For generations, the low-lying, forested land known as Snow's Island was protected by the very thing that drew Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion and his men there almost two and a half centuries ago: its remoteness. But as South Carolina continues to add population faster than almost any other state, even its rural, isolated areas are experiencing new growth pressures, either directly or close by. And that's why we are pleased to see Florence County work with the state's robust conservation community to protect Snow's Island where the Lynches and Pee Dee rivers meet up; as reporter Seth Taylor noted, the recently announced deal amounts to the largest land conservation project in the county's history.
The county is working with the South Carolina Office of Resilience, the Darla Moore Foundation, the Knobloch Family Foundation and the Open Space Institute, which is buying the 7,600-acre assemblage of property. It expects to close in the coming months and then transfer the property to the S.C.
Department of Natural Resources next year. Snow's Island Assemblage is composed of two pieces of property that are at the confluences of Lynches Creek and the Pee Dee River. We urge all involved to stick to that timetable, and for the agency to open it to the public as soon as practicable.
With the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War approaching, opening and interpreting Gen. Marion's strategic home base would be an exciting and meaningful way to help celebrate the occasion. As the British forces seized Charles Towne, South Carolina's largest and most important city, they hoped to consolidate their position here and use our state as a stronghold from which to turn up the heat on Gen.
George Washington's forces to the north. But the guerilla-like tactics of Francis Marion — who struck quickly and strategically at British troops and supply lines before retreating back into the safety of the woods — ultimately helped turn the tide of the war. Gen.
Marion had several such campsites through the war, but Snow's Island — which he used in 1780 and 1781 — is the most famous. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1974 , and its newly protected state should allow archaeologists the time and permission they need to ensure we eventually glean all that we can from what was left behind on the land more than two centuries ago. Some archaeological digs have been completed, but we are sure there is more to learn.
We recognize there is more that is important about the conservation of Snow's Island than simply protecting and discovering our history. The property's extensive forests will be protected and should be able to continue their important role in helping to soak up the heaviest rainfalls in such a way as to lessen flooding downriver. That's no small consideration: Some of South Carolina's worst recent flooding has taken place along such inland rivers, not simply on the coast.
While coastal counties such as Charleston and Beaufort have led the way on conservation work, partly because of intense development and growth pressures, it's welcome news that other counties are seeing the value in undertaking this important work to protect their most valuable land — whether that value is derived from history, from natural beauty or from other environmental aspects, such as absorbing and holding stormwater. As Mr. Taylor noted, less than 2% of Florence County’s land is currently conserved; the Snow's Island deal will almost double that.
Florence County Council Chair William Schofield said the county "is on the move to correct a fault and to begin to conserve our natural resources, with the first being Snow's Island," according to our news report. This is a prime reason we have been an ardent supporter of the S.C.
Conservation Bank, the arm of state government that helps fund conservation deals while also encouraging local governments and nonprofits to do the same. Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier..
