The Future of Johns Island’s Iconic Angel Oak Tree

 

 

At April’s Seabrook Island Garden Club meeting, Samantha Siegel, Angel Oak Preserve Director at Lowcountry Land Trust, provided members with an overview of the plans to preserve this beloved Johns Island landmark. The tree is a popular tourist destination, largely due to the claim that it is the oldest living tree east of the Mississippi River. While the exact age of the tree is unknown, estimates of its age range from 400 to 1,500 years old. The beloved Southern live oak stands 66 1/2 feet tall, with a 28-foot trunk circumference and large sloping branches that shade an area over 17,000 square feet. Resurrection ferns grow along the limbs, giving the tree a lush green appearance year-round. Each year an estimated 400,000+ people come to view the tree and enjoy the site.

 

As a young college student, Samantha often drove out to Johns Island to sit under the Angel Oak and enjoy the tranquility of the small city park surrounding the tree. In 2008, after learning the wooded area surrounding the Angel Oak was on track to be leveled and developed as a 600-unit apartment and retail shopping complex, Samantha founded the “Save the Angel Oak” organization. She garnered a lot of support from individuals and conservation groups to block the development and explore options for conserving the land. In 2013 she partnered with Lowcountry Land Trust to raise $7 million to purchase 35 acres of land that surrounds the tree on three sides. More than 12,000 donors, plus contributions from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and the Charleston County Greenbelt Program, enabled them to quickly acquire the land. This purchase and the nine-acre park owned by the City of Charleston formed the new proposed 44-acre Angel Oak Preserve.

 

Plans for the Preserve include raising awareness of the Gullah-Geechee and Native American history of Johns Island. Some of the artifacts found on the property are believed to date back 8,000 years, and some speculate the tree might have been a ceremonial meeting place for the Native Americans that inhabited the Sea Islands. Significant portions of the land surrounding the tree were acquired by the Waight family in the late 1600s. By the early 1700s, the family was operating a large plantation where they grew corn, cotton, and rice. Records indicate the plantation had about 80 slaves; historians believe some of their living quarters were near the tree. One of the Waight daughters eventually married into the Angel family, and it is believed this is how the tree came to be known as the Angel Oak.

 

Following the Civil War, the Angel family continued to grow cotton until 1904. After that, they left the portion of the property where the tree was located open to the public. According to Charleston civil rights activist Septima Clark, who was a teacher on Johns Island, the tree was a gathering place for all. “Segregation was at its height, but the tree was not segregated,” she recalled. She would bring her school children out for the day to picnic and play under the tree. According to Septima Clark’s account, some believed angels brought spirits to the tree, and the spirits could see the things that happened there during slavery. Others believed the tree was part of the Underground Railroad system that helped slaves escape by hiding in the lush branches during the day and continuing their journey at night. Rather than being named after the Angel family, many believe it was named after the angels that frequented the area and protected the people.

 

Samantha has not only worked to uncover the property's history but continues to secure additional funding to move forward with a master plan for the site. The plan includes a boardwalk designed to protect the tree's root system, walking trails, an information center, improved parking, signage to celebrate the history and significance of the land, and an outdoor educational area. The Angel Oak Preserve is expected to break ground in 2025, with an estimated total cost of around $8 million. Additional fundraising efforts are currently underway. To donate, please visit give.lowcountrytrust.org.

 

—Submitted by Susan McLaughlin

Rain Gardening in the Lowcountry!

 

The Seabrook Island Garden Club’s March meeting was entitled Rain Gardening in the Lowcountry! and featured guest speakers Lee Bundrick and Sean Cannon from the Kiawah Conservancy. Given the increasing concern about flooding caused by stormwater runoff, communities and individuals are interested in exploring what can be done to mitigate flooding in low-lying areas. Rain gardens are a simple nature-based strategy that can be implemented to help address flooding.

 

Lee Bundrick began with an explanation of the “science” behind rain gardens. Since rainwater is the primary source of freshwater in coastal areas, the Conservancy and the College of Charleston initiated a groundwater monitoring program on Kiawah Island to assess changes in the water table caused by rising tides and more frequent flooding events. While most of the rainwater on the island is captured by the forest and vegetation, the water table is relatively shallow (2-3 feet) and can only hold a limited amount of water. If rainwater cannot infiltrate the ground quickly enough, it begins to run off or pool in certain areas. As an increasing number of impervious surfaces such as houses, roads, driveways, and sidewalks take over previously forested areas, water pooling and flooding become more problematic. Unfortunately, this runoff water often contains pesticides, plastics, fertilizers, petroleum-based particulates, etc. These contaminants end up in the local waterways and can impact the wildlife and local ecosystems. One mitigation effort that grew out of this study was a recommendation to educate local communities and residents on the benefits of establishing rain gardens to mitigate flooding.

 Sean Cannon’s role with the Conservancy is to help communities and individuals design and implement rain gardens. He offered the following instructions on how to establish a rain garden on your property.

 1. At its core, a rain garden collects rainwater, holds it for a limited amount of time, and filters it before slowly releasing the water into the ground. The first step is to determine where water pools on your property. This is often a dip or depression in a low-lying area of the yard. Rain gardens, however, should not be placed in areas where water pools but should be located upslope of such an area to capture the water and eliminate the pooling.

2.    Rain gardens should not be placed too close to foundations since they do collect and hold moisture. Ideally, a rain garden should be at least 10 feet away from any type of structure on your property.

3.    It is important to amend the soil in the area using two parts sand and one part topsoil to maximize drainage. The rain garden should be at least 12-24 inches in depth with a 3-4 inch topping of cedar mulch.

4.    Ideally, the garden should be planted with native plant species. Some examples include river oats, scarlet sage, beautyberry, canna lilies, blue flag iris, and cardinal flowers. Plants should be drought-resistant but able to tolerate damp conditions for extended periods.

5.    Once established, rain gardens are relatively low-maintenance areas. They require weeding but generally do not require irrigation.

The Kiawah Conservancy staff members are willing to help communities and individuals design and establish local rain gardens. Most designs are very simple. The key is finding plants that will thrive in your area. Please feel free to contact Lee and Sean for assistance.

 

M. Lee Bundrick is the Senior Ecological Health and Conservation Coordinator for the Kiawah Conservancy and has been working on Kiawah Island since 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Clemson University, a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston, and a Master in Public Administration from the College of Charleston.  He works primarily in the areas of land protection, land stewardship, and environmental research, with a focus on the Kiawah River Watershed region covering Kiawah, Seabrook, and Johns Islands. He is a Certified Master Rain Gardener and is also an Adjunct Professor at the College of Charleston where he currently teaches the introduction to environmental and sustainability studies for the graduate school. Lee’s contact information is: lee@kiawahconservancy.org.

Sean Cannon is the Restoration and Enhancement Specialist for the Kiawah Conservancy. He earned a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and a Master's of Science in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston. Sean focuses on the implementation of Nature Based Solutions, habitat restoration, and community outreach and education. He is a Certified Master Rain Gardener and received a letter of Completion in Stormwater Pond Management through Clemson Cooperative Extension. Sean’s contact information is: sean@kiawahconservancy.org.