We are blessed to live in a huge country with lots of room for everyone, which makes it all the more distasteful when developers come after fragile but essential natural ecosystems for the purpose of making more money and catering to wealthy people who have plenty of other destinations to enjoy. Bay Point Island, part of St. Helena Island in Beaufort is zoned as a natural preserve, and was a target of just this type of development. Thanks to the passionate pushback from concerned citizens and conservation watchdogs, these development plans been halted, for the moment.
“Gullah/Geechees have continued to use Bay Point as a fishing area over the decades. This area has seen between 5,000 and 8,000 shorebirds land there every winter. According to the Audubon, “no other area within miles approaches the holding power of this island and inlet to shorebirds in the winter.” 107 loggerhead sea turtle nests were recorded there during 2019. All of this speaks volumes to how important this 60 acre area is to the quality of life in this area.”
More information on yesterday’s ruling can be found on the Post & Courier website here: https://www.postandcourier.com/business/real_estate/board-denies-controversial-plan-to-put-luxury-ecotourism-resort-on-sc-barrier-island/article_50d8228c-fe74-11ea-9ddf-9f0c9e4d8ed3.html?fbclid=IwAR3pE0f1n5s08i9CB_W4TYcvcpp0miZJwTBJfAtdeHEFiDMcdcmachbfGcI
