1. Creating the Jasper County Natural Resources Comprehensive Plan July20,2009 CoastalZone09 AprilL.Turner S.C.SeaGrantExtensionProgram

2. Presentation Overview S.C.SeaGrantQualityGrowth Initiative WhyJasperCounty? LocallyLedConservationEffort PlanDevelopmentProcess Outcomes Results&Benefits

3. Background S.C.SeaGrantQualityGrowthInitiative NationalSeaGrantExtensionFundingSupportforSmartGrowth Project Planningeffortbegunin2004 WhyJasper? RapidlyDevelopingCounty ClemsonUniversityGrowthProjectionModel Opportunityforsettingmultijurisdictional innovativeplanning policies

4. Jasper County Description 662squaremiles BoundbySavannahRiver(west),Hampton& BeaufortCounties(northandeast) Population:24,000 Predominatelyrural UrbancentersinHardeevilleandRidgeland Abundantnaturalandculturalresources

5. Predicted Urban Growth in the BJC Region

6. Urban Growth Projection Model 3:1Ratio Allen and Lu, 2006

7. Locally Led Conservation CommunityLeadershipfromtheJasperSoil&Water ConservationDistrict(JSWCD) CommunityStakeholderInvolvementisacriticalelement Communitystakeholdersarebestsuitedtodealwithlocalresource problems. Primaryfocusshouldbetoidentifynaturalresourceconcerns, alongwithrelatedeconomicandsocialconcerns Never doubt that a small, thoughtful group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Meade

8. Goal & Objectives Goal: AssurepreservationandconservationoftheCountyswaterquality, wildlifepopulations,naturalareas,andworkingfarmsandplantations. Byeducating localdecisionmakersaboutinnovativequalitygrowthpolicies, tools,andstrategies. Objectives: Multipleagencyandmultijurisdictionalcooperationandcollaboration. Developaconservationplanthatwillserveasaplatformformaking decisionsaboutlocalprioritiesandpoliciesforconservationstrategiesat thelocallevel. Conservenotjustland,buttheeconomy andqualityoflife.

9. Initial Steps Formationofpartnerships JasperCountySoil&WaterConservationDistrict S.C.SeaGrantConsortium&S.C.SeaGrantExtensionProgram S.C.DepartmentofNaturalResources USDANaturalResourcesConservationDistrict Stakeholderinvolvement Inputofmorethan100stakeholders. Representinglocalandregionalgovernment officialsandstaff,stateandfederalresource agencies,nonprofitconservationorganizations, localbusinessesprivatelandowners, andconcernedcitizens.

10. Collaboration The Key To Success JasperSoilandWaterConservationDistrict SCDepartmentofHealthandEnvironmental USDANaturalResourcesConservationService ControlBureauofWaterandOfficeofOcean &CoastalResourceManagement SCDepartmentofNaturalResources JasperCounty SCSeaGrantConsortium TownofRidgeland SCSeaGrantExtensionProgram CityofHardeeville USDA FarmServiceAgency NOAA CoastalServicesCenter AmericanFarmlandTrust TownofBluffton USFWS RefugesandEcologicalServices Divisions BeaufortCountyPlanningDepartment ClemsonUniversityCooperativeExtension BeaufortCountyOpenLandTrust Service AgSouth TheNatureConservancy AACBuildingService U.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers SCCoastalConservationLeague SCForestryCommission Lowcountry CouncilofGovernments GoodHopeCorporation TrustforPublicLand TurkeyHillPlantation FifePlantation Okeetee PlantationClub Kinghorn InsuranceCompanies SpringHillPlantation LowCountry Institute NadaWilliamsRealty MeadWestvaco PrivateLandowners CopperStation

11. Planning Process CommunityStakeholderDrivenProcess USDANRCSConservationNeedsAssessmentformat FiveBasicSteps: 1) Assessthenaturalresourcesandconservationneedsinthe County; 2) Setcommunityconservationgoals; 3) Developanactionplan acountywideconservationplan; 4) Implementtheplan integratetheplanintothenew comprehensivegrowthplan;and 5) Measuresuccess.

12. Planning Process: Workshops Heldthreepublicworkshopsto: educateandinformstakeholdersaboutqualitygrowth planningstrategiesandnaturalresourceconservation planning. gatherinputabouttheconservationconcernsandissues participantsfeltneededtobeaddressedtodevelopa conservationneedsassessmentforthecounty. Broadrangeofstakeholderrepresentation

13. Planning Process: Focus Groups IdentifiedFocusGroupmembersandconvenedfrequent meetingsto: Tailortheplanbasedontheinformationgatheredduringthe workshops. Identifygapsinthecollectedinformation,enlistexpertise,and researchresourcestofillthosegaps. Identifypriorities,setmeasurablegoals,andobjectives,andidentify usefulstrategiestoachievethegoalsandobjectivestobe incorporatedintotheconservationplan. Write,review,andeditplancomponents.

14. Targets of the Plan Identifythenatural,culturalandhistoricresourcesof JasperCounty Activelymanageurbangrowthbyutilizingqualitygrowth tools Protecttraditionalandcriticallandmanagementtools Identifycriticalareasthatneedpermanentprotection Developanenvironmentaleducationactionplan A concerted community effort to protect the natural resource base in Jasper County for generations to come.

15. Critical Plan Components JasperCountyDescription Location,LandUse,Climate,andProtectedLands Resources,Conservation,andManagement Streams,Rivers,Watersheds WetlandsandHydric Soils CriticalEcosystems,HabitatsandFlora/Fauna PrimeFarmland,Timberland,PrivatePlantations Archeological,Historic,andCulturalResources UrbanGrowthManagement NaturalResourcesEconomics EnvironmentalEducation

16. Streams, Rivers, and Watersheds LowImpact Development Stormwater Program MinimumBuffers

17. Urban Growth Management GrowthBoundaries NaturalResources ReviewTeam CustomizedLand Preservation Agreements ImpactFees CountyConservation Bank If you are protecting what is inevitably an island in the midst of If you are protecting what is inevitably an island in the midst of degradation, youve lost. Bruce Babbitt degradation, youve lost. Bruce Babbitt

18. Resource, Conservation, and Management Strategies

19. Economics of Natural Resources Expand&Diversify RecreationalOpportunities GrowTourismOptions UpdateEconomicsStudy

20. Education BlueHeron LearningCenter www.blueheronnature.com

21. Outcomes MunicipalMoratoriums Landownermeetingsforlandpreservation Publicinterest,educationalprograms Farmersmarket,fishingrodeos Interestfromothercommunitiesandstate leadership

22. Questions? April L. Turner Coastal Communities Specialist S.C. Sea Grant Extension Program 287 Meeting Street Charleston, S.C. 29401 Phone: (843) 953-2078 Email: april.turner@scseagrant.org