Reflections on 2023
As the year 2023 comes to a close and my time as Chair of the Kiawah Conservancy comes to an end , two things are very clear to me . The first is 2023 was a very good year for the Conservancy in many ways . The second is that every major accomplishment that was concluded in 2023 had beginnings prior to 2023 . Below is a summary of the items accomplished in 2023 and their beginnings .
• Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Renewal : On February 28 , 2023 , the Kiawah Conservancy received notice of accreditation renewal through the National Land Trust Accreditation Commission . Accreditation is a mark of distinction , showing that a land trust meets high standards for land conservation . The Conservancy was first accredited in February 2017 and began work toward accreditation renewal in 2021 . Accreditation must be renewed every five years ; obtaining this level of achievement signifies the Conservancy ’ s commitment to maintaining the high standards with the national land trust industry regarding conservation and stewardship ( including education ) of land .
• Protecting Kiawah and the Kiawah River Watershed : Beginning with updating our Strategic Plan in 2020 , we made the decision that in addition to conserving and protecting land on Kiawah , it was inherent that we also protect the Kiawah River Watershed . This meant working not only with Kiawah but also with our Seabrook and Johns Island neighbors . In 2023 , we received our first donations of land on Johns Island along with several purchases of vital acreage within the Kiawah River Watershed .
• Charleston County Greenbelt Funds and South Carolina Conservation Bank Funds : For the first time , the Conservancy was approved by both of these entities to receive funds in order to purchase , conserve , and steward lands around Kiawah ( i . e ., Kiawah River Watershed ). This has been a goal of the Kiawah Conservancy staff since early 2022 .
• Land Conservation Easements , Purchases and Donations : The Conservancy acquired over 1,570 acres of natural habitat within the Kiawah River Watershed with the purchase of two properties ( with funds from Charleston County Greenbelt and South Carolina Conservation Bank ), the receipt of three land donations , and the placement of four conservation easements . Our staff has worked to develop relationships with the land donors of these properites for more than two years and their efforts paid off in a big way !
• Conservation of Marsh and Hummock Islands Near Briars Creek : In 2021 , the Conservancy began working with the Limehouse family to preserve several tracts of marshland and hummock islands . In 2023 , the Conservancy and the heirs of Julian Sidi Limehouse Jr . placed 253 acres of marsh and hummock island near Briars Creek under conservation easement .
• Conservation Easements with Kiawah Partners : In the Summer of 2020 , the Kiawah Conservancy and the Kiawah Partners began discussions to place 1,230 acres of marshland and hummock islands on Kiawah under conservation easement . With the help of the Kiawah Island Community Association and the Kiawah Partners , this transfer was finalized in November 2023 .
• Sweetgrass Farm : This may be the proverbial “ last but not least ” category , especially in terms of excitement and community involvement . Several years ago , the Kiawah Conservancy staff began developing a relationship with the sweetgrass basket weavers and the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce . Our staff learned that , due to factors such as urban growth , native sweetgrass was in short supply for basket weavers . Since then , the Conservancy has started a program to harvest sweetgrass seeds , grow seedlings , and in 2023 place those seedlings in the ground to provide a sweetgrass farm for growing the plants . Both the basket weavers and the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce , along with the Conservancy , are very excited about this venture and can hardly wait for the time to start harvesting and distributing the sweetgrass to local weavers .
As you can tell , a lot happened in 2023 , but it could not have been accomplished without hard work and effort put forth in prior years . While things may be hectic all around , it is good to know the Kiawah Conservancy is working to preserve and protect Kiawah and the surrounding environs .
I have very much enjoyed working with the Kiawah Conservancy , its entire staff , and I cannot wait to see what happens in the future .
Thank You !
Roland Hoffman 2023 Chair , Kiawah Conservancy Board of Trustees
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