Spring Grove Future Park

Habitat protection and ecological integrity are central to the planning of a future public park.

In 2016, the Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission (CCPRC) purchased a 638-acre property that had previously been used for timber production. The site, regarded as a gateway to the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto River watersheds, also known as the ACE Basin, features loblolly pine flatwoods, bottomland hardwoods, and freshwater wetlands. Like many of CCPRC’s future park properties, the site and its habitats are protected by a conservation easement which limits development to compatible recreational and land management activities.

As ecological experts on a team led by Outdoor Spatial Design, Biohabitats helped CCPRC create a master plan to guide the creation of a County park on the site. The protection and enhancement of natural habitat and regional ecology was a primary goal of the master plan, with particular focus on protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds

Biohabitats began by assessing and mapping the site’s landscape ecology, vegetation communities, hydrology, soils, habitat, and other environmental considerations. This included identifying wildlife corridors and habitat patches and providing a broader understanding of how the site interacts with the surrounding ecology. This helped the team create a site land use plan identifying zones and appropriate levels of public access, development, restoration, stewardship, and maintenance.

Guided by this plan and informed by public input, the project team then created two concepts for the park: one in which diverse recreational experiences are provided in one area of the property while the remainder of the site is focused on preserving natural features and ecology; the other focused on preserving natural features and ecology while providing low-intensity activities for visitors. After participating in a public workshop to discuss both concepts, Biohabitats supported the project team in crafting the final master plan.

TAGS

• Analysis+Planning
• Design
• Climate Adaptation + Resilience
• Conservation
• Ecological Restoration