Cedar Island is a small barrier island located south of North Santee Bay with 3.9 km of beachfront habitat. The island is part of the Santee Coastal Reserve (SCR) Wildlife Management Area which also includes Murphy Island, The Cape, Washo Reserve, and adjacent upland habitats. Cedar Island was previously a rice field managed for migratory, breeding, and wintering waterfowl, along with wading birds and shore birds. Cedar Island is currently surveyed by the SCDNR Marine Turtle Program staff on a weekly basis. The island is formed in a shape of a backwards L, with substantial nesting dune habitat on the north santee river side, a boneyard that is impassable at high tide beginning at the 90 degree turn on the northern side of the ocean facing side, with more dunes on the south end past the boneyard, towards the south santee river.