Belvue Springs Heritage Preserve
Contact Information
SC Department of Natural Resources311 Natural Resources Drive
Clemson, SC 29631
Mary Bunch, Preserve Manager
(864) 654-6738 ext. 15
Tom Swayngham, Region 1 Coordinator
(864) 654-1671 ext. 21
Hours of Operation
This preserve has no developed access. The small size and predominate sensitive wetlands restrict use. Visitation is allowed and research or group visits require a permit.
Contributions to the Endangered Wildlife Fund on the South Carolina Income Tax Form help to make the identification and management of these preserves possible.
Photographs
Description
Belvue Springs Heritage Preserve is entirely wooded and comprises 28 acres. More than 70 percent of the land is wetlands that include Piedmont Seepage forest and beaver impoundments. The uplands are dominated by Virginia pine. Most of the wetlands are dominated by tulip poplar, but a more mature forest is found on the northwestern arm. The preserve exemplifies an upland piedmont seepage forest, which contains a unique assemblage of rare, peripheral and disjunct species. In addition, there are a wide variety of ferns and orchids within this assemblage. The property has old terraces and ditches which indicate a past agricultural use of the uplands. Privet has invaded much of the forests along the Enoree River. At acquisition the property had a problem with kudzu and English ivy, but those invasive exotic plants have been controlled.
Two very rare plant species found at Belvue Springs are the federally endangered species
bunched arrowhead and the federally threatened species dwarf-flowered heartleaf. Both of these
plants are found only in a relatively small segment of North and South Carolina and occur
nowhere else in the world. Shortleaf sneezeweed, a plant species of regional concern, is
also found on the preserve.