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Savannah River Preserve Flourishes
Did you know that the Savannah River swamp is a formidable natural formation complete with centuries-old cypress trees, oxbow lakes and endless pockets of wilderness?
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| The Savannah River Preserve |
by Jeff Dennis
Did you know that the Savannah River swamp is a formidable natural formation complete with centuries-old cypress trees, oxbow lakes and endless pockets of wilderness? It’s true that the South Carolina side of the Savannah River comprises this aforementioned habitat that boasts a wonderful biodiversity. The Savannah River Preserve is an extension of the decade-old SOLO, or South Lowcountry Focus Area. The SRP is a consortium of private landowners, public entities and non-profit organizations that has quietly compiled 110,000 acres of protected lands associated with the Savannah River.Large tracts of land seem to have played a role in the relatively quick conservation of so many acres. The protected lands run from the SCDNR Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and the federal government’s Savannah River Site, south through Hampton County all the way to the Savannah River National Wildlife Refuge. Below the NWR lies the proposed Jasper County port facility.
The Savannah River Preserve has the potential to guard a large watershed for future generations, although water usage squabbles with the state of Georgia raise some concerns. The scope of the SRP is similar to the protection the ACE Basin provides St. Helena Sound or that Francis Marion National Forest provides for the Cape Romaine NWR. SOLO Focus area co-chairman Lane Morrison said, “Believe it or not, Allendale County is a recharge area for the Savannah aquifer.” Morrison is also a past chairman for the SC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
Jay Cantrell is an SCDNR wildlife biologist in charge of the 25,000-acre SCDNR WMA on the Savannah River comprised of the Webb Center, Palachucola and Hamilton Ridge properties. Cantrell is also co-chair for the SOLO Focus area and noted approvingly, “We were rolling along for a number of years, but in the last year and a half we have really been rocking.” Cantrell attributes the conservation fast track to a few private landowners who, after education about conservation tools, changed their from one of pessimism to one of optimism. One large tract of 7,438 acres along the Savannah River swamp was protected by Groton, showing early leadership for conservation, in 2002.
South Carolina citizens own the WMA lands that literally touch the Savannah River, and while the Webb Center has been a landmark since the days of the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Palachucola was acquired more recently as mitigation acres for road projects, and Hamilton Ridge was just added when International Paper made a switch from landholders to specialty products manufacturers. Factor in the Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve nearby, and the state has significant protected lands just south of Estill in the SRP, which came together through various channels.
Noel Thorne, director of The Nature Conservancy in Charleston and former developer of Wild Dunes and Dunes West, stays on message when talking about the “Natural Neighborhoods” idea. Thorne said, “It’s all about local landowners coming together to take control of their neighborhoods, and planning what they want for that area in the future.” He is quick to point out that conservation is for business people, meaning that protection in the SRP will likely lead to more investment in the area in the future.
Thorne continued, “We need to create economic solutions for rural models — providing essentials like affordable housing and a supermarket.” He cited the ACE Basin as an example of a natural neighborhood where conservation partners are working to provide jobs and rural economic development while preserving quality of life, sustainable forestry and agricultural practices. The newly-formed group, Private Landowners of the ACE, will work with conservation partners to identify and represent those who are keen to preserve rural and agricultural heritage. The ACE already has 181,573 acres protected in perpetuity.
When asked about the chance of MeadWestvaco’s East Edisto becoming a natural neighborhood, Thorne said, “It’s likely East Edisto will be developed in some form, but with clustering of homes and the implementation of a sustainable community complete with schools, then maybe 75 percent could be set aside in a conservation easement.”
With the recent decision by Norfolk Southern Railroad to protect its entire 12,500-acre Brosnan Forest in Dorchester County permanently, perhaps corporate America will recognize and capture the cumulative goodwill of all citizens when they choose not to develop their holdings.
In the Savannah River Preserve there are vast tracts of land that may yet be protected by the conservation crowd, such as the privately owned 55,000-acre Okatee Hunting Club. According to Lane Morrison, “These landowners with large tracts of land can dictate what rural Jasper County will look like in the future.” But, dense development for these large tracts and Jasper County is not out of the question either. So “doers” will continue to gather support and raise awareness for the SRP.
One such man is Wise Batten, who owns a commercial real estate company in Estill, SC, and is passionate about the SRP area. The Savannah River Preserve name was adopted about two years ago and the first activity in 2006 saw two privately held tracts of 10,000 acres each become protected. The first was Milbury Plantation in Allendale County, and the second was Telfair Plantation in Jasper County. Mr. Batten explained, “Telfair Plantation adjoins the 25,000-acre WMA system, and led to protection of other contiguous properties.”
Another local leader, John Carswell, protected his Cypress Creek Plantation consisting of 4,000 acres which adjoins Telfair Plantation. Wise Batten protected an additional 2,860 acres that adjoin Cypress Creek Plantation and hopes for more such activity in 2009 and beyond. In many of these cases it was Mr. Batten who spoke to neighboring landowners about perpetual protection of lands before introducing them to Non-Governmental Organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Lowcountry Open Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy to write conservation easements.
Some of the conservation easements in the SRP were put in front of the South Carolina Conservation Bank, which played an important role by paying $200 an acre for them. Acreage protected for this relatively low cost helps stretch the Conservation Bank’s dollars to protect as much land as they can given each year’s budget. The need for future acquisition dollars is dramatic, and full funding for the South Carolina Conservation Bank should be a priority for the citizens of the Palmetto State.
In 2008 Crab Orchard Plantation protected 2,900 acres that adjoin Hamilton Ridge WMA, and Mr. Batten reports that the next adjacent property is now in the process of exploring the placement of a conservation easement. Conservation-minded private landowners are using the feeling of community that permeates the Savannah River Preserve to address the need for long-range land planning. Perfecting a process of communication, education and conservation could well be the blueprint for South Carolinians to follow through in a statewide effort to save other natural neighborhoods.
Jeff Dennis is a Charleston native and a Lowcountry outdoorsman. He may be reached at JBDinSC@yahoo.com.