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#05-245 November 14, 2005

Two South Carolina Developments Receive 2005 Stewardship Award

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources recently announced the winners of the 2005 Stewardship Development Award. This year's winners are the North Augusta Greeneway Trail, and Phase I of Palmetto Bluff, a development of Crescent Resources.

"The projects were chosen because they exhibited thoughtful stewardship of the environment through careful planning and construction," said Freddy Vang, deputy director of DNR's Land, Water and Conservation Division.

The Stewardship Award program provides technical assistance and outreach for interested landowners. For more information on the Stewardship Development Program, contact program manager Richard Scharf at (803) 734-9135 or check the DNR Web site at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/water/envaff/river/natrestewardship.htm.

North Augusta's Greeneway Trail, named after former mayor Thomas W. Greene, is a paved pedestrian/bike path that is currently over seven miles long. It connects several neighborhoods, and will eventually provide safe non-motorized transportation routes throughout the city, and also bridge the Savannah River to connect with walking trails and bikeways in Augusta, Georgia.

Much of the existing Greeneway trail is buffered with a 100-foot, mostly wooded right of way. The right of way includes some protected areas that are home to rare and unusual plant species. Urban wildlife uses the corridor to travel in relative safety. It is easy for travelers on the Greeneway to imagine themselves far from a population center on much of the route.

Water quality protection for North Augusta's Greeneway Trail is achieved through the careful planning and implementation of storm water control devices, pervious surface parking areas and natural buffers. Crystal Creek and its associated wetlands were bridged by using a retired railroad flatcar. Since most of the trail sits on a pre-existing railroad bed, construction was achieved with very little land disturbance.

Palmetto Bluff is a 20,000-acre residential development in Beaufort County on the May River. The developers carefully studied the landscape for over two years before commencing operations. The land's natural and cultural resources were documented in order to devise a development that suits the landscape, rather than using the typical "cookie cutter" method of altering the land to fit a preconceived development plan.

Wildlife will be protected at Palmetto Bluff through a management plan and thousands of acres of diverse habitat will be set-aside in perpetuity through conservation easements. Lots were handpicked to avoid sensitive habitats and maintain viewscapes. Natural resource educational opportunities are offered to residents and the general public alike.

Water quality in Palmetto Bluff development will be maintained through a number of measures, including extensive buffers, the exclusion of private docks, wetland preservation, storm water structures that provide and improve wildlife habitat, constructed wetlands, the minimization of impervious surfaces and the exclusion of septic systems.

A full-time archaeologist and archaeology field team identifies cultural sites at Palmetto Bluff for protection and scientific investigation. The land includes sites and artifacts from Paleo-Indian times up through the plantation era. The archaeology program also provides educational opportunities for adults, school children and university level researchers.

The Palmetto Bluff development includes a wide variety of living environments for residents, ranging from closely spaced lots in a neo-traditional small town setting to thirty-acre lots envisioned for use as family compounds. Only two to three acres may be cleared for housing and infrastructure purposes on the large lots.

A trail system and landings for paddlers Palmetto Bluff offer outdoor recreational opportunities and exercise for both residents and the general public. A greeter, rather than a guard, welcomes visitors and directs them to facilities and points of interest.

"The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources applauds the dedication that Crescent Resources has shown in the planning and development of Phase I of Palmetto Bluff," Vang said.

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