" In The Field "

As a wetland consultant much of my time is spent "in the field" conducting "wetland delineations".

In a nutshell, a wetland delineation is a mapping of the ecological limits of wetland for a given area - on foot. 

In "The Lowcountry" of coastal South Carolina, wetland delineating is what you might call an "extreme job".

Perhaps not as dangerous as underwater welding. 

Maybe. 

Much of this type of field work is done under difficult field conditions and time constraints....and the information you will be generating CAN have multi-million dollar ramifications for your client.

So...first think of a sunny 93 degree day with dew points hovering in the mid-70' s. 

The kind of day, when after 60 seconds, you have a glaze of sweat on your forehead - even though you are wearing shorts and a 
t-shirt and are standing in the shade. 

Motionless.

Then, despite the miserable heat, think of going against your instincts and pulling on a loose fitting long sleeve shirt, lthick "brush" pants (lest you be ripped to shreds by thorny vines and various briars), heavy knee-high "snake boots" - and finishing by slapping on a ball cap.

Don't forget to also heave on the ten pound backpack of essentials you'll need for the day (bug spray, maps, compass, Sharpies, GPS unit, cell phone, flagging, water, water, water (and did I mention water?) 

And for sure - don't forget to lug along the awkward but critical 4-FT steel soil auger.....which comes in handy beating back the thick bush.....or the occasionally threatening wildlife.

Finally - you are ready to head off into the thick jungle-like vegetation of coastal South Carolina, on a completely forested and table-top flat 100 acre tract of land, whose last boundary survey was conducted during the "War of Northern Aggression"....to find out "where the wetlands are".

As you think and think and think, and push your body - digging holes with your auger at key moments to analyze the soil, then ducking, bobbing, pushing, stooping and even crawling at times - checking your maps again - then checking the soil again - all in the focused effort to hang and label colored flags high in the suffocating vegetation - on the wetland limits as you have defined them.

AND as you "delineate" the wetland line.....watch out for dehydration, heat exhaustion and/or stroke, sticks in the eye, poisonous spiders poisonous snakes, underground bee hives, gators, rabid dogs, small packs of stray dogs, wild boars, swamp bears, rotten and falling tree branches, lightening and other bad weather, careless hunters, countless opportunities for falling and/or tripping - and last but not least, local rednecks maybe with guns who can magically appear out of nowhere, and who often think you are "tresspassin". 

Not to mention constant "minor" nuisances like ticks, chiggers, mosquitos, no-see-ems, fire-ant mounds, viscious thorny vines, prickly blackberry, poison ivy......and good old mundane fatigue.

Oh - and you only have 10 hours to finish this field work before Sundown.

So no stalling.

Because your client anxiously awaits your preliminary survey depicting where the wetlands are at on their property of interest, as well as their acreages and presumed regulatory standing  - PDF'ed to them by the close of business tomorrow. 

But tomorrow it's forecast to rain all day - so you MAY just have TODAY in the field to do this work.

Your client will makes big money decisions based on this preliminary survey you give him, BUT first that survey may also need to be sent to the US Army Corp of Engineers - for an federal approval called  "verification". 

And you hope the federal government agrees with your "calls" on all the wetland lines you flagged on your preliminary survey -  if and when they come out to the property to check your flags. 

Sleep well, right ?

I like to say my "extreme job" pays good money -  not easy money. 

But money is NOT the only reason why I do what I do. 

For me, there is no better RUSH than to embrace Nature over 
acres and acres, and all it can throw at you, only to emerge from the woods mentally and physically improved at the end of the day - knowing that land like a old friend.



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30 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE