Summer 2005 - Lowcountry Open Land Trust

W o r k i n g w i t h L a n d ow n e r s to h e l p s av e t h e L ow c o u n t ry L a n d s c a p e
www.lolt.org THE NEWSLETTER OF THE LOWCOUNTRY OPEN LAND TRUST summer 2005
≥ Celebrating
20 Years and 40,000 acres protected ≤
Land Protection
Moorer Family Protects Two Miles of Scenic Edisto River
T
wo miles of scenic riverfront and nearly
800 acres of critical wildlife habitat
have been preserved forever along the
Edisto River by the Moorer Family. Aillene
and Dick Moorer owned the property
since the 1940’s and wanted to preserve
“South Carolina landowners may also
resources, and unique ecological character
qualify for a state tax credit, giving them
of the property are preserved in perpetuity.
additional incentives for conserving our
The conservation easement prohibits
state’s natural environment.”
subdivision, limits the number of residential
“We are pleased to be working with
structures, restricts the amount of imperthe Moorer Family to protect this fabulous
vious surface, and prohibits mining on the
piece of property along
extensive sand ridge. It also establishes
the Edisto,” said Lewis
both a scenic river buffer and a scenic
Hay, LOLT Director of
highway buffer, protects significant trees,
Land Protection. “It is
allows for sustainable agricultural activities
important to protect our
and limited forest management.
upstream ecosystems,
Dorcas Tuten, granddaughter of the
not just for their own
Moorers, remembers how special this place
protection, but also to
was to her grandmother, “She always wanted
maintain healthy estuato go there, even when she got sick. For
rine environments along
her it was a place where she found peace.
the coast. In recent years
She wanted all of us to be able to enjoy it
we have expanded our
forever. We have had many good times
efforts of working with
there, fishing from the bank, having fish
landowners upstream.
fries and picnics.”
The Moorer tract is
Agnes Morrison, Aillene Moorer’s
Two miles of scenic Edisto River front have been permanently preserved
exactly
the
type
of
daughter,
said, “At first we were concerned
by the Moorer family in Orangeburg County.
proper t y
this pristine place for future generations
that we need to be preof their family.
serving.” Along with the
Aillene Moorer saw development
Dodds Property, which is 94
coming and knew that escalating propacres protected in 2004 within
erty values and estate taxes would make
the town of Branchville, this
it difficult for her family to maintain the
marks LOLT’s initial steps to
property in one undisturbed block. She
expand our protection efforts
worked with an attorney to create a family
into Orangeburg County.
trust to hold the property and advised her
The Moorer property is
family to place a conservation easement
south of Branchville and is
on the property to protect it from future
bordered to the east by US
development. The easement was donated to
Hwy 21 and to the west by Restrictions on mining will protect rare plants found on this xeric
sand ridge.
the Lowcountry Open Land Trust (LOLT)
approximately two miles of
about doing an easement, because we felt we
this spring.
the Edisto River. It has remained relatively
“Tax incentives for donating conservaundisturbed over the last several decades,
were losing some control. But then we realtion easements can help preserve family
with no evidence of recent harvesting
ized it was allowing us to keep this special
lands by reducing the value of the property
operations.
place. We have had so many pleasures there
and thereby reducing the estate taxes,” said
The conservation easement ensures
— shad dipping suppers, picnics and family
Will Haynie, LOLT executive director.
that the naturally occurring habitats,
outings. There are many memories.”
Land Protection
Land Trust Celebrates 20 Years with Gala
On the evening of Tuesday, November
22nd, the Lowcountry Open Land Trust
will celebrate its 20th year by hosting a
membership gala at Charleston Place
Hotel.
We have good reason to celebrate!
Since its founding in 1985, the Land
Trust’s formula of private land protection
for the public good has resulted in 159
conservation easements protecting more
than 40,000 acres of scenic, agricultural
and biologically important lands in the
Lowcountry. Nearly 800 individual and
corporate members plus more than 20
local, regional and national foundations
support the Land Trust and its seven
member staff.
The evening will begin with a cocktail
reception at 6:30, during which time the
auction items will be displayed, followed by
dinner and dancing. The band “Second
Nature” will be providing music. The
program for the evening will highlight
past successes and the many people who
have made those successes possible.
Tickets for the gala will be available for
Mark Your 2005 Calendar
Staff
Mysterious Carolina Bays
Sunday, September 25, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Some of the most unusual wetland formations are the mysterious
Carolina Bays. Nobody knows what formed these elliptical
depressions in the ground, found mostly in the Carolinas. Spend
a pleasant fall Sunday afternoon walking through the woods of
the Francis Marion Forest exploring these Bays with an authority
on the flora of South Carolina, Richard Porcher. We’ll meet at
the SEWEE Center at 2:00 p.m. to begin our exploration. Wear
comfortable shoes that can get wet because you will want to
get close to some of the unique vegetation living in these bays.
Pack a water bottle, binoculars and camera. Space is limited to
30 people, so call today (843) 577-6510 to reserve your place.
Members $20.00/person Non-Members $35.00/person
Guided Walk through Beidler Forest
Sunday, October 23, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Come spend a fall afternoon with other LOLT members walking
through the Audubon Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest. We
will have a brief program in an outdoor classroom about the
joint effort of LOLT and Audubon to conserve property in Four
Holes Swamp surrounding Francis Beidler Forest. Afterwards
an Audubon naturalist will take us on a guided walk through the
Sanctuary to view its unique habitats and wildlife. This program
is free to LOLT members but space is limited. You must call
(843) 577-6510 to reserve your place.
Information on LOLT events is posted on our website,
www.lolt.org. Please visit to learn more.
Beidler Forest
2
all members of the Land Trust. Invitations
will be mailed in October. There are a
limited number of tickets, so be sure to
reserve them as soon as the invitations
arrive. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are also available for
individuals and businesses. Please call the
Land Trust office if you or your company
wants to be included as a sponsor.
More information about the gala will
be forthcoming in the months ahead,
but for now, just SAVE THE DATE
– November 22, 2005.
Personality Profile
A Closer Look at LOLT’s New President, John B. “Demi” Howard
Q:What first got you
That allowed us time
interested in LOLT?
to restore the porches,
Who approached you
exterior and interior. about being on the
The process has taken
board?
nearly thirty years, but
A:Ted Stoney initially
we are close to getting
contacted me and over
the house in the shape
the next few months
we could only dream
we had many discusabout when we first
sions on the topic. The
moved there.
Stoneys were in the
process of donating
Q: How does being an
their first easement
easement donor change
on Kensington and I
your perspective as a
began to appreciate
board member?
the great work LOLT
A: Being an easement
New LOLT Board President, Demi Howard and his wife, Ellie, are also easement donors
was doing toward
donor gives us ownership
of the Windsor House property on Edisto.
preserving our
in the Land Trust and
Lowcountry’s heritage
all its activities. All of
through easements
our board members are
and educational programs.
committed to the principles of the
Q:What are your favorite outdoor
Q:Your family’s ties to the Lowcountry
landscape go back a long way. What
kind of Lowcountry do you envision
for future generations?
A:Having spent most of my life in the
Lowcountry, I have fond memories
of many wonderful places in South
Carolina. My father took me duck
hunting in nearby rice fields or dove
hunting on various properties. Farley
Smith, a neighbor and the outdoor
writer for the News & Courier during
the ‘60s, would take me on field trips
to Four Holes Swamp and other
remote locations. Living, playing,
shrimping, fishing and hunting in the
Lowcountry during my youth forged
an appreciation for the natural beauty
of our region. Many others appreciate
the natural beauty that we are blessed
with and want to see it continue. As
our population grows and the pressure
to locate near the coast increases,
many of these wonderful sites are in
jeopardy. Conservation easements
are one way to forever preserve our
heritage for future generations. activities?
A:As a long-time birdwatcher, my wife
and I love to spend time along the
coast or in wooded areas looking
for new species to add to our life
lists. As an avid shooter, I like to
shoot sporting clays, skeet, and trap.
Spending time in salt water creeks
is a great way to recharge my batteries, whether it’s shrimping, visiting
neighbors or just exploring new spots.
Q:Please tell us something about your
decision to move to Windsor House
in the 1970s and about the condition of the house at that time. A:After spending a few years working
in the western mountains of Maine,
Ellie and I returned to the Charleston
area, but decided that a rural setting would suit our lifestyle better
than downtown Charleston. We
found that Edisto was a perfect site
for us. Unfortunately, the house we
bought was well short of perfect...
our first chore was to cover the holes
in the porch floor for safety’s sake! 3
Lowcountry Open Land Trust and
are willing to work hard to see that
the good works of this organization
continue for many years to come.
Q:Please tell us about your family…
A: Ellie and I have been married for 29
years and have been blessed with two
children, Sarah and John. Now that
both are out of the house, we have
more time to spend traveling and
seeing other places. Whenever we
return, however, we have a renewed
sense of place for our Lowcountry and
the many advantages that we have
over any other place we have seen so
far. Q:Please list your other community/
church memberships and offices
held
A:Past Senior Warden of Trinity
Episcopal Church (Currently head of
New Facilities Team); Board Member
of Episcopal Diocese Community
Housing Development Organization
Events
2005 Spring P
Back by popular
demand, the
oyster roast has
become a picnic
tradition.
Those in attendance
walked along the old
rice fields, saw bird
demonstrations put on
by International Birds
of Prey, tried their hand
at fly fishing, enjoyed
an oyster roast and a
traditional Lowcountry
lunch, and listened to
music by the Cavellaro
Orchestra. Children were
entertained with pony
rides, games and face
painting.
LOLT members and staff kayaked
from Waccawache Landing to Sandy
Island. The island is a unique land form
in South Carolina, supporting diverse
natural communities. It is located
between the Waccamaw and Great Pee
Dee Rivers and represents the largest
undeveloped tract remaining in the
Waccamaw Neck. The 1,100 acres of
wetlands along the Waccamaw River,
on the east side of Sandy Island, were
converted to rice plantations during the
1800s. A few remnant impoundments
and water control structures used for
rice culture are still intact. Coastal
Expeditions provided all the kayaks and
was our guide on the river. Participants
enjoyed a hike on Sandy Island and an
educational program about the diverse
array of species that inhabit the longleaf
pine ecosystem put on by The Nature
Conservancy staff of Winyah Bay.
4
Member Spotlight
g Picnic
Founding Member: Nancy Hawk
The Stoney family,
including from left,
Ted, Beverly and
Richard, hosted
LOLT members at
their Kensington
Plantation, along the
East Branch of the
Cooper River for our
annual Membership
Picnic.
LOLT in conjunction with the South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources Carolina
Coastal Discovery Marine Education
program held a marine science program for
those interested in learning about the ACE
Basin salt marsh estuary. The group of 30
learned about estuaries, the salt marsh and
the animals that inhabit theses communities.
They participated in hands-on activities and
toured the new Edisto Interpretive Center.
From the founding of Lowcountry
Open Land Trust (LOLT) until today,
Nancy Hawk has been an active supporting member. For those of us who
think we are too busy to get involved
in another organization, we should take
inspiration from this mother of nine. “I
think a lot of people don’t get involved
because they don’t think they can make
a difference,” she said. “But they can.”
The achievements of LOLT over
the 20 years since it began are a great
testimony to the power of the positive
thinking by its founding members. A
few people concerned about the proposed
development of an island in the Stono
River got together and formed LOLT.
They were successful in preserving the
island, and thanks to their commitment
and vision, LOLT has grown into a regional land trust that currently protects
over 40,000 acres.
Reflecting back on her involvement
with LOLT, Nancy said, “The main thing
it has meant to me is the assurance that
people can make difference, because
LOLT has made a difference.”
Nancy knows about making a difference, because her activism has had
a positive impact in many ways on her
adopted hometown of Charleston. Since
moving to South Carolina with her husband, Dr. John Hawk, in 1951, she not
only raised her nine children and earned
her law degree, but she also has been
involved in many conservation efforts.
“The first thing I got involved with
was the James Island connector,” she
recalled. “They were going to have it
come into Beaufain Street, which would
have destroyed the downtown residential
area. Charleston is one of the few, if not
the only, large southern cities whose
downtown residential area has not been
changed into commercial. We were told
it was a done deal. ‘Go home and have
a drink.’ Well, we couldn’t do that. We
hired a consultant to show what impact
it would have on the character of downtown and we were successful in getting
it moved.”
5
Nancy Hawk, founding member of LOLT, has
worked tirelessly to preserve Charleston and the
Lowcountry.
She was also instrumental in starting
Save Charleston Foundation. “Plans were
underway to take down the old buildings
between Broad and Market Street to build
high rise condos that looked like cubes,”
she said. “We had to buy it to keep it from
being lost to high rise construction. It is
amazing to me that people don’t see what
is going on.”
Nancy has also been active in the
Preservation Society, the Charleston
Museum, President of the Family Y, and
was founding president of Miss Mason’s
School, now known as Mason Prep.
She could look back on her lifetime
of considerable accomplishments and decide it is time to retire from philanthropic
pursuits. But that would not be like her,
not like the woman who goes out to her
place on James Island every day to swim
at high tide. She cannot retire from working to preserve the Lowcountry she came
to love.
In this, the beginning of our 20th
year, we would like to thank Nancy
Hawk, and all the founding members of
the Lowcountry Open Land Trust who
cared enough about the Lowcountry to
get involved.
Board News
Maybank Chairs
Greenbelt Board
L
ouise Maybank has been appointed
to the newly formed Charleston
County Greenbelt Advisory Board
by County Council Chairman Leon
Stravinakis to represent the southern
part of the county. She was elected to
serve as chairwoman by her fellow Board
members. The Board will advise County
Council on spending the estimated $221
million allocated for greenbelts under
the county’s new 25-year, half-cent sales
tax.
Few people have volunteered as
much of their time to conserving the
Lowcountry as Louise Maybank. She was
a founding member of the LOLT Board
and the second president of the board.
She is also responsible for donating the
first conservation easement to LOLT,
protecting her High Point property on
Wadmalaw Island.
Board Members Guide LOLT
I
t takes a lot of people-power to make
up the Lowcountry Open Land Trust
family. Guiding the LOLT family is our
15-member Board of Trustees.
At the Annual Meeting held in February,
we said goodbye to four dedicated board members: Helen Warren, VADM Doug Plate, Bill
Coleman and Harry Gregorie, M.D. Each
of these trustees gave countless hours volunteering their time to help LOLT improve
conservation in the Lowcountry.
In turn, we welcome five new trustees:
Jan MacDougal, Batson Hewitt, Gene Geer,
M.D., Paula Kuyk, and David Maybank
III.
Jan, well known around Charleston circles
as the “Bulb Lady,” is a Master Gardener who
is very active in the Charleston Horticultural
Society. Her special interest is in daffodils and
plants that are native to the Lowcountry.
Batson, a native of Charleston, is an
avid hunter and fisherman who loves the
outdoors and appreciates the beauty of the
Lowcountry. He is an easement donor to
LOLT. Professionally, he is the president of
Hewitt Properties and a managing partner
of Hewitt Realty Company.
Gene, an anesthesiologist with St.
Francis Pain Management Center, is very
involved in conservation issues concerning
the Lowcountry and purchased a property
under easement with LOLT.
Paula keeps busy with her young daughter
and is very active in the community serving
as a volunteer for several organizations.
David, president of Maybank Properties,
LLC, is also a native of Charleston who is an
avid boater and outdoorsman. He is involved
with the ACE Basin Task Force and is an
easement donor of Lavington Plantation.
Each of these new members bring their
own unique talents and skills to make the
board better equipped to handle the operational and technical issues of LOLT.
Because of the dedicated commitment
of the Board of Trustees over the years, we
will be celebrating 20 years of land conservation and the preservation of over 40,000
acres of land across the Lowcountry of South
Carolina.
Help the Lowcountry Open Land Trust preserve
our special places with a tax deductible contribution
Name (s)_____________________________________________________________________________________________ E-mail________________________________ Business Name___________________________ Phone______________
Address______________________________________________________________________________________________
City___________________________________________________ State_____ Zip_ _______________________________
n Enclosed is my check made payable to the Lowcountry Open Land Trust.
n Please charge my gift (check one):
n VISA
n MasterCard
n American Express
Card Number______________________________________________________ Exp. Date______________________
Signature_________________________________________________________
n I would like information on Planned Giving and Estate Planning
n My employer has a Matching Gifts Program
Your tax-deductible gift is greatly appreciated. If you prefer to make a donation of stock or
other asset, please contact Lyn Small, Development Director at 577-6510.
Mail to:
Lowcountry Open Land Trust
485 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29403
www.lolt.org
(843) 577-6510
(Detach here and return with your gift.)
6
2005 Foundation and Corporate Supporters
Thank you to the following foundations and businesses for
their contributions since January 1, 2005
F ou n dat ions
Bus in e ss e s
Alexander & Jacqueline G. Moore
Memorial to Stephen P. Earls
Ceres Foundation
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Elizabeth C. Rivers Lewine Charitable
Trust of CCF
Foundation For The Carolinas
Frank and Mary Lee McClain Foundation
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley
Foundation
Henry M. Blackmer Foundation
The Houghton Fund of CCF
Kent Family Fund of CCF
Longwood Plantation Foundation
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust
Merck Family Fund
Mills Bee Lane Memorial Foundation
MK Pentecost Fund of the Savannah
Presbytery
Nick and Jill Davidge Charitable Trust
Post and Courier Foundation
Trident United Way
The Turner Foundation
Vanguard Charitable Endowment
Program
The Wayland H. & Marion Rivers Cato
Fund of CCF
Yawkey Foundation
Alcoa
The Bank of South Carolina
Berkeley Electric Cooperative
Blitch Plumbing, Inc.
Cape Romain Contractors, Inc.
Carolina Catering
Carolyn S. Griffith, LLC Interior Design
CDS Painting
Charleston Appraisal Service
Croghan’s Jewel Box
Daniel Island Associates, LLC
The GEL Group, Inc.
Historic Charleston Properties
Holcombe, Fair & Lane Investment
Real Estate
Hoover Chrysler-Jeep
The I’On Company, L.L.C.
Isle of Palms Marina
John Winthrop & Company
Limehouse Produce
Linning House Inc.
The Muhler Company
O’Quinn School, Inc.
Palmetto Craftsmen, Inc.
Pratt-Thomas Gumb & Co. PA
Precision Press, Inc.
R. Walter Hundley Attorney at Law
Royall Hardware, Inc.
Salmons Dredging Corporation
SCANA Corporation
The Stoney Company, Inc.
Van Smith Concrete Co.
Wells Roofing Corporation
William M. Means Real Estate
Mission
The Lowcountry Open Land
Trust’s mission is to protect,
through private voluntary
conservation measures, the
irreplaceable Lowcountry
forests, farmland, open spaces,
wildlife habitat and wetlands,
thus helping to preserve
forever our community’s sense
of place and quality of life.
Board of Trustees
John B. Howard, President
Bradford S. Marshall,Vice-President
Scott Y. Barnes, Secretary
William L. Hiott Jr., Treasurer
Margaret P. Blackmer
Thomas P. Blagden, Jr.
Frank W. Brumley
Homer C. Burrous
Andrew E. Geer III
Batson L. Hewitt Jr.
Paula L. Kuyk
Jan MacDougal
David Maybank III
Barclay McFadden III
Michael G. McShane
Staff
Leave a Lasting Legacy to the Lowcountry
with a Planned Gift
If preserving the Lowcountry’s
irreplaceable natural and historic
landscape, our quality of life and our
sense of place, are close to your heart,
consider passing this legacy on to future
generations with a planned gift to the
Land Trust. Through estate planning
with your tax advisor, you can create
a tax-smart plan that gives the gift
that keeps on giving. Planned giving
options include:
Bequests
Gifts of Real Estate
Gifts of Appreciated Property
Gifts of Retirement Assets
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Charitable Lead Trusts
Charitable Gift Annuities
Gifts of Life Insurance
Please contact the Land Trust at (843)
577-6510 for more information on
planned giving.
7
Will Haynie
Executive Director
email: [email protected]
Lewis Hay
Director of Land Protection
email:[email protected]
Nancy DeWitt
Finance & Administrative Coordinator
email: [email protected]
Lyn D. Small
Director of Development
email: [email protected]
Trish Carothers
Development Associate
email: [email protected]
Anna Nygaard
Stewardship Coordinator
email: [email protected]
photo by John M. Moore
485 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 577-6510
[email protected]
www.lolt.org
This publication is printed on recycled paper made from 100% post-consumer waste
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Charleston, SC
Permit No. 557