It was founded to preserve valuable undeveloped coastal wetland and adjacent uplands that provide habitats for many species of wildlife.

Among the endangered species protected there is the red-cockaded woodpecker, whose habitat is primarily the longleaf pine forest on Sandy Island.

It overlooks the Great Pee Dee River in the small community of Yauhannah.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

This article related to a protected area in South Carolina is a stub.