On Monday, December 5th, the Edisto Island Open Land Trust (EIOLT) presented the Edisto Island Home Mission Team with a donation of $12,800, thanks to the sponsors and a record 500 people who attended the land trust’s annual oyster roast held October 30, which became a fund raiser for those affected by considerable damage from Hurricane Matthew.
Hundreds of tickets had already been sold for the annual oyster roast prior to the storm, so when the decision was made to continue to host the event in spite of the hurricane, the land trust decided that proceeds for storm relief efforts on Edisto Island should go to the many in need instead of the traditional land conservation measures these proceeds had gone toward for the prior 15 years.
EIOLT Executive Director, John Girault explained. “The land trust embraces the concept of a whole community, and with the storm damage impacting so many people on the island whom we knew did not have the financial resources to repair their homes, we selected the Edisto Island Home Mission Team as the right choice to receive the proceeds from our event.” The Home Mission Team formed fifteen years ago to help ensure a safe living space for fellow residents of Edisto Island. They provide roofs that do not leak, floors that are safe to walk on, windows that can open and close, and doors that will shut.
Dave Blauch, a volunteer with the Edisto Island Home Mission Team, noted, “I believe that serving the needs of others in our own community is the most important gift that we can make and the generous donation received from The Edisto Island Open Land Trust will help us share our resources and support to a bigger group of our fellow residents.” Since the hurricane October 8, the group has already repaired or replaced the roofs on three damaged homes on the island, bringing their total number of homes repaired to over 25 for the current year.
The summer ACE Basin News features our Ashe Point Farm and Middleton Plantation easements. Read the full article and learn what else is going on around the basin!
The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Edisto Island Open Land Trust is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation. A public comment period is now open.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs. EIOLT was one of the first land trusts in the state to complete and receive accreditation. The process was and continues to be an excellent tool to help ensure our organizational health and administrative organization.
The commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how Edisto Island Open Land Trust complies with national quality standards. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards, see http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/tips-and-tools/indicator-practices.
To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org, or email your comment to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, ATTN: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 36 Phila Street, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Comments on Edisto Island Open Land Trust’s application will be most useful by May 31, 2014.
Although it may hard to top our past Oyster Roasts, we are confident you will be thrilled with our new location this year – historic Sunnyside Plantation! Built around 1870, this beautiful post-bellum home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is situated on picturesque Store Creek. Local band Edisto Gumbo will once again provide the music and Jamie Westendorff will serve up his famous steamed oysters, along with a buffet of fried chicken and all the fixins’. Beer and wine are also included. You and your friends can enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon, eat delicious oysters, and hear the best band around. So find your oyster knife and mark your calendars for Sunday, November 3 at 2 PM. Advanced tickets on sale now; $30/EIOLT Members & $45/Non-members. Call 843-869-9004 or BUY ONLINE NOW!
On June 24th the Edisto Island Open Land Trust is sending 11 students to experience conservation efforts being made in Chicago!
The EIOLT Conservation Exchange Program is an ongoing effort dedicated to informing, educating and encouraging local high school students to enthusiastically pursue awareness and stewardship of the natural resources of Edisto Island and the ACE Basin. Through contrasting the conservation efforts and natural resources found in large cities and their urban surroundings with those found on Edisto and in the ACE basin, we believe our younger generation will come to recognize the depth, breadth and vulnerability of the conservation resources in our local environs. Our goal is to foster and nourish this recognition, which in turn will produce within the next generation the commitment and desire to preserve and protect the lands, heritage, scenic vistas and conservation resources of Edisto Island.
As a component of Edisto Island Open Land Trust’s (EIOLT) Education and Outreach mission we initiated a joint project in 2012 with The Center for Conservation Leadership (CCL). CCL is an educational initiative of Lake Forest Open Lands Association, which like EIOLT, is a nationally accredited land trust, based in Lake Forest, Illinois. CCL and EIOLT have placed specific emphasis on environmental education with a goal of cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders. Our goal is to develop and empower high school students from diverse backgrounds who have a keen interest in the environment and a passion for the outdoors. Our belief is that these students can become the conservation leaders of the future.
The Graves family placed a conservation easement with EIOLT on their one hundred and twenty four (124) acre farm located on Sand Creek and Russell Creek Drive. The Graves family agreed to restrict development to two tracts with four residences on this parcel, which is zoned AG-10.
The property contains 84 acres of uplands maritime forest, which provides habitat for a diverse array of migratory and resident birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The salt marsh acreage along Sand Creek and the wooded area both offer a much needed environment for the plant and animal species located there, and extend an existing wildlife habitat corridor.
The preservation of a beautiful 124-acre tract has been achieved thanks to the generosity of the Graves family and the hard work of EIOLT. Thank you to all EIOLT members whose support enables our efforts to preserve and protect lands on Edisto to continue.
This conservation easement was made possible through the support of the Charleston County Greenbelt Program.
We are pleased to introduce our new Executive Director, John Girault,. John joins us after spending the past four years as the Executive Director of the Mount Pleasant Land Conservancy where he was able to help preserve eleven properties totaling over 220 acres of a mix of urban and rural green spaces. John grew up in Charlotte NC where he discovered his love of the outdoors during his first camping trips in the NC mountains. He brings extensive experience in the land conservation arena with a degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington followed by several years working with the US Forest Service in Vermont and Tennessee. John also acquired in depth knowledge of non-profit management during his time with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as the Marketing and Development Director from 2001-2006. Additionally, his 5 years as the Activity Director with Kiawah Island Resort broadened his special event skills that he plans to utilize here at the EIOLT to help build upon the success of each of our upcoming events in 2013. John is thrilled to be a part of the culture of conservation on Edisto.
