Edisto Island National Scenic Byway
"DOT and Charleston County have begun construction of the long-awaited bike and pedestrian paths on both sides of the
Edisto Island National Scenic Byway (Highway 174), beginning where the existing bike paths end at Palmetto Road and
extending all the way to Botany Bay Road. We look forward to the completion of this project which will make bicycling and
walking much safer and more convenient on much of Edisto Island. Motorists are reminded to obey posted speed limits and
to always keep a careful lookout for bicycles, pedestrians, and animals."
Plan to Visit Otter Island?
SC DNR has announced that NO dogs will be allowed on Otter Island
during bird and turtle nesting season. Please do not take your dog there
as they will be monitoring the island and issuing tickets to offenders.
Like to Kayak?
SC DNR has a web with the entire Southeast Coast paddling trail and a wealth
of information. Check it out!
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/saltpaddling.html
Oysters - Critical to Our Water Quality and Way of Life
Several members of your Board of Directors attended an oyster restoration workshop sponsored by SCDNR at the de Nemours Plantation near Yemassee on Dec. 6. The presentation made there is one everyone concerned about water quality and protecting the ACE Basin (and Edisto) should see.
Click Here to View the Presentation
First reef in Russell Creek will be built in April! Volunteers from EIPA will
be working with SC DNR using old crab traps on a soft muddy bank. If you'd like to
help drop us an e mail. preserveedisto@bellsouth.net
The process of selecting places for additional oyster building is underway and your representatives are participating. Meanwhile if you want to help SC DNR is collecting old crab traps. They disable these traps, crush them slightly, then use them as the basis for new oyster beds. You may leave them with Bess Kellett Watson at Botany Bay WMA. Been wondering what to do with an old one you picked out of the marsh when fishing? This is the BEST possible use so bring them in! And thanks.
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SCDNR seeking volunteers to help build oyster reefs May 21
Hello all-
I just wanted to send out a save a date for a reef construction effort that is part of the NERR science collaborative. Please join us on May 21, 2013 at Live Oak Landing for a “bag and build”. We will begin bagging shell at 9:00. The plan is to move directly into the reef construction process after the bagging. All should be completed by 12:30 or so.
Please let me know if you will be able to join that morning and approximately how many folks you will bring with you. Hopefully I will see all of y’all then. Looking forward to a great day in the marsh.
-jsh
Jared Hulteen
South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources
S.C.O.R.E. Program
217 Fort Johnson Road
PO Box 12559Charleston, SC 29422
Office: 843-953-9057
Cell: 843-509-1067
hulteenj@dnr.sc.gov
http://score.dnr.sc.gov/
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 Great American Cleanup April 13, 2013
Everyone wants to live, work, and play in a clean and green community . . . and it’s up to everyone to make it possible and improve the overall quality of life for us all.
Join EdistoPride – and Americans across the nation – for the Great American Cleanup. You can participate in the 2013 Great American Cleanup of Edisto Island by cleaning up litter and trash along our side roads, streams, beaches, parks, forests and neighborhoods. Additional events you can do and be counted are recycling for hard-to-dispose of items like tires and appliances, creating or enhancing green areas by planting plants, bulbs, and trees, and other activities that help beautify your community.
During the Great American Cleanup of Edisto Island, which is April 13, 2013, register at the Community Center at 9:00 AM sharp on the 13th to get free cleanup supplies & gloves donated by Keep America Beautiful, and t-shirt donated by a Palmetto Pride community grant. We invite and challenge community and civic associations, schools and youth groups, churches, families and friends, business employees, hunting and fishing clubs, conservation organizations, sports teams, and others to organize their members and participate in the GAC. Don't forget to stop by 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM to register your group and area or email edistopride@aol.com
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EIPA Annual Meeting - A Tremendous Success!
We wish to thank everyone who made the fifth anniversary/Annual Meeting EIPA a wonderful success. The Belser family who provided such a wonderful venue - Sunnyside Plantation; Dana Beach, Executive Director of the SC Coastal Conservation League, who shared a history of protecting Edisto as only he could; The Huffines Foundation for underwriting the event; the Board and Volunteers who provided refreshments... and of course the members who returned proxies from across the country to elect our Board and those who were able to attend in person - it was great hearing from and seeing you all.
Images from our annual meeting 12-1-2012
Plan to attend in 2013
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Transportation Reform for SC
Dana Beach and the Coastal Conservation League Undertake Transportation Reform for SC
Read the latest at The State Newspaper
Happening at the State House
http://thenerve.org/news/2013/01/24/SCTIB-bill/
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FOR THE LATEST
BOTANY BAY HUNT SCHEDULE
(As of July 16, 2012)
CLICK HERE
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Steamboat Landing is Now Reopened
With a beautiful aluminum dock for fishing and crabbing.
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As SCE&G moves down SC HWY 174 toward Edisto and the Edisto Island National Scenic Byway your board, along with the Board of the Edisto Beach Property Owners' Association, has requested they reconsider their approach.
Tree Trimming starts Dec. 12. There will be crews moving down
the Edisto Island National Scenic Byway (highway 174); Edisto Beach; and Peters Point Road initially. Eventually all lines on Edisto will be trimmed.
A general public meeting hosted by EIPA, the Edisto Island Community Association, and the Edisto Beach Property Owners was held Dec. 4th. SCE&G made their presentation and many community members asked questions.
The meetings have been constructive but they are quick to say that they can not
please everyone. They have agreed to allow us to monitor their work with
four goals: 1) safety; 2) power line clearance; 3) health of the trees by proper pruning; 4) preservation of the beauty as much as possible
To read your Board's letter click here.
To read the summary of our first meeting's discussion with
SCE&G's notes in red click here
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Working Together to Preserve Edisto - as published in The Edisto News Aug. 2012
Read it Now
Response to Edisto News Article "Thirsty Edisto"
Read it Now
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Driving in the Marsh off Steamboat Landing Road
Important Update - We May be Making Progress
On July 16th OCRM, Charleston County Staff, Councilwoman Anna Johnson and an EIPA
representative met to talk about a common way forward. This was the first time all interested parties had met
and it represented a positive and significant step forward. OCRM is researching plants that might survive the heavy doses of salt water that this area will receive. The county is committed to try planting indiginous shrubbery again to block vehicle access (see below) when the time is right, probably this fall. Everyone is committed to keeping the tree-barrier (heavy plastic fencing) in place until the plantings can get established. EIPA thanks both OCRM and the County for their efforts and asked that an additional 30 feet at the far end of the existing bulkhead be included as it is the latest area to come under pressure. A followup meeting in 6 months is planned to assess the continuing problem and any progress that can be made.
We particularly thank Councilwoman Johnson for her interest and helpful input.
Please note, the signs placed to alert the public that driving in the marsh is inappropriate were the subject of considerable discussion. Their height make them unsightly and we had hoped they could be lowered. Unfortunately all road signs are subject to uniform national standards which are meant to limit liability to the owners of the road. The fear is that lower signs give people something to walk into, cut themselves on, etc. etc. So, at least for now, the signs must stay as they are.
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Charleston County Takes Action
to prevent driving in the marsh along Steamboat Landing Road
Charleston County has planted native shrubs along the road in an effort to prevent people from driving off of the road into the marshlands. We deeply appreciate the County's efforts but the initial planting is dead. The signs meant to keep the public on the road have failed.
The sign says please stay out of marsh but so many people have now driven there there's not much marsh left.
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IMPORTANT NOTICES
Is Offshore Drilling Good For Edisto and SC?
Recently several political leaders have encouraged drilling off our coast. For an island whose economy is very dependant upon tourism this is a critical issue. We recommend the well researched position paper of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League for those looking to understand the pro's and con's...
Just click on the link below:
http://coastalconservationleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Offshore-Drilling-and-SC-2012-footnotes1.pdf
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Using taxes to assist development
An important precedent - to use TIF financing to enable rural developement - may soon be set in Charleston County--- read the following article from the Post & Courier --- If you are as concerned as many of us contact Charleston County (link below) and let them know your feelings.
Read your Board of Director's letter to Charleston County Council
Latest developments from the Post & Courier 9/5/12
http://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/Council/contacts.htm
and the latest
from the Post & Courier
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Nearby zoning fights tend to forshadow our own - click the link below
to view two articles and a letter to the editor in the Post & Courier about
Johns Island...
Our neighbors on Johns Island Fight to Remain Rural
We must stay alert and be ready for similar threats...
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SCE&G to close 6 coal fired generating plants including 3 near Walterboro
To learn more click here
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