The Forest Legacy Program on Tuesday announced approval of a $50 million grant to permanently protect more than 62,000 acres of forested land in the “Pee Dee Basin” properties in Marion, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties.
“We’re talking about 62,000 acres east of the Mississippi river in a single project — that’s an unbelievable scale,” State Forester Scott Phillips told the Charleston City Paper. “You don’t hear about projects of that size east of the Mississippi. You hear about them up in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado. But in the Southeast, you just don’t.”
The conservation project is planned to ensure climate resilience, recreation and sustainable forest management for the land along the Santee, Black and Pee Dee rivers, coined the nation’s “wood basket” for its productive timberlands.
“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,”Phillips said in a press release. “The funding announced for this initiative is a win on every level — for our state’s economy, workforce, residents and wildlife.”
The 62,000 acres of land — which is about 10% larger than Johns Island — will continue to be managed for timberland production on behalf of four landowners with long-term forestry and conservation goals. Forest land is lost daily in the area to sand mining and development, creating critical conservation gaps this project hopes to close.
Of the $235 million granted to projects around the nation by The Forest Legacy Program, the Pee Dee Basin project is the largest. It was the only project given the maximum grant value of $50 million, Phillips said.
Valuable ecology
Beyond the scale of the project, the lands that comprise the basin create a diverse ecological landscape with tremendous value, Phillips said. Conservation will safeguard habitats 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. The 30,000 bottomland acres are home to hardwoods like cypress and tupelo which draw water from the floodplain. And the tracts of the three rivers provide a high level of resilience to coastal flooding and severe weather events.
“Each one of those landscapes is very unique in terms of ecological values and economic values,” the forester said. “Some are forested wetlands, and we need to protect them for natural resilience. Some are the most productive timberlands in the Southeast — we’re talking really productive pine. There’s a lot of river frontage, and that’s something that’s always attractive for tourism. There’s also a lot of species at risk and species of concern in these properties that are being safeguarded.”
Another major point of pride for the project, Phillips added, is that it represents the continuation of several past conservation projects and a bridge to more in the future.
“When you start looking at the values of the landscape, not just the size of it, but those four pieces that are out there — the Pee Dee River, the east and west banks of the Black River and the Santee River — all of those tie into other conservation work that’s already been done along those areas,” he said. “It’s creating a network of conserved acres and tying them together with other initiatives.”
A ‘strategic move’
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 hardwood and softwood mills, supporting the jobs of more than 900 workers.
The project will also give new public access to more than 7,500 acres of land, supporting the state’s growing ecotourism and recreation economy. In addition to passive recreation, hunting and fishing will be allowed on the Wee Tee addition and Wildlife Management Areas.
“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,” S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said in a press release. “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.”
Phillips said the project represents the closing of a major hole in South Carolina’s conservation efforts. Before talks began, there was no state agency that was focused on large conservation easements and holding them to leverage federal funds.
“It was a really strategic move for the forestry commission to move into holding conservation easements, given that our mission is to protect and promote forests,” he said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Funding came from the Open Space Institute, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, the S.C. Office of Resilience, the USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program and Atlantic Packaging, according to a news release. This transaction is due to be completed by end of 2025.
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