Audubon outlines plan to close corridor gap linking Brosnan and Beidler forests

Tim Evans, director of land conservation at Audubon South Carolina, told the Dorchester County Conservation and Greenbelt Advisory Commission that Audubon holds about 10,000 acres in the county and is actively working to link protected properties around Beidler Forest and Brosnan Forest. Evans said the organization recently purchased an owner’s parcel at Walnut Branch to fill part of a corridor and cited a remaining 2.5-mile gap—the Night Track—where targeted outreach could finish the connection.

Evans described a two-track approach: buy priority parcels where fee ownership is strategic, and use conservation easements and partner funding to protect additional acreage. “When the night track came available, I immediately called Joel and David Ray and said, we have to figure this out,” he said, noting Audubon’s interest in combining ownership and easements to protect river frontage and longleaf-pine and swamp corridors.

Commissioners and partners identified three landowners who could help close the remaining connection; staff reported at least one owner (Austin) had already indicated willingness to participate, and others (Smith, Joe Bratton) were named as likely candidates. Commissioners discussed the difficulty of targeted purchasing—flagging that direct targeting can drive prices up—and emphasized outreach to encourage easements as a cost-effective alternative.

Evans and other presenters urged regional coordination with neighboring counties and conservation partners to leverage matching funds and shared priorities. Audubon offered to contribute due-diligence support and to work with the commission on framing public benefits such as water-quality protections and public access.

The commission agreed to continue site visits and to pursue outreach to the named landowners as part of follow-up work prior to the June meeting.