CHARLESTON, SC (Jan. 13, 2021)—The Open Space Institute (OSI) today announced the acquisition of a key property adjacent to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge (WNWR). The acquisition will be instrumental in promoting greater public access to the historic Hasty Point Plantation and expanding regional recreational opportunities within the greater WNWR.
Located along the western border of the WNWR, the 237-acre “Triangle Tract” property is directly adjacent to the 523-acre Hasty Point Plantation that WNWR purchased in 2020 with assistance from Ducks Unlimited, OSI, and other partners. With the protection of the Triangle Tract and Hasty Point Plantation, WNWR has embarked on a community-based planning initiative that will include educational interpretation on the painful slave history of Hasty Point Plantation, while enhancing recreation at Hasty Point Plantation and the larger WNWR.
“The protection of both Hasty Point Plantation and the Triangle Tract sets the stage for improved recreational opportunities for the people of Plantersville Community, Georgetown County, and the entire region, as well as the opportunity to inform visitors about the history of the former working plantation,” says Maria Whitehead, OSI Senior Project Manager. “OSI thanks our partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Schofield family for helping create this conservation success.”