Cheraw State Park, South Carolina. Part IV. Interview with Corinna Hanson, the Park’s Resource Manager

Click here for the first post in this series.

Cheraw State Park, with its 7,600-some diverse acres has a Resource Manager rather than an Interpretive Ranger. She is Ms. Corrine Hanson. You see her above pointing out some of the Park’s more important features on a wall map in the Park Office.

I was fortunate to catch up with Ms. Hanson on Tuesday afternoon. She too is busy as the dickens here, and puts in long hours at the Park. But I hoped to get Ms. Hanson to share her knowledge of the Park’s ecosystem with us.

She began our conversation with a clear explanation of the long leaf pine ecosystem. And how long leaf pine is different from other pine species.  Click the button to have a listen. Her explanation explains a lot about how the Park is run.

She then explained the process through which the Park restores wooded areas that have been taken over by other species to long leaf pine.

Of course, Cheraw State Park’s many and diverse acres include other species of trees, and of plants. I asked Ms. Hanson to describe them, and explain their relationship to the long leaf pines. Here is her response. Again, a clear and comprehensive explanation. She knows her stuff!

I then asked Ms. Hanson about the wildlife at the Park. She described the Park’s red cockaded woodpecker population. That’s a very rare bird. I didn’t get to see one while at the Park this time, but hope to in the future. Click here to access the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery page. Some additional interesting information and links there.

We concluded with Ms. Hanson’s personal background, and career. Quite a story! An interesting career path which includes even an undergraduate degree in law enforcement!

I was surprised to learn that Ms. Hanson recently accepted a federal job away from South Carolina. Hopefully she will soon return and continue to contribute her considerable expertise to the State.

Thanks again, Ms. Hanson, for your time today.

Stay tuned, next we’re headed for Cheraw State Park’s impressive golf course and an interview with the Golf Pro and Business Manager, Mr. Brick Hyduke.

Click here for the next post in this series.