Description
TNC's Role In Protecting
The Woodbury Tract was most recently owned by International Paper until the company decided to sell the tract as part of their divestment initiative. Recognizing the ecological value of the property, The Nature Conservancy worked with The Conservation Fund and the SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to make sure the land was protected. In the first collaboration of its kind, The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund purchased an equal percentage in the property on behalf of DNR. Over the course of the next year, the project was awarded funds from the most prestigious grant programs across the country due to its incredible natural resources. Today, the Woodbury tract is an anchor of protected forests and wetlands that connect to Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, private lands under conservation easement, and The Nature Conservancy’s own Sandy Island Preserve a few miles downstream. "This has been a great partnership, committed to conserving South Carolina's natural heritage," said Mark Robertson, The Nature Conservancy’s South Carolina executive director, “Our partnership has accomplished something truly inspiring that will benefit generations of South Carolinians who love the state’s natural habitats and appreciate the recreational opportunities, the clean water, clean air, and abundant wildlife they provide.”
