Rudy Mancke, who passed away on Nov. 7 at the age of 78, became a beloved figure in South Carolina and beyond through his groundbreaking work as the host of the nationally distributed television show NatureScene and SC Public Radio’s NatureNotes. NatureScene, co-created with Beryl Dakers premiered in 1978 and continued for an impressive 25 years, gaining national recognition for its simple and innovative approach to exploring the natural world.
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A boardwalk takes Rudy and Jim from the hardwood area of the previous stop into a swamp forest. Here, Bald Cypress trees and Tupelo trees dominate. Lizard Tail, commonly found in this area, gets its...
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Underneath the pine trees, another community of plants resides in the area: Yellow-ray flowers, Purple Vein milkweed, and Catbells.
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The pine forest is home to two species of woodpecker birds: the Red Cockaded woodpecker, and the Ladder-Backed woodpecker.
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Ecology Laboratory Research Site: This area is a mixed hardwood forest, with Spanish moss dangling from the branches. Water oaks are the most prominent trees here. Other common plants in the area are...
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In this episode of NatureScene, Rudy and Jim visit the Savannah River Site, located along the southwestern border of South Carolina. The area is 200,000 acres of protected land. When one thinks of the...
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This bluff is one of 30 areas set aside from the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology laboratory. This area is vastly different from the tall pine community Rudy and Jim visited previously...
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While walking along the road, Rudy and Jim see some of the damage left behind by Hurricane Hugo, and come across an Eastern Mud Turtle. Red Maple trees and Sweetgum trees, and Hawthorns have started...
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The Marsh – Here, Rudy and Jim come across a marsh area, and discuss some of the plant and animal life which live in this habitat: Cattail plants, a Great Egret bird, Lily pads, Coot, Northern...
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Still at Lake Marion, Rudy and Jim observe the diverse species of birds in the area: Yellow Thwarted Warbler, Northern Parula, Eastern Bluebird, Yellow Rumped Warbler, American Robins, and an Osprey...
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At this last stop, Rudy and Jim come across Loblolly pines, along with more alligators, and a Springflyer dragonfly. On the other side of the trail is a hardwood forest, and this habitat includes...
