RSVP Kiawah
By Cindy Perry RSVP Kiawah Initiative Description
Ask any property owner on Kiawah why
they purchased on the Island , and they will likely tell you about the pristine beaches , gorgeous healthy marshes , native habitat , and abundant native wildlife . When the Kuwaitis purchased this undeveloped barrier island in 1974 , strict development plans were implemented to preserve Kiawah ’ s habitat and wildlife . They have been in place ever since .
As more people move to and visit Kiawah , the Kiawah community has made it clear they are concerned about this natural balance being disrupted as they sometimes witness “ un-Kiawah-like ” behaviors . Many offenders most likely want to protect the Island . Still , they may not understand the consequences of feeding the alligators , biking through the shorebirds , running through the dunes , or swimming with the dolphins . How can we address these behaviors ? The Conservancy has a plan , and it involves collaboratively working with the community and all the entities on Kiawah through our new initiative :
RSVP Kiawah — Respect , Support , Volunteer , and Protect Kiawah To begin , we created a checklist of Kiawah recommendations
and categorized them using RSVP Kiawah :
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Respect Wildlife
••
Support Ecological Health
••
Volunteer in Environmental Efforts
••
Protect Native Habitat
Each category has suggested behaviors , an inclusive list rather than an exclusive one that will grow with us as we recognize needs . Instead of trying to remember all the behaviors , just remember “ RSVP ,” Respect , Support , Volunteer , and Protect , and think about what types of actions promote each category . If they support our RSVP effort , then they are right .
We ’ re encouraging the Town of Kiawah Island , the Kiawah Island Community Association , the Kiawah Island Golf Resort ( KIGR ), Kiawah Partners , Kiawah Island Club & Real Estate , rental agencies and Island businesses to embrace this initiative . By collaborating with us , we can find creative ways to reach all property owners , visitors , contract workers , landscapers , and others . We hope to produce a high-quality promotional video about Kiawah that KIGR , rental agencies , and property owners will want to share with guests before they visit our unique island . This video will highlight the natural beauty of the Island ’ s habitat and wildlife while sharing ideas to help individuals understand how to preserve and protect it .
Most importantly , we hope to energize the Kiawah community to promote positive human behaviors to preserve our Island for our children , grandchildren , and greatgrandchildren .
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Photo by Adam Wolf