Conservation Leadership Spotlight: Expansion of Black River State Park
The Open Space Institute (OSI) launched the Black River Initiative in 2021 to create a one-of-a-kind riverine park stretching 70 miles along the scenic Black River. To support this effort, OSI recently announced the momentous 1,150-acre expansion of the state park in Georgetown County through the acquisitions of the Brown’s Ferry tract and the Mingo and Cold Creek Assemblage. The growing momentum toward the opening of Black River State Park demonstrates how key partnerships between nonprofits and legislators can bring to life shared conservation goals.
CVSC applauds the collaborative effort to secure such precious and valuable land for the benefit of all South Carolinians. CVSC is especially grateful to Representative Lee Hewitt (R, District 108) for his vote to support South Carolina Conservation Bank funding. His continued support ensures that South Carolina remains devoted to protecting vital natural resources and achieving the shared goal of conserving 10 million acres across the state.
This expansion was made possible through collaboration among OSI, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism (SCPRT), and the University of South Carolina’s Winyah Bay and North Inlet National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Program, in addition to critical support from South Carolina legislators.
The 330-acre Brown’s Ferry tract–now transferred to SCPRT–includes two miles of frontage on the Black River, expanding water access for Georgetown County residents and visitors alike. The Mingo and Cold Creek acquisitions include 850 acres of a NERR-designated priority watershed focus area that will support important research efforts in the future. Together, these projects have saved ecologically diverse land and water habitat that will provide countless benefits to Georgetown County and beyond: safeguarded wildlife habitat, communities buffered against the impacts of flooding, new recreational opportunities, and economic growth through the burgeoning ecotourism industry—to name a few.
This remarkable land protection effort was generously funded by the South Carolina Conservation Bank, the Lowcountry Land Protection Capacity Fund, the Knobloch Family Foundation, Valerie Moliterno, the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s North American Wetland Conservation Act, and the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program.
CVSC thanks the legislators, partners, and generous funders who made this possible and who continue to set a national standard for conservation and natural resource protection. With strong leadership at the statehouse, devoted partners, and diverse funding sources, South Carolina remains prepared to act swiftly when opportunities to save land arise—before it is lost forever.
Learn more about OSI and the Black River Initiative here: https://www.openspaceinstitute.org/news/mingo-browns-ferry-black-river