H.G. Wells warned us: “Adapt or perish.” That truth hangs over South Carolina’s coast today as change is coming fast. Population growth is surging. Energy and water demands are climbing. Development pressures are reshaping communities and ecosystems. Coupled with accelerating climate change, conditions on the (very wet) ground — from Little River to Daufuskie — are changing fast. More communities now stand on the edge of losing the forests, marshes and farmland that make this coast home. Adapt or perish.
And yet, amid the pressure, powerful wins are happening. This year, the Coastal Conservation League and our partners helped protect the stunning pine-savannah habitat of Lewis Ocean Bay — saving critical ground for the Venus flytrap and red-cockaded woodpeckers. This follows expansion of protections for Deveaux Bank’s nesting birds and red knots that depend on Cape Romain feeding grounds. We’ve celebrated triumphs with Union Pier and I-526 and, most recently, Tickton Hall in Jasper County. We supported Bluffton’s groundbreaking wetlands protections and sustained our defense of St. Helena’s cultural protection overlay.
Our GrowFood Carolina food hub is expanding too — supporting local farmers, reaching more schools, delivering more locally grown food to our community. Making sure our farmlands are plowed, not paved.
We recognize that today’s wins are the fruits of yesterday’s labor. In their book,
