The National Park Foundation just received a $100 million donation from Lilly Endowment Inc., according to Lise Aangeenbrug, chief program officer. The Lilly Endowment was founded by the family of Eli Lilly. The donation will support over 400 national parks, including the Francis Marion National Forest south of Georgetown, SC.
The Francis Marion National Forest is 259,000 acres of pristine land that is home to a variety of wildlife, including the endangered red-crowned woodpecker. Locals and tourists can enjoy recreational opportunities ranging from hiking, biking, motorcycle and canoeing trails to shooting ranges and a boat ramp.
National Park Foundation supports Francis Marion National Forest
Francis Marion National Forest is home to about 12 species of migratory birds on the National Audubon Yellow List. It also supports a significant number of high conservation priority species, such as the Black-throated Green Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Yellow-backed Warbler, Worm’s Warbler, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Chuck-Will’s Widow, Wood Duck, Northern Warbler, and the state-endangered species, the Swallow’s Kite.
The forest has been critical to the recovery of the red-throated woodpecker population and has served as a donor population to reestablish the birds at other locations. In addition, the forest continues to be a habitat for the American black bear, which is losing habitat on private lands. Other mammals commonly found in the area include otters, beavers, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and deer.
The Mississippi alligator is another well-known creature found in the forest, especially in swamps, rivers and ponds. Finally, the forest is home to numerous snakes, both venomous and non-venomous, including the western water moccasin, southern moccasin, diamondback rattlesnake, woodland rattlesnake, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake and eastern coral snake.
The National Parks Foundation supports the National Park Service in preserving over 400 national parks across the country. Each year, nearly 320 million people travel from near and far to explore, admire and appreciate America’s 400+ national parks. The National Park Service (NPS) protects and preserves over 85 million acres in perpetuity. So much foot traffic in such an extensive network of parks requires significant resources 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.
