A major land purchase in Georgetown County, South Carolina, is moving ahead as local officials support plans to turn 4,148 acres in Carvers Bay into a new state forest. The 4,148-acre parcel is part of a larger 8,000-acre forest bought for $34.2 million by two nonprofit organisations, The Conservation Fund and the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation. Under the proposed state plan, the remaining part of the 8,000-acre property along the Black River will become part of the Wildlife Management Area program run by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
The Georgetown County Board of Education voted to send formal letters of support to the South Carolina Forestry Commission for its planned purchase of the large tract on Eaddy Road, outside Dunbar Landing in the western part of the county, according to a report by the Coastal Observer .
The property had attracted strong interest from commercial developers before the conservation groups stepped in to protect it.
Under South Carolina law, the Forestry Commission gives 25 percent of the gross revenue from timber harvesting and state forest management to the local county.
She said development pressure in the southern part of the county is already limited by protected areas such as the Francis Marion National Forest. The school board’s support also has a direct financial connection to state forest operations. The money helps support public schools. School Board Member Eileen Johnson welcomed the proposed acquisition during the board meeting.
In 2007, a permanent conservation easement was placed on 3,612 acres of the Arcadia West property west of U.S. Highway 17.
“We’re thrilled to have support from both the county and the school board,” Emily Purcell, director of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited, told the Coastal Observer . Responding to concerns about the possible loss of tax revenue from taking thousands of acres out of future development plans, Johnson said long-term land protection is more important than short-term tax income. I’m not worried about taxes right now,” Johnson said.
The Department of Natural Resources plans to acquire Arcadia East with help from the South Carolina Office of Resilience and two nonprofit conservation organisations, the Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited. The nonprofit groups will hold the property title until all required state funding approvals are completed. The Georgetown County Council has also formally supported the Arcadia East deal, joining the school board in backing the purchase. “We’re excited to hopefully work towards a great conservation outcome in Georgetown County. The new effort builds on other conservation work in the area. Ducks Unlimited also holds and manages that easement. “We’ve got plenty of land.