New state forest planned for 4,148 acres in Carvers Bay – Coastal Observer

'Always been home to us': This family is preserving nearly 3,500 acres of coastal Georgetown County

The 3,492 acres of Georgetown County land to be sold to SCDNR for perpetual conservation belongs to families with a 120-year history on the Waccamaw Neck. This isn't the first time they have preserved parts of their property.

New state forest planned for 4,148 acres in Carvers Bay – Coastal Observer

Georgetown County School Board members approved letters of support this week for the S.C. Forestry Commission’s purchase of a 4,148-acre tract located in the western part of the county and the acquisition of the 3,492-acre Arcadia East tract on the Waccamaw Neck. Board Member Eileen Johnson said she was thrilled. “We’ve got to preserve everything we can,” she said, adding that the only thing saving the south side of the county from development is the Francis Marion National Forest. “I’m all about stewardship of our land.” The district offered a letter of support for the state Department of Administration to purchase a 4,148-acre tract to become part of the new Carvers Bay State Forest. It’s located on Eaddy Road outside of Dunbar Landing. The tract is part of more than 8,000 acres that was bought last July by the Virginia-based Conservation Fund and the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation for $34.2 million. The remainder of the property is adjacent to the Black River. Once it’s acquired, the property will be enrolled into the state Department of Natural Resources wildlife management area program.  Under state law, the Forestry Commission pays 25 percent of the gross revenue generated from the state forests to the county to be used for school operations. “We can have public access,” Johnson said. The vote on the Arcadia East tract acknowledged the district will be giving up some tax revenue when it is turned over to DNR. Taxes to the county and school district were about $5,200 last year. Arcadia East was approved by Georgetown County in 2002 for 2,451 dwellings, a 500-room resort hotel and commercial and office space. DNR is proposing to buy the Arcadia property with help from the Office of Resilience and two nonprofits: the Open Space Institute and Ducks Unlimited. The nonprofits will hold the property until funding is approved. Georgetown County Council gave its support to the purchase last week. “We’re thrilled to have support from both the county and the school board,” said Emily Purcell, the director of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited. “We’re excited to hopefully work towards a great conservation outcome in Georgetown County.” A conservation easement was placed on 3,612 acres of Arcadia west of Highway 17 in 2007. It is held by Ducks Unlimited. Developing Arcadia East would have made its residents the county’s biggest taxpayers, bringing in $153.8 million a year according to a 2002 county study.  Those calculations don’t factor in school taxes, which accounted for about two-thirds of a property owner’s annual tax bill at the time. The study assumed tax rates stayed the same and did not factor in inflation. “We’ve got plenty of land. I’m not worried about taxes right now,” said Johnson, who previously spoke against a rural development during the council’s public comments period last week. Chairman Keith Moore and Superintendent Bethany Giles declined to comment.