitz! Participants will spend the week photographing and uploading observations of living organisms at Palmetto Bluff to iNaturalist. At the end of the week, there will be two winners: The person who documented the most species and the person who uploaded the most observations. The goal of these blitzes is to create a library of organisms documented at Palmetto Bluff during different seasons.
Where: Anywhere within the developed portion of Palmetto Bluff. This event does not permit access to normally inaccessible locations (i.e. WalCam property and undeveloped areas of the Bluff).
How to participate: Download the iNaturalist app and create a free account. From Sunday to the end of Saturday, photograph and upload plants, animals, and fungi you find. Only observations made during the specified week will count toward the event.
Exceptions: Observations that will not count towards the blitz include humans, pets, and landscape plants (anything that was planted by a person).

Brown Bag Lunch: Sea Turtles
2026-08-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
There are seven species of sea turtle in the world, and four of them have been documented off the coast of South Carolina. Join Montage Naturalist, Cassie Critchlow, as she discusses the life history of these amazing reptiles and what we can do to protect them from the threats they face. During the talk, there will be an interactive intermission where we will see who can make it from an egg to adulthood!
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8lvhn3nrRSay8nub7AKXjw

First Friday Lecture: Lowcountry Raptors
2026-08-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Join Lila Arnold, Founder of Lowcountry Raptors, as she shows us amazing owls, hawks, and falcons! You and your family do not want to miss this!
Walk-ins welcome.

Brown Bag Lunch: Invasive Species
2026-08-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Since Europeans first made landfall in the New World, we have been introducing plants, animals, and pathogens into the North American ecosystems. Some organisms are benign and have little to no impact, while others are detrimental and have completely altered the habitats they have invaded. Join the Conservancy’s Land & Wildlife Manager, Brian Byrne, as he educates us on the invasive species that have been introduced into the Southeast, their impact, and methods that have been used to control these organisms.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6L9sv6q2SOmlOKS3u_KL5Q

Edibles, Medicinals, and Other Uses of Plants: Sandhill Loop
2026-08-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Wilson Village Post Office, 15 Village Park Square, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Sustenance, herbal remedies, and materials for clothing are some of the many wonderful phenomena derived from plants. Join the Conservancy as we observe plants growing in Sandhill Loop and discuss how people used them in the past and present.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.

Let's Talk About... Birds!
2026-08-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
With over 225 avian species documented at Palmetto Bluff, there is a lot to talk about! Join the Conservancy as we give a brief overview of birds and their unique traits.
Walk-ins welcome.

Brown Bag Lunch: Living with Alligators
2026-08-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
American alligators have been a part of the Lowcountry landscape since before the first Europeans stepped foot on the continent. As the number of people moving into alligators’ habitat increases, so do the chances of encountering them. Join the Conservancy as we help build an understanding of how to coexist with alligators.
Walk-ins welcome.
If you would rather attend virtually, click on the following link (or copy and paste into your browser) to watch through zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wJNOglbYSJSuVsmlwrCbUA

Palmetto Bluff Conservancy September Photo Contest
2026-09-01 - 2026-09-30 | South Carolina
September Theme: Yellow
The Palmetto Bluff Conservancy hosts a monthly photo contest that highlights the flora and fauna of the Lowcountry, and we want to see what you’ve seen! Each month will celebrate a different, Conservancy-related theme. All ages and skill levels are welcome! Photos must be submitted to info@pbconservancy.org to participate.
How are the photos judged?
Conservancy Educator, Aaron, will review each submission to ensure the photos meet all requirements. Approved entries will be sent to the Conservancy team to be judged in a blind judging.
Prizes: Our top three participants will receive raffle tickets (3 tickets for first place, 2 tickets for second place, and 1 ticket for third place) that will go into a pot for the chance to win a pair of Burn Fest tickets. The drawing will occur following the last Brown Bag Lunch of October 2024.
Rules:

Submitting a photo to the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy photo contest gives the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy permission to use the photo for posts, publications, products, and advertising.
Each participant may submit one photo per month related to that month’s theme. The photo does not need to be taken within that month.
All images must be taken in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
All photos must have complete information attached, including subjects, dates, and locations.
Animal and plant photographs must be wild; no captive animals or planted specimens.
The animal must be alive, and the photo be taken under natural conditions and in an ethical manner that places the welfare of the subject above the photographer’s desire to obtain an image.
Photos modified with AI will not be accepted.

PBC Birding: River Road Preserve
2026-09-11 09:00 - 11:00 | Conservancy Classroom, 655 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton, SC, 29910
Curious about what birds may be flitting about in River Road Preserve? Join the Conservancy as we meander down the trails in search of residential and migratory songbirds.
Closed-toed shoes and long pants required.
Reservations required through: info@pbconservancy.org.
