Faith and Dr. Jane Goodall. Photo by Amos Adams.
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In September I had the opportunity of a lifetime—to meet global icon and world-renowned conservationist, ethologist, and anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall. A sold-out Gaillard Center crowd and I were privileged to hear Dr. Goodall reflect on her awe-inspiring relationship with chimpanzees, the work of the Jane Goodall Institute, and how she continues to hold on to hope in these challenging times for our environment.
As the moderator for the question-and-answer section of the “Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall” event, I was inspired by her insightful stories and encouragement that we can all come together to make an impact.
Dr. Goodall’s message was clear: our earth is a sanctuary, and we need to treat it that way, putting policies and procedures in place to take care of our home and prioritize the health of our communities.
It is still very much possible for us as a community to find solutions. Since 1989, this is what the Coastal Conservation League has worked toward day after day and year after year.
Dr. Goodall described humans as standing in the front of the wide mouth of a black tunnel, with a shining star at the end. That star, she said, is hope. And that hope is what drives us forward.
She also encourages us all to flip the common sentiment that we “think globally, act locally” and instead think locally, which will give us the courage to act globally. In essence: start small, start with your community, and those efforts will reverberate globally.
Thank you for working with us to think and act locally, providing hope and making a difference in our neighborhoods, our towns, and the entire coastal plain.
Read on to learn about some of our local work from late summer and early fall, and how we continue forward in hope. At the bottom of this email, you’ll find information on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, too.
Onward,
Faith
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A major win for red knots
In August, the Coastal Conservation League, Southern Environmental Law Center, and Defenders of Wildlife secured a milestone settlement agreement against industry and regulators over the use of holding ponds used in the biomedical bleeding of horseshoe crabs, ensuring necessary protections for the federally threatened rufa red knot.
The agreement ensures that, among other things, over 30 beaches critical for red knots are prohibited from horseshoe crab harvesting until at least 2028.
This is a welcome relief for the red knot, which has experienced a population decline of over 85% in recent decades. Many thousands of horseshoe crabs are harvested when they come to shore to spawn on sandy beaches. They are then sold to pharmaceutical company Charles River Labs, and drained of a substantial amount of their blood for use in the biomedical industry. Red knots need to eat thousands of horseshoe crab eggs to accumulate the fat stores they need for their arduous transcontinental migration. This legal victory gives red knots a better chance of achieving that lofty goal.
Learn more about this historic win and see a list of the now-protected beaches.
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Separating facts from fiction on Pine Island
In early August, the Conservation League, alongside three partner groups, filed an independent motion to intervene to defend Beaufort County’s denial of plans for three 6-hole golf courses on St. Helena Island in the appeal initiated by Pine Island Property Holdings, LLC. The motion was granted, allowing the partners to participate as full parties in the case, and not just in mediation. This is an important step in supporting St. Helena’s Gullah/Geechee culture and a decades-old zoning law that prohibits golf, gated communities, and resort developments.
Learn more about the motion to intervene.
This is a straightforward issue: incompatible development has been prohibited on St. Helena Island since 1999 by the Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning. A developer is trying to build a luxury, gated golf resort on Pine Island despite the CPO’s restrictions. In this issue, it’s critical to separate facts from fiction. Check out this information from Protect St. Helena that helps set the record straight.
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If you love Deveaux, don’t go
Deveaux Bank needs our help—by keeping our distance! Deveaux Bank is a designated Seabird Sanctuary owned and managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in the mouth of the North Edisto River. It’s a site of international importance as it is one of only six places that can support substantial seabird colonies.
Unfortunately, like a lot of our coast, Deveaux Bank felt the impacts from Hurricane Idalia, that hit South Carolina at the same time as a King Tide. SCDNR biologists estimate that roughly half of the island is now in the intertidal zone, with only a small portion of high grounds and suitable nesting habitat remaining.
Although Deveaux Bank allows public access year-round, we urge everyone to stay off Deveaux, and to encourage others to do the same. With everyone’s help, we can protect these declining coastal bird species so that they can rest and forage without disturbance.
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Additional news from the Conservation League:
- In October, the Union Pier Stakeholder Advisory Committee announced their recommendation to move forward with planning firm Sasaki to create the new, community-led plan for Union Pier. Thomas Woltz, our featured speaker at the John Winthrop Civic Forum this month, is the owner of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, a co-design partner to Sasaki. As part of the Union Pier planning team, Woltz will be involved in the planning and design process, bringing his skills and expertise in connecting narratives of the land to places for people.
- Read North Coast Project Manager Trapper Fowler’s commentary for the Post & Courier about the Maui wildfires and why we need to do all we can to protect ourselves from a similar fate here in South Carolina.
- Developers withdrew their application for a requested annexation and rezoning of the Andell Tract on Bohicket Creek to facilitate the development of a private yacht club, which would have had detrimental impacts on Bohicket Creek and gone against the Urban Growth Boundary.
- This South Carolina Public Radio story features St. Helena residents working to preserve their rural way of life.
- Take a look at our 2023 Fall Newsletter for updates on more of our projects.
- We recently announced that Benton Montgomery is our new Director of GrowFood Carolina. Learn more about Benton here.
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JOIN US
NOVEMBER 8 from 9:30 AM-12:00 PM
Volunteer: Manufactured Wire Reef Construction with SCDNR
Parris Island Boat Ramp (not on base) (21 Marina Blvd, Beaufort, SC)
Join us and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ oyster team as we construct Manufactured Wire Reefs which will be used in future SCDNR oyster reef restoration projects!
SIGN UP
NOVEMBER 8 from 4:30-6:00 PM
Meet the Staff Series: Communities and Transportation Program
Kudu Coffee and Craft Beer (4 Vanderhorst Street, Charleston, SC)
Drop in anytime between 4:30-6:00 PM to learn about what the Communities and Transportation program works on, ask them questions, or just to meet the team face-to-face.
RSVP
DECEMBER 1 from 9:30am-12pm
Volunteer: Manufactured Wire Reef Construction with SCDNR
SCDNR’s Marine Resources Division (217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC)
Join us and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ oyster team as we construct Manufactured Wire Reefs which will be used in future SCDNR oyster reef restoration projects!
SIGN UP
DECEMBER 12 from 4:30-6:00 PM
Meet the Staff Series: Government Relations
The Whale: A Craft Beer Collective (1640 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC)
Drop in anytime between 4:30-6:00 PM to learn about how our Government Relations team works on our issues at the State House in Columbia, ask questions, or just to meet the Conservation League advocates face-to-face.
RSVP
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