THE NATURAL SPLENDOR OF OLDFIELD PROVIDES FOR DAILY DISCOVERIES AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES.

Nature

Oldfield’s location on the banks of the sweeping Okatie River and in the heart of the Lowcountry puts nature at the epicenter of life within the community, and it provides for completely unique experiences and discoveries daily.

The diverse environments create an equally diverse array of sea and wildlife in the community. The riverside docks are a favorite hangout for Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, while the salt marsh is home to vast oyster beds, stingrays, and more. The freshwater ponds found throughout the community sustain an ecosystem all their own.

The “Caution Fox Squirrel Crossing” signs found around Oldfield are a testament to Oldfield’s reverence for the land’s wildlife.

There are nearly 6 miles of nature trails through maritime and hardwood forests where you can see deer, an occasional fox, great blue herons, egrets, woodpeckers, eagles nesting, and a symphony of songbirds. There is eye-catching signage throughout the system that the botanical names along with an example of the fruit or foliage in different seasons. They are a great educational tool about our environment, and so are our Naturalist-led nature walks, rides, and even cruises.

Oldfield is proactive in forging the pollinator population. Visible from the road as you enter the community is the proud home of four beehives, and fresh batches of honey become available for purchase at the Outfitters Center all year round. Classes for kids and adults on the importance of bees and how honey is processed are currently available. A community garden has been revitalized, and seasonal harvests are coordinated and managed as a partnership between the Nature staff and Member volunteers.

Our Nature Center within the Outfitters Center offers an opportunity for a truly hands-on nature experience. Complete with saltwater and freshwater aquariums, visitors can interact, hold, and feed some of the Center’s residents including a variety of snakes and turtles.

Oldfield has been an Audubon “Neighborhood for Nature” since 2004 and was certified as an Audubon Sustainable Community in 2018. The Audubon Sustainable Communities Program is a program that helps guide communities through a custom journey to become healthy and vibrant places to live, work, and play. The program is founded on three pillars of sustainability: a healthy local environment, a good quality of life for its citizens, and economic vitality. Here at Oldfield, we are committed to promoting environmental awareness through education and the conservation of our natural and cultural resources. The original Audubon Sustainable Community Certification in 2018 included a baseline assessment of our community focusing on the environment, quality of life, and economic vitality, along with a site visit by Audubon International staff. In addition, Oldfield developed a goal-oriented sustainability plan with milestones toward success. Recertification is due every three years and each year we measure our progress towards each of our sustainability indicators that are defined in our sustainability plan.

Our community has worked hard and has some great success stories to tell from our sustainable journey. One highlight is the new Community Garden located near the entrance of the community. The community garden started out in 2018 with just nine raised garden beds located in the boat yard storage area. The new community garden now has 31 beds plus two children’s garden beds for our new Children’s Garden Club. Our community garden club has grown from 17 families to over 40 families. The new community garden was built by volunteers of our newly founded Oldfield Volunteer Committee (OVC). Speaking of volunteerism, that is another success story for Oldfield. The Oldfield Volunteer Committee (OVC) was created in 2019 and now has over 100 members from the community. The Oldfield Volunteer Corps is composed of residents seeking to volunteer their time to community service projects in and around Oldfield for the betterment of neighbors as well as our physical and natural environment.  The residents of Oldfield have many skills and talents that often match up with the needs of our community and the OVC is dedicated to bringing those together when appropriate and cost-effective.

“Being the Naturalist at Oldfield is truly a dream job. Every day is a new experience with a beautiful view. Not only do I get to spend time outdoors and on the water, but I get the chance to work with our awesome nature-loving Members. Our collective stewardship has allowed us to earn and maintain our designation as an “Audubon Sustainable Community” of which I am very proud of and what truly sets us apart from other communities in the area.”. 

Leanna McMillan

Master Naturalist

“We look to motivate communities to practice environmental stewardship, educate residents, and promote sustainable actions, while at the same time make it fun for all who participate. We welcome Oldfield’s commitment to the natural environment and to encouraging wildlife-sensitive practices.”

Joanna Nadeau

Director, Audubon International