The South Carolina Forestry Commission has announced that funding has been secured for the eventual acquisition of 2,700-plus acres right across the Beaufort border in Jasper County that the agency plans to add to the state forest system, which will be named Chelsea State Forest.
The USDA Forest Service’s Forest Legacy program approved a $23.4 million grant that will help the Commission, along with funding from additional local, state and federal government sources, acquire Chelsea Plantation from The Nature Conservancy, which purchased the property this May.
Securing this grant funding brings the agency one step closer to adding a state forest that will be sustainably managed and protected from development while also contributing to the state’s timber industry and providing new public access for hiking, bird watching, hunting, fishing, education and research.
“Conserving working forests is one of the overarching goals in our agency’s strategic plan, and with the encouragement of Governor Henry McMaster and the invaluable help of TNC and many other partners in conservation, we are making the greatest strides toward that end in decades,” said State Forester Scott Phillips.
“The prospect of adding Chelsea Plantation and other properties to our state forest system in the near future not only ensures these forested landscapes’ protection from development, but also their effective management for multiple uses, and hence their sustainability.”
The property was highly targeted by developers because of its prime location in the US Highway 278 corridor that connects Hilton Head to I-95, but TNC intends to place a conservation easement on the property to permanently limit development.
“We are committed to preserving South Carolina’s natural resources so that we can all enjoy the forests, wildlife and outdoor recreation that define our way of life,” said Gov. Henry McMaster.
“As our population continues to increase, protecting these landscapes from overdevelopment is more important than ever.”
What ultimately would be called Chelsea State Forest is just one of several acquisitions that the Commission is evaluating now and hoping to add to the state forest system in coming years.
One of those announced projects is the 1,600 Beech Hill tract in Dorchester County, purchased by the Open Space Institute in May.
