The Kiawah Conservancy
Adds New Preserved Properties
T
he Kiawah Conservancy is pleased to
announce that three properties associated
with critical wildlife habitat have been added
to its collection of conservation lands: Marsh
Island Park, Osprey Point Nature Area and Ocean Course
Drive Nature Area.
These properties, owned by Kiawah Partners have been
preserved through a combination of conservation easements
and land donations. Also recognized by the KICA Board,
the agreements that protect these properties will allow for
continued management as it occurs today while ensuring that
the habitat associated with each of these properties remains
intact for future generations to enjoy. Each of these properties
contains one of the Town of Kiawah Island’s Important Bobcat
Areas—“areas of critical importance to bobcats that should
be preserved and protected” (http://wildlifeatkiawah.com/
bobcatgps.html).
Marsh Island Park is a coastal hammock island that
provides a substantial area of natural habitat for a variety
of wildlife species. Research indicates that these hammock
island habitats are being increasingly utilized by a number
of migratory bird species, including painted buntings. The
Marsh Island Park property is also an important daytime
resting area and nighttime hunting area for bobcats, and was
inhabited by an adult female and her kittens in 2007.
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The Osprey Point Nature Area property has been regularly
used by bobcats for daytime resting cover and is also a
very important travel corridor (as indicated by Bobcat GPS
Project data, 2007-current). The property is across Flyway
Drive from the Ocean Palms subdivision—an area that was
associated with one of the Island’s most important bobcat
denning habitats prior to its development. The Osprey Point
Nature Area property is potentially large enough (3.4 acres) to
provide an alternative den site in the future.
The Ocean Course Drive Nature Area is composed of
maritime forest, shrub thickets and high marsh. It is a critical
daytime resting and denning area for bobcats. The property
was used as a den site during 2010 and 2012. Additionally,
there have been three more den sites in areas directly adjacent
to the Nature Area property in recent years.
In addition to the value of their wildlife habitat, the Marsh
Island Park and Osprey Point Nature Area properties also
provide wonderful opportunities for owners and visitors to
enjoy the experience of getting to see unique habitats and
wildlife via the existing trails, boardwalks and docks.
Conservation of these three properties protects nearly 15
acres of critical natural habitat, bringing the total area of land
preserved by the Kiawah Conservancy to just over 345 acres
(28 properties). NK
Naturally Kiawah