More swamps to be protected from development
$50 Million Grant Approved for Largest Conservation Easement Project in South Carolina History
Protection of more than 62,000 acres will yield recreation, environmental, and economic benefits in nation’s “wood basket.”
Columbia, SC (October 29, 2024) – Funding for the single largest land conservation easement project in South Carolina history was announced today, thanks to the efforts of the Open Space Institute (OSI), the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC), South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR), USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, and Atlantic Packaging. (Additional photos can be viewed here.)
The stunning Pee Dee River undulates through the project area.
Image Credit: Mac Stone
The Forest Legacy Program, which is administered by the U.S. Forest Service and funded through the Inflation Reduction Act and Land and Water Conservation Fund, announced approval of a $50 million grant to permanently protect the “Pee Dee Basin” properties. Comprising more than 62,000 acres of forested land across Marion, Williamsburg, and Georgetown Counties, along three coastal rivers--the Santee, Black, and Pee Dee—this transformational project will ensure climate resilience, recreation, and sustainable forest management.
“Today marks an unprecedented victory for conservation and commerce,” said Scott Phillips, South Carolina Forestry Commission’s State Forester. “Coined the nation’s ‘wood basket’, this region’s timberlands are one of the state’s most important assets. Not only do forested landscapes provide clean water, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation, they also represent a renewable resource with a major economic impact. The funding announced for this initiative is a win on every level—for our state’s economy, for our workforce, for residents, and for wildlife.”
“This is a historic moment for South Carolina,” said Dr. Maria Whitehead, OSI’s Senior Vice President of Land for the Southeast. “In one fell swoop, we are poised to protect a landscape as large as Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. OSI is incredibly proud to have brought these partners together. We extend our gratitude and appreciation to all involved and look forward to doing what it takes to see this project through.”
The 62,000-acre assemblage, administered by leading timber investment management organization Resource Management Service, LLC, will continue to be managed for timberland production, on behalf of four landowners with long term forestry and conservation objectives.
“We here at SCDNR are proud to manage the state’s Forest Legacy Program and thankful that the National Review Panel agreed with us on the merits of this transformational project,” said Anna Smith, SCDNR’s Forest Legacy Program Coordinator and lead grant writer. “With this one grant, Forest Legacy will move the needle significantly in South Carolina towards the increased health, function, and connectivity of our state’s forestlands. Healthy ecosystems benefit both wildlife and people.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster sees land protection as a state-wide priority. "In South Carolina, we understand the importance of preserving our natural resources and take an approach that acknowledges the interconnected relationship between economic prosperity and environmental stewardship," said Governor McMaster, who supported the application in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack. "I am proud to have worked with this partnership to protect some of our state's most valuable lands, an achievement that will benefit our economy, bolster resilience against flooding, and expand recreational and tourism opportunities for our people."
When OSI presented the conservation opportunity to state agency partners in January 2024, SCFC’s leadership moved quickly to expand its charter to permit the holding and stewarding of working forest conservation easements. In this new role, SCFC will assume the responsibility to monitor and steward the assemblage in perpetuity.
Atlantic Packaging, an international, privately held packaging company with offices in Charleston, SC, generously provided the funding for the newly created Pee Dee Initiative Stewardship Fund, which will ensure that SCFC has the financial resources necessary to uphold its duties under the perpetual easement.
“At Atlantic Packaging we are deeply committed to supporting sustainability and conservation in all of our areas of influence,” said Wes Carter, President of Atlantic Packaging. “As a major provider of fiber-based packaging, much derived from timber products, we understand the critical role of protecting working forests not only for the national economy, but moreover for the paramount environmental benefits healthy forests provide all life. Investing in this project was a natural fit for our company, and we congratulate everyone involved in this tremendously important work.”
South Carolina’s economy relies heavily on the $23.2 billion impact of forestry—forest products such as timber are the state’s top harvested crop. The wood harvested from the Pee Dee region currently contributes more than $116 million to the timber value delivered to nearby hard and softwood mills, supporting the jobs of more than 900 workers.
In an area where forest land is lost daily to sand mining and development, this project also closes critical conservation gaps and vastly expands corridors of protected land for wildlife habitat.
Further, the project will provide new public access to more than 7,500 acres of land, supporting the state’s growing ecotourism and recreation economy. This includes an 880-acre addition to the Wee Tee State Forest, which will be managed by SCFC, and new Wildlife Management Areas, which will fall under the aegis of SCDNR. In addition to passive recreation, hunting and fishing will be allowed on the Wee Tee addition and Wildlife Management Areas.
Located along 20 miles of three of South Carolina’s most ecologically rich rivers, once protected the tracts will provide a high level of resilience to the coastal landscape through their capacity to absorb flood waters after ever-increasing severe weather events.
“In the face of increasing environmental change and natural hazards, it is more important than ever that we look to nature-based solutions to protect communities, economies, and ecosystems,” said Ben Duncan, SCOR’s Chief Resilience Officer. “Forever protecting these vast tracts will provide a landscape-scale flood mitigation solution by safeguarding the land’s natural ability to absorb and store floodwaters, reducing the impacts on neighboring communities, and allowing natural processes to thrive. SCOR is proud to be a part of this endeavor, and I am personally encouraged by the number of partners that have come together to make this historic project possible.”
The 30,000 bottomland acres contain hardwoods including cypress and tupelo which draw water from the floodplain. Following the Audubon Society's bird-friendly forestry techniques, limited harvesting will occur in the hardwood bottom areas to preserve their wildlife habitat, bank stabilizing, and water filtration qualities. Timbering will primarily focus on upland pines.
Conservation of the assemblage will safeguard habitat for at least 115 priority plant and animal species. The Pee Dee block alone boasts 16 miles of shoreline on the Pee Dee River, home to diverse fish including the Atlantic and Shortnose sturgeon, and rare mussels and crayfish.
This transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Funding by the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, SCOR, Lowcountry Land Capacity Fund, and Atlantic Packaging have made this initiative possible. Critical support was also provided by non-profit aviation partner Southwings, which offered the partners a unique aerial perspective of this vast assemblage of land.
https://www.openspaceinstitute.org/n...rolina-history
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