Meg Hoyle, graduated from Davidson College with a B.S. in Biology. She was a COSEN-Pew Scholar and the recipient of a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She obtained her master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management at the University of Georgia. Her classroom and field training have given her a special perspective on the coastal environment and she is a born educator. Meg wanted to share the wonders she saw during her career as a wildlife biologist and started Botany Bay Ecotours. Partnering with the Gullah/Geechee community on Edisto Island to tell of their rich culture and history is a priority for Meg and Botany Bay Ecotours. Today she works behind the scenes of the business and delights in training new guides who can open up the natural world for our customers.
We operate a Carolina Skiff for touring because they are designed to access the shallow creeks that run through the salt marsh. Their flat bottom design allows us to get off the beaten path. The Skiff is wide and very stable and allows our customers to be close to the water so they can see all the action in Botany Bay!
We will allow you to see the area in a way you may never have imagined. Our guides delight in sharing the unique coastal ecosystem with others. Our local knowledge of Botany Bay and Edisto Beach is enhanced by in-depth study in biology, wildlife ecology, and natural resource management. Our founder, Meg Hoyle, credits her extensive field work abroad with teaching her to fully appreciate the wonder and diversity of the area she calls home. She studied wildlife utilization on the savannahs of Kenya and Zimbabwe, tropical ecosystems in the Australian rainforest and conducted sea turtle research in the Caribbean. Meg carefully selects other trip leaders who share her passion for interpreting the natural world.
The South Carolina coast is “every bit as exciting as exotic locales such as the Great Barrier Reef or tropical rainforests. There is something for everyone to learn from areas like this.” – Meg Hoyle
One of the guiding principles of Ecotourism is partnering with the local community. As a business we support Edisto non-profits that support student achievement. As individuals we volunteer as mentors and with Edisto conservation projects. All proceeds from our programs partnering with the local Gullah/Geechee community on Edisto go directly to the community.
