Yesterday, Oct. 16, Florence County Council unanimously passed a vote committing $1.55 million to support the public-private effort of Francis Marion University to acquire nearly 8,500 acres along the Great Pee Dee River for conservation and education.
Those who are partnering with FMU to help secure these efforts are the Open Space Institute (OSI), Florence County, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, South Carolina Conservation Bank, the Darla Moore Foundation and other local entities. The main property that is being sold, the “Duck Ponds” property, is owned by Manulife Investment Management, a Boston-headquartered assets firm that invests across a wide spectrum of asset classes. This asset totals approximately 8,460 acres and spans eight miles along the river. According to FMU, this property was chosen to help establish more conservation efforts along the Great Pee Dee River and to “expand opportunities for students in FMU’s forestry and environmental sciences programs.”
“The project will help give opportunities for students in FMU’s forestry and environmental sciences programs, safeguard vital wildlife habitats and resources, establish critical flood protection, and safeguard clean drinking water for the local communities,” said a representative from the OSI.
According to the OSI, ownership of the property will not be transferred to the institute until the end of 2025, as it waits for additional approval from the State Fiscal Accountability Authority and the Joint Bond Review Committee. Once the ownership is transferred, OSI will retain the properties until final clearance is approved, after which they will be transferred to FMU. As soon as efforts are finalized, FMU’s campus footprint will total 9,284 acres—second only to Clemson University, whose footprint exceeds 18,000 acres, the largest in the state.
FMU says the property will strengthen its commitment to environmental education and conservation while giving students and researchers access to ecosystems and natural habitats in the Pee Dee region. Students studying these programs at FMU are praising the efforts made by the university. Noah Broach, biology major and president of pre-vet club, exclaims his excitement for the announcement.
“This would be great for the biology department, especially for the environmental sciences … I can see many different biology courses and labs having trips to the ponds, which will provide a great learning opportunity for students,” said Broach.
Additional information regarding conservations efforts made on a local and national level can be found on the OSI website. For more information regarding efforts centered around the Pee Dee Region, viewers are advised to view the South Carolina Office of Resilience’s website.
In other news, FMU Fall Fest is set to happen today at 7:00 p.m. located in Parking Lot H across from the Grille. Students will have the opportunity to enjoy live music, a variety of food offered by local food trucks and activities that will be hosted by multiple student organizations. For more information, please contact Student Life Specialist for Student Engagement Evelyn Prosser.
Representatives from The Patriot will also be making an appearance at the festival to cover the event and take photographs. Students are advised to get to know their student reporters, so they may be able to accurately cover the community on-campus and strengthen media relations for future reporting.