KEEPING BETSY BEAUTIFUL
“ We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors ; we borrow it from our children .” — Chief Seattle
As part of our 2030 Strategic Plan , the Kiawah Conservancy committed to expanding our mission to preserve land in our environs−particularly within the watershed that supports Kiawah , Seabrook and Johns Islands . We identified land along Betsy Kerrison Parkway as our first effort and launched the Keep Betsy Beautiful initiative .
The goal of the Keep Besty Beautiful initiative is to establish a conservation corridor along Betsy Kerrison Parkway , preserving crucial wildlife habitat and protecting the watershed that supports southern Johns Island , Seabrook Island , and Kiawah Island . This conservation effort comes at a crucial juncture when development pressure has increased significantly , threatening the connectivity of wildlife corridors between our sea islands and impacting the natural , cultural and scenic character so valued by our community .
We launched our new capital campaign in 2023 to raise awareness and funds to purchase properties we identified as crucial in establishing a conservation corridor on Johns Island . Through public information sessions , small dinners , and a targeted mailing campaign , as well as a very successful “ Raise the Paddle ” at the 2023 Gala , we raised over $ 750,000 to help us Keep Betsy Beautiful .
To date , we have four properties purchased or under contract , totaling 93 acres of which 31.6 acres are high ground . The total cost of the four properties was just over $ 3.9 million . Grants secured from the Charleston County Greenbelt Fund and the South Carolina Conservation Bank accounted for $ 2.95 million of the cost of this project . Our Keep Betsy Beautiful capital campaign raised $ 960,300 from donors directed exclusively for this initiative .
We continue to look for additional properties to preserve on Betsy Kerrison Parkway that meet our conservation priorities and will enhance and expand our conservation corridor . While future land purchases will be structured so that grant funding is secured early to limit the need to raise funds from donors , we will continue to promote the Keep Betsy Beautiful initiative and aquire campaign funding to ensure our ability to act quickly when land becomes available . We truly believe this initiative is one of the most important that the Conservancy has ever undertaken , and we thank our generous donors for their support and enthusiasm . There is much more to come in 2024 and we can ’ t wait to share it with you .
Thank You !
Peggy Barnes 2023 Vice-Chair , Kiawah Conservancy Board of Trustees 2023 Chair , Advancement and Funding Committee
Photo by Adam Wolf
11