When Murrells Inlet residents learned of plans to remove a beloved 200-year-old live oak tree, they used social media to rally others to their cause and save the tree.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation planned to axe the historic oak during construction to improve safety at the intersection of Tadlock Drive and the Highway 17 connector. But some residents argued that, while traffic safety improvements are necessary, the tree doesn’t have to come down.
“I was alarmed because the tree is huge and beautiful and makes a grand entrance into Murrells Inlet, which I felt should be saved and, obviously, the more trees we lose, the greater the flooding problem is here,” said local Pamela Mills Talbert. “… and so, I sort of started a campaign.”
Talbert found out about the decision to remove the tree on Facebook and began reaching out to environmental groups to sound the alarm.
When local citizens’ group Preserve Murrells Inlet, which works to address land use and environmental problems, started posting about the tree on the Sustainable Murrells Inlet Facebook page, people took notice.