Save the Beach at Hunting Island
Save the Hunting Island Lighthouse
Mission:
Friends of Hunting Island State Park, Inc. (FOHI) is a nonprofit, independent volunteer organization. FOHI preserves,
protects and enhances the natural and cultural resources of
Hunting Island by educating the public and promoting a variety
of programs.
Founded 1993
501 ©(3)
History of Hunting Island Beach
Nourishment Projects
• Since 1935, when the park was established
there have been 8 nourishment projects:
– 1969, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2006
– 1991/2006 projects funded entirely by SC the rest
by Corps of Engineers with partial State funding
• Since 1985, HISP has received $1.8M in
Federal and $8.8M State Funding which is 5%
of total local, state, and federal funding to
beach nourishment during that time period
History Continued
• In 2007, 6 of 9 planned groins were
constructed to stabilize eroding beaches
• The groins have proven to be effective in
diminishing the rate of erosion
• Beach areas that were supposed to be
covered by the 3 unfunded groins have eroded
at an alarming rate.
• The permit to construct the groins mandated
that the groins must be maintained
Looking South in 2008
Groin just north of the lighthouse
This groin needs sand!
No longer stopping the sand
Sea oats help to build dunes by diminishing wind erosion
Sea oats have not stopped wave and surf erosion
Why Action Is Needed Now To Save
Our Beach and Lighthouse
• Edisto Beach (to include part of Edisto State
Park) plans to renourish their beach in 2016
and a joint effort with HISP will reduce costs
for both beaches
• Fripp Island is considering an effort to remove
sand bars blocking Fripp inlet
• 2016 funding requires State and Federal funds
appropriated in 2015
• Estimated cost for HISP renourishment is $8M
What Happens if $8M is Not Allocated
in 2015?
• Possible loss of opportunity to coordinate efforts
to reduce transportation costs with Edisto and
Fripp Islands.
• Funding effort shifts to 2016 for 2017
implementation
• If the beach is not renourished in 2017, the groins
may have to be moved or removed at an
estimated cost of $2M
• If the lighthouse groin is not maintained, the
lighthouse will be threatened in less than 5 years
– cost of moving the lighthouse again ????
What Happens ….?
• If the beach continues to erode and the
lighthouse is lost, will over 1 million visitors
continue to visit what remains of the park?
• Will the beaches continue to be rated highly
by the travel magazines/websites?
• Will Port Royal’s Sands be the only public
access beach in Northern Beaufort County?
What Can You Do to Save the Beach
and Lighthouse?
• $8M cannot be raised by car washes and bake
sales – only governments can raise that
amount of funding for public parks
• $8M must come from Federal and State
budgets with possible help from county and
city ATAX revenues.
• Now is the time to insure candidates are made
aware of the problem prior to this November’s
elections
What Can You Do…?
• Contact your elected representatives and
candidates with cards, letters, e-mails, phone
calls and get their support to save the beach and
the lighthouse
• Talk to local service clubs and other public
gatherings and make them aware of the problem
• Send letters to the editor of all our local
publications to inform and seek public support to
save our beach and lighthouse.
Questions?