SENSE OF PLACE IN CONSTANT CHANGE
KIAWAH ISLAND OCCUPIES A UNIQUE GEOGRAPHIC SPACE AS A SEA ISLAND SITUATED BETWEEN THE VASTNESS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE FLAT COASTAL TERRAIN THAT EXTENDS INLAND . AROUND TEN THOUSAND ACRES OF BEACHES , MARSHLAND , AND MARITIME FOREST , IT ’ S A LOCATION THAT ’ S FULLY EXPOSED TO THE INTENSITY OF BOTH WEATHER SYSTEMS AND HUMAN INTEREST ; IT ’ S THE DIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENTS , ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES , AND OVERWHELMING NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE PLACE THAT INITIALLY ATTRACTED NATIVE AMERICANS TO IT , LONG BEFORE THE FIRST FRENCH AND SPANISH COLONISTS EXPLORED THE LOWLAND AREAS OF THE COAST IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY . ALMOST HALF A MILLENNIA LATER , KIAWAH ISLAND HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE , BOTH NATURAL AND MANMADE , BUT CONTINUES TO EXIST AS A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE AND PLANT LIFE , ALONG WITH THE THOUSANDS OF HUMAN RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT RETREAT HERE .
22 • KIAWAH CONSERVANCY