The Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge is a portion of the larger

ACE Basin The Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Basin (abbreviated as ACE Basin, spoken as ''ace basin'') is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Located primarily in Colleton, Charleston, and Beaufort count ...

area, and the only portions that are federally protected. The

wildlife refuge A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

is divided into two units: the

Edisto River The Edisto River is one of the longest free-flowing blackwater rivers in North America, flowing over 250 meandering miles from its sources in Saluda and Edgefield counties, to its Atlantic Ocean mouth at Edisto Beach, South Carolina. It rises in ...

unit and the

Combahee River The Combahee River ( ) is a short blackwater river in the southern Lowcountry region of South Carolina formed at the confluence of the Salkehatchie and Little Salkehatchie rivers near the Islandton community of Colleton County, South Carolina ...

unit. The following threatened or endangered species are present in the refuge:

wood stork The wood stork (''Mycteria americana'') is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found in ...

External links

Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR Website
Protected areas of Beaufort County, South Carolina Protected areas of Charleston County, South Carolina Protected areas of Colleton County, South Carolina Protected areas of Hampton County, South Carolina National Wildlife Refuges in South Carolina Protected areas established in 1990 1990 establishments in South Carolina {{SouthCarolina-geo-stub