Francis Beidler Forest is Nationally Recognized for its Stewardship and Ecological Resilience

HARLEYVILLE, S.C. — The Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Heart & Sanctuary (“Beidler Forest”) is being nationally acknowledged for its magnificence and biodiversity by being formally inducted into the Outdated-Progress Forest Community on Saturday, Might 9, 2026.

Neighborhood and media members are invited to attend the temporary ceremony on the Beidler Forest customer heart in Harleyville, SC with remarks by Audubon South Carolina and Outdated-Progress Forest Community employees adopted by a family-friendly guided interpretive hike on the 1.75-mile, ADA accessible boardwalk. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 am with the guided stroll going down instantly after. Value of admission is free for this occasion, though registration for the guided walk is required.

Beidler Forest is the third location to be acknowledged within the state of South Carolina and can be a part of greater than 300 forests nationwide acknowledged within the Outdated-Progress Forest Community. The Community’s purpose is to determine and make sure the preservation and recognition of at the least one forest in each forested county in the US, making a roadmap of family-friendly hikes that showcase the sweetness, complexity and variety of our nation’s oldest forests. A full record and map of OGFN forests could also be considered at www.oldgrowthforest.net.

“The Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Heart & Sanctuary protects the most important tract of old-growth, cypress-tupelo swamp on the earth. We’re proud to be part of the Outdated-growth Forest Community in an effort to carry extra consideration to the remaining historical forests throughout the nation.” – Tim Evans, Director of Land Conservation, Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Heart

“The Outdated-Progress Forest Community is thrilled to acknowledge the Beidler Forest in our Community as an unparalleled instance of main development cypress tupelo. The stewardship of Audubon South Carolina protects this unimaginable place for generations to come back.” – Ciera Wilbur, Southeast Regional Supervisor, Outdated-Progress Forest Community

Audubon South Carolina protects birds and the locations they want utilizing science, advocacy, schooling, and on-the-ground conservation. These sanctuaries not solely present vital habitat for birds and wildlife but additionally present public entry to greenspace, inclusive academic programming, and vital ecosystem providers for close by communities. For extra info on the working occurring at Beidler Forest, observe us on Fb at @BeidlerForest and Instagram at @beidlerforest.”

For extra info, please contact:

Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Heart & Sanctuary: Ben Graham, Senior Communications Supervisor, 919-880-3793 or ben.graham@audubon.org.   

Outdated-Progress Forest Community: Ciera Wilbur, Southeast Regional Supervisor, 916.217.1894 or ciera@oldgrowthforest.net