The COWASEE Basin Focus Area has been off to a good start since the Task Force's first meeting in September 2005. Within the Basin's 215,000 acres, 32% is currently in public ownership. It is the only Focus Area in South Carolina that has a national park, (the state's only, the Congaree National Park), a state park (Poinsett), a state forest (Manchester), a DNR Heritage Preserve (Congaree Bluffs), and the beautiful Sparkleberry Swamp, probably the premier flatwater paddling destination in South Carolina.

The Wateree Correctional Farm, a 7,000 acre working farm and correctional facility on the east bank of the Wateree River with more than eight miles of riverfront, is also within the COWASEE Basin.

Currently 10%, more than 20,000 acres, of the Basin's private lands have been put in conservation easements by landowners. The bottom line is that 42% of the lands within COWASEE Basin are now protected in some form or fashion. We hope to continue building on this success and get to the 50% level of protection within the next few years. Of course, these achievements are due entirely to the dedicated and conservation- minded landowners of the COWASEE Basin.

Photo by John Cely From the air, the large floodplains of the COWASEE Basin stretch out to the horizon and resemble the Amazon Basin. Recognizing that promoting and publicizing COWASEE Basin is a key ingredient to success, an active "advertising campaign" has been put together by the Task Force. Besides brochures (see the Congaree Land Trust website at www.congareelt.org) and bumper stickers, we have a power point slide show that has been shown to various Rotary clubs and other civic groups as well as the county councils within the Basin.

Recently, highway signs have been erected at key entrance points around the Basin, and signs have also been installed at 10 boat landings within or near the Basin's borders. South Carolina DNR is producing a TV video segment on COWASEE, and we anticipate putting together a tour guide of the Basin, as well as issuing periodic newsletters. Much work remains, however, and our goal is to make COWASEE Basin the "ACE Basin of the Midlands."

Photo by John Rich The rivers and waterways of the COWASEE Basin offer solitude, beauty, and good fishing. To really understand what the COWASEE Basin Focus Area is all about, you need to see it from the air at 1500 feet in a small plane. You will gain a new perspective of the Congaree National Park, Sparkleberry Swamp, and Upper Lake Marion. From that altitude, the huge expanses of bottomland hardwood forests of the Congaree, Wateree, and Upper Santee Rivers look like the Amazon Basin. In spring and summer the solid canopy of greenery flowing across the landscape in a serpentine pattern offers a sharp contrast to the fields and clearings of the adjoining uplands.

Another way to appreciate and enjoy the Basin is by boat. It's hard to believe that in this modern age you can put in the Congaree River at Columbia or the Wateree at Camden and pretty much have these rivers to yourself until you get to the next public boat landing, which for the Congaree is 50 miles away.

American Rivers ( www.

americanrivers.org) has created the Congaree River Blue Trail map and is currently working on one for the Wateree River.

If you would like more information about COWASEE Basin, contact me at the above email address or call the Congaree Land Trust at 988-0000.

Next week:

Searching for Treasure