The National Park Foundation just received a $100 million gift from Lilly Endowment Inc. according to Lise Aangeenbrug, Cheif Program Officer. The Lilly Endowment was founded by the family of Eli Lilly. The gift will help support over 400 national parks including the Francis Marion National Forest located just south of Georgetown, S.C.
The Francis Marion National Forest is 259,000 acres of untouched land that is home to a variety of wildlife, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Local residents and tourists can enjoy recreational opportunities ranging from hiking, biking, motorcycle and canoe trails to rifle ranges and a boat launch.
National Park Foundation supports Francis Marion National Forest
The Francis Marion national forest is home to approximately 12 species of migratory birds listed on the National Audubon’s yellow list. It also houses significant numbers of species with high conservation priority such as the black-throated green warbler, Swainson’s warbler, prothonotary warbler, worm-eating warbler, brown-headed nuthatch, red-cockaded woodpecker, Chuck-will’s Widow, wood duck, northern parula, and the state endangered species, the swallow-tailed kite.
The forest has been crucial in the recovery of the red-cockaded woodpecker population, serving as a donor population to help establish the birds in other locations. Additionally, the forest continues to be a habitat for the American black bear, which has been losing habitat on private lands. Other mammals commonly seen in the area include otters, beavers, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and deer.
The American alligator is another prominent creature in the forest, particularly in swamps, rivers, and ponds. Finally, the forest is home to numerous snakes, both venomous and non-venomous, including the western cottonmouth, southern copperhead, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake, and eastern coral snake.
The National Parks Foundation helps support the National Park Service in their preservation of more than 400 national park sites across the country. Each year, close to 320 million people travel from near and far to explore, admire, and appreciate the 400+ national park sites in America. The National Park Service (NPS) protects and preserves over 85 million acres in perpetuity. So much foot traffic across such an expansive network of parks requires significant funding to ensure they remain pristine and welcoming to all.
Since 1967, the National Park Foundation has helped protect and preserve some of America’s most treasured places.
