The Carolina Bay Natural Land Treatment Program not only serves wastewater management needs but also plays an important role in protecting the environment. The four bays in the treatment program will be maintained in a natural ecological condition. These 700 acres of Carolina bays represent one of the largest public holdings of bays in South Carolina. The use of wetlands for treatment can significantly lower the cost of wastewater treatment because the systems rely on plant and animal growth instead of the addition of power or chemicals. Also, the plant communities present in the wetlands naturally adjust to changing water levels and water quality conditions by shifting dominance to those species best adapted to growing under the new conditions.
Pitcher plants occur naturally in the Carolina bays.
Carolina bays provide a critical refuge for rare plants and animals. Amazingly, black bears still roam the bays' shrub thickets and forested bottom lands just a few miles from the thousands of tourists on South Carolina's beaches. Venus flytraps and pitcher plants, fascinating carnivorous plants that trap trespassing insects, occur naturally in the Carolina bays. In addition, the bays are home to hundreds of other interesting plant and animal species. The focal point of the park will be an interpretive visitor center open to the public.