Hilton Head Mid-Island Tract Design

A master plan covering 97-acres of coastal land brings a lush gradient of native mature habitats to a new community park.

The Hilton Head Mid-Island Tract Conceptual Master Plan created a redevelopment strategy to guide sustainable growth within a 97-acre parcel in the center of the island. This mixed-used area includes residential neighborhoods, an airport, parklands, and cultural landmarks including Union Cemetery and St. James Baptist Church. After the plan was approved in 2022, the Town of Hilton Head Island required further schematic and design development for a new community park recommended for the site of a vacant golf course, with a key focus on the revival of longleaf pine forests and their associated habitat types.

As part of a team led by MKSK, Biohabitats conducted field reconnaissance and studies to understand the site’s ecological conditions. Biohabitats reviewed existing data, conducted a geomorphic investigation, and developed GIS maps summarizing ecological conditions, relationships, opportunities, and constraints along approximately 3,300 linear feet of Coggin Creek corridor, a ditched stream that flows through the former golf course.

For both phases of development, Biohabitats provided native revegetation planting designs; soil specifications; stream and riparian corridor restoration design; and regulatory and permitting assistance. Biohabitats’ design drawings and specifications were integrated into MKSK’s design package, including guidance on the overall landscape design to define diverse habitat typologies that range from upland pine-wiregrass woodlands to bottomland cypress. These typologies were selected to strike a balance between historical landscapes of the island, immersive visitor experiences, and long-term support of local wildlife. Restoring these ecosystems at Mid-Island Tract and similar projects on Hilton Head Island presents a unique opportunity to reestablish a vital native habitat that continues to support a diversity of wildlife.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Conservation
• Ecological Restoration