Respect, Support, Volunteer, and Protect Kiawah

Kiawah’s lush natural environment is the number one reason people come here. Whether it’s the gorgeous beaches, colorful marshes, or native wildlife, it’s clear that the majority of the Kiawah community cares about the ecological health of Kiawah, but they may not realize how significantly their behaviors impact it.

RSVP Kiawah hopes to energize the Kiawah community to promote positive human behaviors to preserve our Island for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

What Does RSVP Mean? Let’s break it down!

Respect Wildlife - Respecting wildlife means not disrupting their natural feeding, nesting, or resting behaviors. You can help by keeping a respectful distance from and never feeding wildlife.
Support Ecological Health - Staying educated about the most updated science and research of local environmental issues is one of the best ways to support Kiawah’s ecological health. Satisfy your natural curiosity by attending environmental programs, listening to experts, and exploring this glorious Island with naturalist guides.
Volunteer in Environmental Efforts - Consider helping in an island litter sweep, joining Turtle Patrol, becoming a Shorebird Steward, or sharing what you learn about environmental issues with others through friendly conversations or online.
Protect Native Habitat - Protecting native habitat means helping keep Kiawah’s beaches, trails and habitats as natural and undisturbed as possible.

Now that you know what RSVP means, here’s how you can help!

Respect Wildlife

Keep a safe distance from and never feed wildlife
Keep dogs away from dunes and leashed March 16-October 31 during sea turtle and shorebird nesting season
Understand that shorebirds see dogs as predators
Clean up after enjoying the beach
- Throw away any trash or food scraps
- Fill in holes and flatten sandcastles
- Remove all beach equipment
Keep lights out on the beach to avoid disorienting sea turtle mothers and hatchlings

Support Ecological Health:

Attend environmental education opportunities
Keep up with Kiawah Conservancy outreach
Delve into our website to learn about our research and the local environment
Attend a Turtle Patrol inventory
Chat with a Shorebird Steward or Dolphin Educator
Explore the island with naturalist tour guides
Support the Kiawah Conservancy with a financial gift
Make a Legacy Gift to the Kiawah Conservancy

Volunteer in Environmental Efforts:

Join (or shadow) Kiawah Turtle Patrol
Participate in one of our island litter pickups
Become a Shorebird Steward or Dolphin Educator
Participate in a bird count
Join the Town’s Environmental Committee
Become a trustee or committee member for the Kiawah Conservancy

Protect Native Habitat:

Always stay on the trails to help protect critical native habitat areas
Use native plants in your landscaping
Plan and maintain a nesting, resting, and feeding friendly landscape
- Earn a Naturally Kiawah Habitat Award
Become a Bobcat Guardian
Use wildlife-friendly methods for controlling pests
Donate land to the Kiawah Conservancy to preserve in perpetuity

Looking to learn more about how you can Respect, Support, Volunteer and Protect?

Check out the RSVP video playlist on our YouTube channel where we talk about ways you can help local wildlife!