Conservation Leadership Spotlight: OSI protects nearly 8,500 acres in the Pee Dee region
Nearly 8,500 acres in Darlington and Florence Counties have been saved thanks to the Open Space Institute (OSI) and their partners in conservation. The Duck Ponds properties, comprising 375 acres in Darlington County and 8,085 acres in Florence County, are intact wetland and bottomland hardwood forests that will ultimately become an expansive research forest and outdoor classroom for students, researchers, and local schools, complementing Francis Marion University’s (FMU) Freshwater Ecology Center in Darlington County.
Working in collaboration with FMU, the South Carolina Conservation Bank (SCCB), the Darla Moore Foundation, the South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR), Sustain SC, the Pee Dee Land Trust, and Florence County, OSI purchased the Duck Ponds properties in late December, with ownership to be transferred to FMU in the future.
CVSC extends our most sincere gratitude to these partners, Florence County Council, and Senator JD Chaplin (R, District 29) for his vote in support of the SCOR and SCCB funding that made this significant acquisition possible. His continued leadership at the statehouse will be vital as South Carolina strives to achieve bold land and water protection goals, like conserving 10 Million Acres, in the coming years.
These high-quality wetlands and heavily forested areas provide exceptional opportunities for habitat protection, water quality enhancement, and flood mitigation. They will sustain numerous migratory bird species, endangered sturgeon, and countless native plant species. The properties front the Great Pee Dee River and Back Swamp; by keeping them undisturbed and undeveloped, they’ll be able to continue naturally absorbing, storing, and filtering excess waters during storms, reducing the flooding risk to homes and property while also returning cleaner water to the surrounding communities and greater Pee Dee watershed.
South Carolina’s riverine habitats are irreplaceable, yet remain threatened by strong population growth, making their protection more important than ever. This strategic acquisition will have profound benefits for the people and wildlife along the Great Pee Dee River for generations to come. Please join CVSC in thanking OSI, their partners, the funders, and Senator Chaplin for their conservation leadership in the Pee Dee region.
Read more about this exciting OSI project here: