Wood storks, formerly a federally endangered species and currently listed as threatened, have begun a population recovery due to an increase in the species range during nesting season.

Wood storks began nesting in Spring Island’s golf course rookery in 2011, and the Trust has worked cooperatively with the Club/POA to maintain and manage the rookery habitat. In 2012, a Master Naturalist volunteer began surveying the wood storks weekly during the breeding season to evaluate nesting success as part of SCDNR’s Wading Bird Program. The number of nests annually averages around 50 with around 2 young fledged per successful nest.