Kiawah Development Partners Grants Additional Conservation Easement on Little Bear Island

In early November, 2007 Kiawah Development Partners announced that the final two homesites on Little Bear Island will be placed into a conservation easement to be held and managed by the Kiawah Conservancy. This will result in the preservation of the whole of Little Bear Island in its natural state in perpetuity.

Located at the eastern tip of Kiawah Island, the area known as Little Bear Island was deeded to a holding trust in 1994 by Kiawah Development Partners. Almost all of it was placed in a conservation easement in 1999. At the time, it was the most valuable easement ever granted in the United States.

While KDP gave up the right to develop 18 ocean view homesites, it did retain two sites totalling six acres. With the conservation of these remaining two sites, an array of habitats not found on most parts of Kiawah - ranging from salt shrub thickets to tidal salt flats - will be preserved. The variety of environments provides quality habitat for bobcats, deer, birds, and a few species of reptile.

In making this announcement, Buddy Darby, CEO of KDP remarked that, “Now, the entire 150 acres will be forever preserved as an important maritime habitat. We have every confidence that the Kiawah Conservancy will successfully inspect, manage, and preserve the character and habitat of this important piece of Kiawah.”