A 25-year-old program that used taxpayer dollars to preserve land in Beaufort County is coming to a close with a 9-acre purchase on Lemon Island.
North Widgeon Point, the property next to Widgeon Point Preserve off Highway 170, was recently acquired by the county for $2.7 million. The purchase protects the island’s corridor between the Broad and Chechessee rivers, the county said. Conservation efforts will continue through Beaufort County’s Green Space program.
The land supports migrating birds, helps safeguard water quality in the Port Royal Sound and preserves the area’s rural character, so preserving it is important, according to the county. Eventually, the public may be able to access the land, but those plans are still under discussion, county spokesperson Hannah Nichols said.
The end of one program, the start of another
The acquisition was the final expense for the county’s rural and critical land preservation program, which has been funded by more than $160 million taxpayer dollars since 1999. Funds were collected through a series of bond referendums, most recently in 2018. The Open Land Trust managed the program on behalf of the county…