Edisto Island Open Land Trust Inc

TO PRESERVE THE RURAL QUALITY OF LIFE ON EDISTO BY PROTECTING LANDS, WATERWAYS, SCENIC VISTAS, AND HERITAGE THROUGH CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION.

EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC AS TO THE BENEFIT OF LAND CONSERVATION & CONSERVATION OF LAND THROUGH RESTRICTIVE EASEMENTS OR ACQUISITION. IN 2021 AN EASEMENT OF 406.6 ACRES (3.2 ACRES MARSH) FOR BAILEY ISLAND PRESERVE WAS TRANSFERRED TO EIOLT AND AN EASEMENT OF 145.5 ACRES (0.3 ACRES MARSH) FOR THE EDISTO ISLAND COMMUNITY RECREATION AREA WAS DONATED TO EIOLT. BAILEY ISLAND PRESERVE HOLDS A WADING BIRD ROOKERY AND A 17 ACRE MANAGED SALTWATER IMPOUNDMENT WHICH TOGETHER HOST A WIDE DIVERSITY OF WATERFOWL AND WADING BIRDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BAILEY ISLAND'S HISTORICALLY ISOLATED LOCATION HAS PRESERVED MUCH OF THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY AND BIODIVERSITY OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING A RICHLY DIVERSE BOTANICAL COMMUNITY. THE PROPERTY'S SIZE AND LOCATION NEXT TO AND NEARBY OTHER CONSERVED PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS BOTH STATE AND FEDERALLY MANAGED WILDLIFE PRESERVES, ADDS TO AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR OF CONTINUOUS WILDLIFE HABITAT. THE EDISTO ISLAND COMMUNITY RECREATION AREA CONTAINS 6,700 LINEAR FEET OF RIPARIAN CORRIDORS, 62 ACRES OF PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS, AND 51 ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN FORESTS. THIS IS A COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROJECT AND THE PROPERTY IS BEING PARTIALLY DEVELOPED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EDISTO ISLAND COMMUNITY. THE EASEMENT RETAINED THE RIGHT FOR THE LANDOWNER TO CONSTRUCT A GYMNASIUM, PLAYGROUND, MULTIPURPOSE FIELD, BALL FIELDS, AND A LIBRARY ON A PORTION OF THE PROTECTED PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC USE AND BENEFIT. SPECIFIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE: THE LEGACY LIVE OAK PROGRAM - THE GOAL OF THE FUND IS TO CARRY OUT ITS WORK IN PLANTING AND MAINTAINING THE LIVE OAK TREES PLANTED ALONG SCENIC BYWAY 174, MAINTAINING THE HONOR/MEMORIAL SIGN AT THE LEGACY LIVE OAK PARK, AND MANAGING LEGACY LIVE OAK MEMORIAL PARK. HUTCHINSON HOUSE REHABILITATION FUND - THE FUND ALLOWS FOR THE STABILIZATION, REHABILITATION AND FUTURE USE OF THE PROPERTY RELATED TO THE HUTCHINSON HOUSE. THE HUTCHINSON HOUSE, CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1885, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SURVIVING HOUSES BUILT BY AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA ON EDISTO ISLAND. THE RENOVATION PROJECT BEGAN IN 2017 AND IS ONGOING UNTIL RENOVATION OF THE PROPERTY IS COMPLETE. DURING 2021, TOTAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES REALTED TO THE HUTCHINSON HOUSE WERE APPROXIMATELY 357,000 AND 75,000 RESPECTIVELY. EDUCATION OUTREACH - AN ONGOING, CONSERVATION-ORIENTED LEARNING SERIES FOR ADULTS COVERING HABITATS, WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE OF EDISTO AND BEYOND. BACK TO NATURE IS AN ONGOING, CONSERVATION-ORIENTED LEARNING SERIES FOR ADULTS. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF OUR BACK TO NATURE SERIES, WE HAVE EDUCATED OVER 1,000 ADULTS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS RELATED TO THE HABITATS, WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE OF EDISTO AND BEYOND. THESE ADULT LEARNERS PLAY A HUGE PART IN OUR EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT EDISTO THROUGH THEIR MEMBERSHIP, VOLUNTEERISM AND DONATIONS TO THE LAND TRUST. YOUNG NATURALIST PROGRAM - THE YOUNG NATURALIST AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, TEACHING 4TH 7TH GRADE STUDENTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE CARETAKERS FOR OUR ISLAND. MONTHLY FIELD TRIPS CONNECT YOUNG NATURALISTS WITH THE LAND THROUGH HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES LIKE MOCK SEA TURTLE NEST INVENTORIES, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE. STUDENTS BECOME GROUNDED IN A SENSE OF PLACE AND WILL PRACTICE CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES.