Feral hogs will be removed from Congaree National Park in South Carolina this fall by park staff along with staff from the U.S. Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Inspection Service.

This work will be conducted during daylight hours to take advantage of increased activity of feral hogs foraging for mast from oak, hickory, and other trees, a park release said.

This work is currently scheduled to take place Thursdays in October. If conditions remain favorable, further dates may be scheduled for the month of November and will be announced once determined, the release noted.

While most frontcountry trails and facilities will remain open to visitors on these dates, resource management staff will be operating in backcountry areas of the park during this time using firearms, including high-powered rifles, requiring certain areas to be closed to visitors.

Trails that will be closed while this work is ongoing are as follows:

• Sims Trail south of the Boardwalk Loop
• Weston Lake Trail
• Oakridge Trail
• River Trail
• Kingsnake Trail
• Cedar Creek between Bannister Bridge and South Cedar Creek landings.

In addition to these trail closures, backcountry camping permits will not be issued for Wednesday or Thursday nights during the month of October. All closed areas will be clearly marked by posted signs.

The Harry Hampton Visitor Center, Boardwalk, Bluff, Longleaf, and Firefly trails, and the Longleaf and Bluff Campgrounds will remain open. The Bates Ferry and Fork Swamp trails along the U.S. 601 corridor will also remain open. Visitors wishing to paddle downstream on Cedar Creek can put in and take out at South Cedar Creek landing.

Feral hogs continue to cause widespread damage to natural and cultural resources both inside and outside of the park.

“Resource management staff from the NPS and our partners from the USDA continue to take advantage of every opportunity possible to further reduce the population of these destructive and invasive pests here at Congaree National Park,” said Congaree Chief of Resource Stewardship and Science Carson Lillard Van Delden. “Limiting the damage caused by feral hogs not only helps protect park ecosystems, but it also ultimately helps to provide a better experience for visitors to this amazing and unique landscape.”