2017 Land Conservation Successes
Building on the success of protecting six properties in 2015 and four more in 2016 , the Kiawah Conservancy further increased its rate of land and conservation easement acquisition in 2017 by protecting ten properties totaling over 750 acres of natural wildlife habitat . In 2017 , the Kiawah Conservancy accepted six
land donations :
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120 Halona Lane . 120 Halona Lane is located in Indigo Park , adjacent to Governors Drive . The property , which was donated to the Conservancy by the Bertoli family , adds to the existing preservation of maritime forest and shrub thicket habitats within Indigo Park and its associated important bobcat area . In the spring of 2013 , this site was used as a den by Bobcat 700 ( a GPS collared bobcat ).
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118 Halona Lane . 118 Halona Lane is located in Indigo Park , adjacent to Governors Drive . The property was donated to the Conservancy by the Styer family . The property adds to the existing preservation of maritime forest and shrub thicket habitats within Indigo Park and its associated important bobcat area .
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114 Halona Lane . This property was donated to the Conservancy by the Burnick family in November 2017 . The property adds another area of natural habitat to the existing protected properties within Indigo Park .
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12 Grey Widgeon Lane . This 1-acre undeveloped home site was donated to the Conservancy by the Twilley family in November 2017 . The conservation of this parcel adds a substantial acreage of maritime forest to an existing natural area fringed by freshwater wetlands already under protection .
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140 Halona Lane . This property was donated to the Conservancy by the Richard family in November of 2017 . The property adds to the existing preservation of maritime forest and shrub thicket habitats within Indigo Park and its associated important bobcat area , while also backing up to an easement area and 9 Airy Hall , another Conservancy-protected property .
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136 Halona Lane . This property , located in the southeast corner of Indigo Park , was donated to the Conservancy by the Abt family in December 2017 . Like the other lots on Halona Lane , this property helps protect an important bobcat area and also helps conserve a broad swath of natural habitat that buffers the Indigo Park subdivision from Governors Drive .
Also , in 2017 the Conservancy accepted a
conservation easement on land owned by KICA :
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Bass Creek Nature Area . This conservation easement protects 7 acres of tidal salt marsh , salt shrub thicket and maritime forest habitats between Ocean Course Drive and Bass Creek Lane . The protected area is adjacent to the Otter Island Nature Area ( 5 acres ) and provides a contiguous area of high-quality natural habitat that is utilized by a variety of songbirds and wading birds . The shrub thickets found on the property provide critical resting habitat for bobcats .
The Conservancy protected three critical wildlife habitat areas associated with the KICA – Kiawah Partners Parcel Trade :
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Mingo North & South . These “ marsh fingers ” ( 13.25 acres ) form the eastern portion of a hummock island that spans the Kiawah Parkway across from Mingo Point . The conservation easement placed on this property protects critical wildlife habitat for a variety of songbirds and also serves as an significant bobcat area , providing essential daytime resting habitat for bobcats . The protection of this land prevents the development of up to 25 residential units and any potential commercial use that could occur on the property .
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Kiawah West End Marsh . The conservation easement granted by Kiawah Partners protects 720 acres of tidal marshlands and a collection of hummock islands between the Kiawah River Bridge and Rhett ’ s Bluff . This conservation easement adds substantial acreage to existing marshlands protected by the Lowcountry Land Trust , west and north of the Kiawah River Bridge . Hummock islands , such as those within this conservation easement area , provide critical habitat for many migratory songbird species .
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Bass Creek Hummock Island . This 10-acre hummock island , located on the north side of Bass Creek , approaching the Stono River , was also conveyed to the Kiawah Conservancy by Kiawah Partners . This large hummock island provides habitat for a variety of wildlife . During its inclusion in the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources ecological surveys of marsh hummocks ( or hammocks ), diamondback terrapin activity , nesting painted buntings , and otter camps were observed .
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