Walk through a South Carolina forest and look closely at the bark of an old tree. You may see patches of green, gray, yellow, or orange that seem almost painted onto the surface. Those are lichens, and they are much more than decoration.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

For generations, longleaf forests covered much of the Southeast. They shaped the landscape, supported communities, and provided timber, turpentine, and other resources that helped build the South.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

An oyster shell may look like the end of a meal, but along the South Carolina coast, it can also be the beginning of something new.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

South Carolina is a growing state, but beneath that growth is something we all share: a remarkable natural landscape stretching from the Blue Ridge to the Atlantic. Think of it as a garden. Forests, rivers, wetlands, marshes, fields, and coastal waters all work together to support the plants and animals that make South Carolina special.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

Sometimes conservation starts with something that seems almost too simple to matter: picking up a piece of trash.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

A flash of golden yellow moves through the shade of a South Carolina swamp. That small bird is a prothonotary warbler, and in 2026, South Carolina named it our official state migratory bird.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

Walk through a South Carolina forest and look closely at an old oak, a fence rail, or even a bare rock. Those pale green, gray, or orange patches are often lichens - and each one is really a partnership.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.

Few birds look more effortless in flight than a swallow-tailed kite. Its black-and-white body and deeply forked tail make it easy to recognize as it circles above a South Carolina swamp.

For more from Into the Wild, visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/intothewild.

For more information about the SC Department of Natural Resources, visit dnr.sc.gov.