Audubon South Carolina and its network of passionate advocates, volunteers and partners promote bipartisan policy solutions that not only protect birds and communities, but also protect the state’s iconic coast and landscapes, clean air and water, and $29B tourism, $23 billion forestry, $52 billion agriculture, &$1.5 billion solar industries. In the year ahead, our priorities in the Palmetto State include:
STRATEGIC LAND PROTECTION
Promoting landscape scale protection and restoration of priority bird habitat, as well as measures to increase resilient, bird friendly management of South Carolina’s private and public lands. This includes supporting the Working Agricultural Lands Preservation Act (H. 3951), which will create a program and fund to encourage the permanent protection of valuable working farmland and beneficial wildlife habitat through conservation easements.
SUSTAINABLE BIRD-FRIENDLY ENERGY
Advocating for pragmatic policy reforms to facilitate the rapid expansion and swift deployment of responsibly sited renewable energy projects and transmission infrastructure; increase access to affordable, reliable clean energy for South Carolina residents and businesses; and limit carbon emissions, habitat destruction, and other negative impacts associated with energy development and transmission.
RESILIENT LANDS & COMMUNITIES
Supporting implementation of bird-friendly best practices outlined in SC’s statewide resilience plan, focusing on the use of nature-based solutions to conserve habitat, improve quality of life, and mitigate flooding and erosion in vulnerable communities. This includes conserving Carolina Bays and other threatened wetlands, which provide essential habitat for birds and other valuable ecosystem services for people.