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ACE Basin
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ACE Basin
The Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Basin (abbreviated as ACE Basin, spoken as ace basin) is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Located primarily in Colleton, Charleston, and Beaufort counties in South Carolina, the Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto rivers combine into the larger St. Helena Sound and drain a significant portion of the Lowcountry region. The 350,000 acres (1,400 km2) area is known for its natural environment and the preservation of its marshes, wetlands, hardwood forests, and riverine systems and the fauna that occupy the area.
A sizable portion of the ACE Basin has been protected via a public-private partnership with contributing properties. A collaboration of federal, state, local, and private efforts have led to the preservation of 250,000 acres of land, with stakeholders controlling various interests. The umbrella organization for these efforts is the ACE Basin Task Force.
Historically, the area was primarily agricultural, dominated by the plantation system. After the Civil War, only three plantation homes survived in the area, and much of the land became fertile ground for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts.
Development pressures emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, prompting concerned citizens to petition local, state, and federal authorities to assist with preserving the basin. In 1988, a group of concerned citizens and advocacy groups formed the ACE Basin Task Force which further formalized the cause for preservation and conservation. What emerged from these efforts became the ACE Basin Project, comprising the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, and other private groups and companies to continue to collaborate on this endeavor.
Among the more famous individuals that have contributed to land conservation efforts include Ted Turner and the descendants of the RR Donnelley estate, which set up a foundation to support conservation efforts in the ACE Basin and throughout the Lowcountry. During his tenure in office, South Carolina's U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings procured $53.8 million for conservation efforts in the ACE Basin.
The task force celebrated 30 years of conservation efforts in December 2019. In November 2014, National Geographic had a featured article celebrating 25 years of conservation efforts in the ACE Basin.
The basin is located along the southern half of South Carolina's Atlantic coastline, situated between Charleston and Beaufort. The basin's name comes after the three major rivers that drain the area: the Ashepoo, the Combahee, and the Edisto. These rivers drain primarily into the St. Helena Sound, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean between Hunting Island and Edisto Island.
The basin's boundaries are roughly defined to include all of Edisto Island and running northwesterly towards Walterboro, then heading southwest towards Garden's Corner and Yemassee before heading back towards the ocean, including all of the St. Helena Sound and Hunting Island State Park. Of the 350,000 acres (1,400 km2) that are comprised by this area, nearly half are officially monitored by the National Estuarine Research Reserve system.
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ACE Basin
The Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Basin (abbreviated as ACE Basin, spoken as ace basin) is one of the largest undeveloped estuaries along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Located primarily in Colleton, Charleston, and Beaufort counties in South Carolina, the Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto rivers combine into the larger St. Helena Sound and drain a significant portion of the Lowcountry region. The 350,000 acres (1,400 km2) area is known for its natural environment and the preservation of its marshes, wetlands, hardwood forests, and riverine systems and the fauna that occupy the area.
A sizable portion of the ACE Basin has been protected via a public-private partnership with contributing properties. A collaboration of federal, state, local, and private efforts have led to the preservation of 250,000 acres of land, with stakeholders controlling various interests. The umbrella organization for these efforts is the ACE Basin Task Force.
Historically, the area was primarily agricultural, dominated by the plantation system. After the Civil War, only three plantation homes survived in the area, and much of the land became fertile ground for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts.
Development pressures emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, prompting concerned citizens to petition local, state, and federal authorities to assist with preserving the basin. In 1988, a group of concerned citizens and advocacy groups formed the ACE Basin Task Force which further formalized the cause for preservation and conservation. What emerged from these efforts became the ACE Basin Project, comprising the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, and other private groups and companies to continue to collaborate on this endeavor.
Among the more famous individuals that have contributed to land conservation efforts include Ted Turner and the descendants of the RR Donnelley estate, which set up a foundation to support conservation efforts in the ACE Basin and throughout the Lowcountry. During his tenure in office, South Carolina's U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings procured $53.8 million for conservation efforts in the ACE Basin.
The task force celebrated 30 years of conservation efforts in December 2019. In November 2014, National Geographic had a featured article celebrating 25 years of conservation efforts in the ACE Basin.
The basin is located along the southern half of South Carolina's Atlantic coastline, situated between Charleston and Beaufort. The basin's name comes after the three major rivers that drain the area: the Ashepoo, the Combahee, and the Edisto. These rivers drain primarily into the St. Helena Sound, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean between Hunting Island and Edisto Island.
The basin's boundaries are roughly defined to include all of Edisto Island and running northwesterly towards Walterboro, then heading southwest towards Garden's Corner and Yemassee before heading back towards the ocean, including all of the St. Helena Sound and Hunting Island State Park. Of the 350,000 acres (1,400 km2) that are comprised by this area, nearly half are officially monitored by the National Estuarine Research Reserve system.
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