Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve

Last updated
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve
Location Horry County, South Carolina, USA
Nearest city Carolina Forest, South Carolina
Coordinates 33°47′42″N78°50′53″W / 33.795°N 78.848°W / 33.795; -78.848
Area10,444 acres [1]
Established1988 [2]
Governing body South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Website https://www2.dnr.sc.gov/ManagedLands/ManagedLand/ManagedLand/104

Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve is a 10,427-acre [3] natural preserve near Carolina Forest, South Carolina.

Contents

Geology

Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve is named for one of many Carolina Bays. [2] Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier. [4] Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages.

Human History

In the 1800s some of the area had been plantations, and there was a village called Vaught. [5] :2 At one time, major industries in the area were turpentine and logging. Pine stumps still show evidence they were used in making turpentine. [6]

George Buist sold the land to Southern Kraft Company, which in turn became part of International Paper. [6]

66,000 acres were mostly wooded with a few farms. [5] :2 During World War II, a portion of the area was a gunnery range for the United States Army Air Corps, and bombing and machine gun targets and the remnants of an army post can be found. [7] Even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, people were told land was needed for a bombing range. By February 1942, over 200 people had agreed to give up their land and move, and by March 28, only seven families were left. [5] :3–4 The Conway Bombing and Gunnery Range was used from 1942 to 1947 and totalled 55,854 acres, [8] with 36,608 acres leased and 19,246 acres government-owned. [5] :3–4

On April 10, 1976, the Clear Pond Fire, the largest fire in South Carolina history, started from a campfire on International Paper land. After 25 days of no rain, with Carolina Bays vegetation that burns easily in an area where it is difficult to fight fires, 28,000 acres burned over two days, and 30,000 acres in five days. [5] :11 [9]

Also in 1976, the South Carolina legislature created the Heritage Trust program, the first of its kind in the United States. The program allowed the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies to preserve areas with valuable and endangered plants, animals and other resources in heritage preserves. [10] [11]

In 1989, the first 6,422-acre section [3] of Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, with 20 Carolina Bays, was purchased from International Paper. [2] A 985-acre tract called International Paper II was added in 1992, followed by the 1,936-acre International Paper III tract in 1993. [3]

In 2007, 305 more acres called the Tiger Bay Tract [3] were added after the South Carolina Department of Transportation asked property owners to donate the land, which could have been developed otherwise, in exchange for an interchange on Carolina Bays Parkway. [12]

754 acres called the Vaught Tract, with 23 more Carolina Bays, were purchased in 2013. SCDNR had hoped to buy the tract from the Vaught family since the preserve was created. The tract provides additional preserved green space to serve as a credit to allow widening of Glenns Bay Road. When wetlands are lost to development, developers must buy credits. Another addition in 2005 compensated for an interchange on Carolina Bays Parkway. [1]

The most recent addition to the preserve is the 25-acre Hinson Tract added in 2014. [3]

International Drive

International Drive
Lt. Gen. James B. Vaught Memorial Highway
Route information
Maintained by Horry County
Length6.2 mi (10.0 km)
Existed1993 (also as Burroughs Road)
2018 (paved)–present
Major junctions
West endSouth Carolina 90.svg SC 90 near Conway
East endSouth Carolina 31.svg SC 31/Grissom Parkway in Carolina Forest
Location
Country United States
State South Carolina
Counties Horry
Highway system

International Paper, developer of Carolina Forest, had wanted a ramp on Carolina Bays Parkway since the company began Carolina Forest in 1993. Burroughs Road, a dirt road also called International Drive, could provide access to South Carolina Highway 90 if paved. However, opponents of such a plan worried that the parkway would no longer serve as a bypass if there was too much development, and environmentalists feared the road's impact on the preserve. [13] The upgrade to the Robert Grissom Parkway interchange was approved in November 2002, a month before the parkway's opening. [14] [15] The paving of the first section of International Drive, connecting Carolina Forest to Grissom Parkway, was completed in 2004. [16]

In April 2009, the area's worst fire in 30 years burned 2000 acres of the preserve [17] and over 19,000 acres total, [18] though controlled burns saved another 1000 acres. Black bear habitat was lost and it was believed the bears would move to other areas. [17] Total estimated property damage was $25 million, with agricultural damage of $17 million. More than 70 homes were destroyed [18] and 100 others damaged. [19]

The fire made paving International Drive more urgent, since emergency vehicles could have reached the area more easily if the project had been completed. [20] Legislation signed May 6, 2009 was expected to speed up paving of International Drive, which was on a list of projects funded by a one-cent sales tax. The project had been controversial because of the desire to keep the preserve's character and protect its wildlife. [21]

In 2010, Horry County asked the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for an easement for the International Drive widening. As part of the deal, tunnels and fences would be built to protect bears and give them a means to cross the road. In 2013 the county paid the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources $122,210 for the easement, but both requirements were dropped because the county claimed bears left the area after the fire, and the project was expanded to a four-lane road. [22] [23] [24]

As of September 2014, the International Drive project was expected to cost $15.5 million for 5.6 miles between S.C. 90 and River Oaks Drive, with a start date of 2016. [22] [25] But in July 2015, the Coastal Conservation League and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation filed a request asking the state to go back to its original plans. The $16.5 million project had already been delayed for two years by environmentalists protesting other RIDE II projects. These were supposed to be completed in order, so delaying other projects also delayed International Drive. [22] Environmentalists sought to protect the bears, even though documents showed there were only a few, but this would add $3 million to the cost of the road. The dispute led to hearings before an administrative law court judge in February 2016. [26] On July 7, 2016, Judge Ralph King Anderson III ruled in favor of building the road, though if environmentalists chose to appeal, the road would not be built for two more years. [27]

Late in August 2016, clearing work began, but on August 23, environmentalists asked an administrative law judge to stop work. [28] On November 8, Amy Armstrong, representing environmentalists, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge R. Bryan Harwell that the county agreed five areas would not be disturbed more than they had been. [29] On January 20, 2017, the South Carolina Court of Appeals cleared the way for construction to begin. [30] While development has taken place on the east end, the western section will remain protected. [31] International Drive officially opened July 25, 2018. [32]

Animal and plant life

The National Audubon Society considers Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve "a place of birding significance." It includes black bears, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and orchids. It is one of the few places to find Venus flytrap growing naturally. [1] Coastal Carolina University biology professor James Luken predicted in 2008 that in South Carolina, where the species once was found in four counties, the Venus flytrap could be found only in the preserve within 10 years. [33] In 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that with changes in the habitat that included nearby development, the Venus Flytrap needed an Endangered Species Act listing. [34] In the bays themselves, which dry up in the summer, are blueberry, huckleberry, fetterbush and zenobia, along with sweetbay, catbriar, gallberry, titi. [3] pinweed, cowbane, bearded grass pink, buckeye, and balduina. [6] Surrounding the bays are shrub bogs called pocosins with pond pine and loblolly pine. [3] Other plants include mulberry bushes, wax myrtle bushes, and the pitcher plant. [7] Other animal life includes bald eagles, [17] raccoons, foxes, squirrels, and quail. [20] Longleaf pine savannas can be found between the bays, though slash pine has been planted. Dwarf live oak and turkey oak are also found. Pottery provides evidence of Native American campsites. Biologist Steve Bennett said the people who camped here hunted deer, which are still hunted today. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horry County, South Carolina</span> County in South Carolina, United States

Horry County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 351,029. It is the fourth-most populous county in South Carolina. The county seat is Conway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Beach, South Carolina</span> City in South Carolina, United States

Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous 60-mile (97 km) stretch of beach known as the "Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. Its year-round population was 35,682 as of the 2020 census, making it the 13th-most populous city in South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina</span> City in South Carolina, United States

North Myrtle Beach is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was created in 1968 from four existing municipalities, and is located about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Myrtle Beach. It serves as one of the primary tourist destinations along the Grand Strand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waccamaw River</span> River in the United States of America

The Waccamaw River is a river, approximately 140 miles (225 km) long, in southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina in the United States. It drains an area of approximately 1,110 square miles (2886 km2) in the coastal plain along the eastern border between the two states into the Atlantic Ocean. Along its upper course, it is a slow-moving, blackwater river surrounded by vast wetlands, passable only by shallow-draft watercraft such as canoe. Along its lower course, it is lined by sandy banks and old plantation houses, providing an important navigation channel with a unique geography, flowing roughly parallel to the coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Strand</span> Coastal area in South Carolina, US

The Grand Strand is an arc of beach land on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina, United States, extending more than 60 miles (97 km) from Little River to Winyah Bay. It is located in Horry and Georgetown Counties on the northeastern South Carolina coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Forest, South Carolina</span> Census-designated place in South Carolina, United States

Carolina Forest is a census-designated place (CDP) in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 23,342.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Highway 31</span> State highway in South Carolina

South Carolina Highway 31 (SC 31), also known as the Carolina Bays Parkway, is a 28.097-mile (45.218 km) six-lane, limited-access highway that parallels the Intracoastal Waterway around Myrtle Beach. The first phase opened on December 17, 2002, completing a 22-mile (35 km) link between U.S. Route 501 (US 501) and SC 9. The second phase opened in March 2005, running from US 501 southwest to S.C. Highway 544. The third phase opened on November 7, 2019, extending to SC 707. While usually referred to only as the Carolina Bays Parkway, the highway is also dedicated the John B. Singleton Parkway in memory of John B. Singleton, a former Myrtle Beach City Council member and police commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrow Parkway</span> Parkway in South Carolina, U.S.

Farrow Parkway is a four-lane, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) parkway that connects US 17 and US 17 Business in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The $6.9 million roadway replaced a former two-lane roadway through the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base with funding from the city of Myrtle Beach funds and Horry County RIDE funds. Farrow Parkway is named after William G. Farrow who was a member of the Doolittle’s Raiders in World War II.

Robert Edge Parkway is a connection highway in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It begins at U.S. Route 17 (US 17) and Main Street, crosses the Intracoastal Waterway, has an interchange with South Carolina Highway 31 (SC 31) or the Carolina Bays Parkway, and terminates at an intersection with SC 90. The project consisted of upgrading Firetower Road, adding a new interchange for SC 31, expanding Main Street in North Myrtle Beach to accommodate the increase in traffic, and a 1,000-foot bridge (300 m) over the Intracoastal Waterway which includes a 10-foot-wide path (3.0 m) for walkers and bicycles. Formerly known as the Main Street Connector, the road has been named for Robert Edge Sr., the first mayor of North Myrtle Beach starting in 1968. For twelve years before that, Edge was the mayor of Crescent Beach, one of the four towns which, through Edge's efforts, became North Myrtle Beach. The road opened September 3, 2009.

The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is a 31,551-acre (12,768 ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in Chatham and Effingham counties in Georgia and Jasper County in South Carolina. Of the total area, 15,395 acres (6,230 ha) is in Georgia and 15,263 acres (6,177 ha) is in South Carolina. The refuge was established to provide sanctuary for migratory waterfowl and other birds and as a nature and forest preserve for aesthetic and conservation purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Highway 707</span> State highway in South Carolina, United States

South Carolina Highway 707 (SC 707) is a 12.645-mile (20.350 km) state highway in Georgetown and Horry counties, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina, in the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. It begins at U.S. Highway 17 Business in Murrells Inlet to US 17 across from Farrow Parkway near Socastee, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Highway 22</span> State highway in South Carolina

South Carolina Highway 22 (SC 22), also known as the Conway Bypass and Veterans Highway, is a four lane freeway that connects US 501 north of Conway, South Carolina, to US 17 in Myrtle Beach. The road was opened to traffic on May 4, 2001, six months ahead of schedule. It is slated to become part of Interstate 73 in the future. The road largely meets Interstate Highway standards, but in order to support increased Interstate traffic, its shoulders would need to be expanded to standard width.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Grissom Parkway</span>

Robert M. Grissom Parkway, locally known as Grissom Parkway, is a major four-lane connector highway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The road begins at Harrelson Boulevard near Myrtle Beach International Airport and terminates in Carolina Forest, South Carolina at SC Highway 31 and International Drive. It provides access to Myrtle Beach attractions such as Coastal Grand Mall, TicketReturn.com Field and Broadway at the Beach and is used as an alternative road to U.S. 17 and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. It has bike paths and sidewalks for pedestrian traffic. These are part of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mile long system of trails connecting Maine to Florida.

Harrelson Boulevard is a four-lane highway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, named for Myrtle Beach's first mayor Dr. W. Leroy Harrelson Sr., who was elected to office in 1938. It starts at U.S. 17, and goes to Myrtle Beach International Airport and runs near Coastal Grand Mall. The highway is also the southern terminus for Grissom Parkway. It replaced the two-lane Jetport Road.

The Southern Evacuation Lifeline (SELL) is a proposed 28-mile (45 km) limited-access highway in Horry County, South Carolina, in the United States. The project is currently underfunded, expecting to cost around $600 million, and issues with the route itself still remain, as it would travel directly next to several wildlife preserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 73 in South Carolina</span> Highway in South Carolina

Interstate 73 (I-73) is the designation for a future Interstate Highway in the US state of South Carolina. When completed, it will connect the Grand Strand area with the state's Interstate system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ACE Basin</span> Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Basin

The Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Basin is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Located primarily in Colleton, Charleston, and Beaufort counties in South Carolina, the Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto rivers combine into the larger St. Helena Sound and drain a significant portion of the Lowcountry region. The 350,000 acres (1,400 km2) area is known for its natural environment and the preservation of its marshes, wetlands, hardwood forests, and riverine systems and the fauna that occupy the area.

Road Improvement and Development Effort or RIDE is a plan for road projects in Horry County, South Carolina, including Carolina Bays Parkway, Veterans Highway and Robert Grissom Parkway. The first phase, costing $1.1 billion, was being paid for by hospitality taxes. The second phase, called RIDE II, was being paid for through a one-cent sales tax approved by Horry County voters November 7, 2006. RIDE III was being planned as of 2013 and voters approved a penny tax in 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wilson, Zane (July 13, 2013). "Acquisition of Vaught Tract in Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve sets precedent". The Sun News. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wilson, Zane (November 15, 1996). "Preserve Is Home to Coastal Natives". The Sun News . p. 2D.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area". South Carolina Department of Natural Resources . Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  4. Swezey, C.S. (2020) "Quaternary eolian dunes and sand sheets in inland locations of the Atlantic Coastal Plain Province", in Inland Dunes of North America (N. Lancaster and P. Hesp, eds.), Springer Publishing, Switzerland, pp. 11-63. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-40498-7_2 ISBN 978-3-030-40498-7
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Straka, Thomas J.; Dantzler, David W.; Yarrow, Greg K.; Burroughs, J. Benjamin (2006). "History of the 'Infamous Buist Tract' and Its Wildfires". The Independent Republic Quarterly. Horry County Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve" (PDF). SCDNR Wildlife Section Heritage Trust Program. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve". South Carolina History Trail. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  8. Lee, Jason (December 12, 2023). "Is your Myrtle Beach area home built atop or near an 'unexploded bomb'? Here's the map". The Sun News.
  9. "Fire officials fear repeat of big blaze". The Augusta Chronicle . Associated Press. April 10, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  10. Oeland, Glenn (January–February 2011). "The Treasure Hunters". South Carolina Wildlife Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  11. "DNR Managed Lands". South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  12. "Carolina Bays Ecosystem in Horry County Attracts National Recognition for Excellent Preservation Effort by State, Federal & Private Interests". South Carolina Department of Transportation. December 21, 2005. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  13. Wiatrowski, Kevin (June 11, 2002). "Officials Working on Deal to Add Ramps to Parkway". The Sun News. p. A1.
  14. Gailliard, Kenneth A. (November 20, 2002). "Carolina Forest to Get Ramps". The Sun News. p. C1.
  15. Wiatrowski, Kevin (September 14, 2001). "Pros and Cons of Parkway Offramp Argued at Meeting". The Sun News. p. B3.
  16. Klepper, David (September 4, 2004). "Section of Road Paved to Create Thoroughfare". The Sun News. p. A1.
  17. 1 2 3 Fuller, Kelly Marshall (April 29, 2009). "Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve: Wildlife survives blaze - Preserve's flora, fauna rebound thanks to prior controlled burn". The Sun News. p. A1.
  18. 1 2 Richardson, Terri (April 22, 2023). "'A red-flag day': Devastating 2009 blaze set stage for fighting wildfires in Horry". The Sun News.
  19. "Fire unleashes on area: Day's blaze surprises by night, leaving wake of destruction". The Sun News. April 23, 2009. p. A6.
  20. 1 2 "Lawmakers use wildfires as basis for paving push - Clemmons: Access needed to fight blazes". The Sun News. April 30, 2009. p. A6.
  21. Lauer, Claudia (June 9, 2009). "International Drive paving plans run into new snag". The Sun News. p. A1.
  22. 1 2 3 Rodriguez, Jason M. (July 13, 2015). "Conservation, wildlife request on International Drive could delay Horry County road project even longer". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  23. Hudson, Audrey (February 14, 2016). "International Drive: Documents reveal bear population near disputed road". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  24. Bennett, Steve (Winter 2015). "Bays, Bears and Disappointment" (PDF). South Carolina Environmental Law Project. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  25. Rodriguez, Jason M. (September 27, 2014). "Horry County roads slowly, surely getting makeovers". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  26. Hudson, Audrey (February 16, 2016). "International Drive court testimony focuses on the needs of bears versus humans". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  27. Weaver, Emily (July 7, 2016). "Judge rules in favor of permits for International Drive project". The Sun News. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  28. Fretwell, Sammy (August 24, 2016). "Groups go to court to stop work on International Drive". The Sun News. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  29. Hudson, Audrey (November 9, 2016). "Agreement reached to limit construction on International Drive". The Sun News. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  30. Hudson, Audrey (January 20, 2017). "International Drive gets green light to finish construction". The Sun News. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  31. Fleming, Tyler (July 13, 2018). "Does International Drive's completion mean vehicles will be able to start using it?". The Sun News. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  32. Fleming, Tyler (July 25, 2018). "Take a ride down the new stretch of International Drive, finally". The Sun News. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  33. Nickens, T. Edward (March–April 2008). "Savage Garden". Audubon Magazine . Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  34. Hudson, Audrey (December 21, 2017). "Are those Venus flytraps near Carolina Forest in danger of extinction?". The Sun News. Retrieved January 4, 2018.