An 8,000-acre South Carolina forest was bought for conservation after drawing developer interest

A major land purchase in Georgetown County, South Carolina, is moving ahead as local officials support plans to turn 4,148 acres in Carvers Bay into a new state forest. According to a report by the Coastal Observer, the Georgetown County Board of Education voted to send formal letters of support to the South Carolina Forestry Commission for its planned purchase of the large tract on Eaddy Road, outside Dunbar Landing in the western part of the county. The 4,148-acre parcel is part of a larger 8,000-acre forest bought for $34.2 million by two nonprofit organisations, The Conservation Fund and the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation. The property had attracted strong interest from commercial developers before the conservation groups stepped in to protect it. Under the proposed state plan, the remaining part of the 8,000-acre property along the Black River will become part of the Wildlife Management Area program run by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.Revenue sharing and public accessThe school board's support also has a direct financial connection to state forest operations. Under South Carolina law, the Forestry Commission gives 25 percent of the gross reven...