S.C. Senate Resolution commends Dr. Tom Mullikin and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources

Resolution recognizes the success of the South Carolina Seven Expedition

COLUMBIA, SC, UNITED STATES, January 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A South Carolina Senate Resolution commending Dr. Tom Mullikin, director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the men and women of SCDNR, and the leaders of the statewide South Carolina Seven (SC7) Expedition was introduced and approved on the floor of the Senate, Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Co-sponsored by all sitting state senators and unanimously approved by the same, the resolution, specifically S-842, is the second such resolution commending Mullikin and SC7 in nearly six years (Senate Resolution 1230 was introduced and approved on June 23, 2020). In both instances, the S.C. Senate recognized the visionary significance of the annual hiking, climbing, kayaking, rafting, and SCUBA diving expedition from the mountains to the sea and now (as of 2025) the partnership between SCDNR and the SC7 team which includes the non-profit Global Eco Adventures and the S.C. National Heritage Corridor.

“In its sixth year, SC7 – and this new SCDNR-SC7 partnership since last summer – clearly demonstrates the power of collaboration between public agencies, nonprofit partners, and local communities,” said Mullikin, an acclaimed global expedition leader who today directs the 1,100-employee state Department of Natural Resources. “SC7 has helped elevate awareness of South Carolina’s natural resources while reinforcing the importance of conservation, stewardship, and outdoor recreation.”

Paralleling the physical route of the state’s famed Palmetto Trail, the SC7 Expedition begins each July in the mountains of the S.C. Upstate winding its way through the Midlands and concludes in the Lowcountry and along the S.C. coast including key destination stops along the way.

According to the 2026 Resolution: “The SC7 SCDNR partnership features a wide range of initiatives, including environmental cleanups, physical fitness challenges, exploratory excursions, visits to historically significant sites, and public education events across the Palmetto State.”

The expedition highlights South Carolina’s seven natural wonders (therefore SC7) including Sassafras Mountain, the Jocassee Gorges, the Chattooga River, the Congaree National Park, the Edisto River, the ACE Basin, and Bulls Island as well as other geographic locations showcasing – and creating awareness of – the state’s “extraordinary environmental beauty and ecological importance,” says Mullikin.

SC7 originated in 2019, shortly after Mullikin’s 2018 appointment as founding chair of Governor Henry McMaster’s S.C. Floodwater Commission (SCFC). At the Governor’s request, Mullikin was tasked with helping educate South Carolinians about the Commission’s findings and the broader importance of understanding and creating greater awareness of the state’s natural environs.

“Tom Mullikin is one of South Carolina’s uniquely talented citizens who serves as a great ambassador of our state,” said Gov. McMaster back in 2024. “That he [Mullikin] is both qualified and willing to take on such an expedition to highlight our state’s natural beauty and wonder is something that brings great pride to the Palmetto State.”

Introduced by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and then-Congressman Jeff Duncan, Mullikin together with Michelle McCollum, president of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor, began discussing an innovative approach to public education: Thus SC7, a 30-day expedition across the Palmetto State designed to highlight the S.C.’s rich albeit finite and sometimes fragile natural resources; all the while encouraging conservation awareness and public participation.

“July 1st has become one of my favorite days of the year,” said Evette in an Instagram post last year directly referring to the annual start-day for the SC7 Expedition.

Senator Thomas Alexander, president of the S.C. Senate and one of the 46 co-sponsors of Resolution S-842, said: “[SC7] is a great opportunity to explore the God-given natural resources we have to enjoy day-in and day-out across South Carolina.”

Since its establishment and with McMaster’s support, SC7 has been funded, planned, and executed by the S.C. Natural Heritage Corridor and Global Eco Adventures; bringing together conservation leaders, nonprofits, corporate partners, communities, legislators, and agencies around a shared mission.

– For more information about SC7, please visit https://southcarolina7.com/.

– For more information about SCDNR, please visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/.

W. Thomas Smith Jr.
S.C. Department of Natural Resources
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