Wetlands Beautification
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Beautification Q & A
We are in the second stage of a project to beautify our campus alongside Lady's Island Drive. The goal is to open up view of the church from the road, so that our beautiful church can be more easily seen.
We introduced the project in our recent parish summits, during the segment where we share upcoming events and news. Here are some of the details we shared with everyone, and answers to questions that people had:
Q: What will everything look like when it is completed?
As people drive on Lady's Island Drive, they will see a beautiful reflection pond beside the church, similar to the pond in the middle of our front parking lot. It will be surrounded by lots of beautiful trees, with a fountain or two. Further down, nearer the Grayco entrance, it will eventually look more like a park, with green spaces between the big trees.
Q: Why is this beautification important?
Currently, the wetlands next to the church is filled with stagnant water and litter from the road. The water is thick with overgrowth which hides the church from view, so that people often drive by without realizing our church is even there. By opening up the view, we will have a more welcoming and inviting face of the parish for all who pass on our busy street.
Q: Where did this idea come from?
You can see the reflection pond in the original plans for our campus when the current church was built, but the work was not completed at that time. One of our parishioners had been involved in that planning, and he asked our facilities committee to look into its feasibility. The facilities committee found a local expert, Travis Folk, who showed them how the project could be done successfully and affordably.
Q: Who is Travis Folk?
He is a local wetlands manager who is well-known in Beaufort County for his work in wetlands restoration. For example, his company is responsible for the beautification of the wetlands on Port Royal across from the post office. It used to look much like the "swamp" next to our church, and now it looks beautiful. He is excited about how this will not only beautiful our campus, but will also have many positive environmental impacts. He will guide us through the permitting process.
Q: How will this have positive environmental impacts?
The water is overgrown with invasive plant species that inhibit proper water flow, creating an environment where litter builds up and animal life is unable to thrive. The new wetlands will be healthy and hospitable to fish and other wildlife. The pond will be dug deep enough that invasive species will be unable to take root again. In the other areas, by thinning out the underbrush, the big trees will get more sunlight and be healthier.
Q: How long will the project take?
The clearing has begun and Mr. Folk expects the actual work to take only 2-3 weeks. This will hopefully be completely no later than August of 2024.
Q: What will be the cost?
Mr. Folk estimates that the cost will be about $125,000 for the creation of the pond. This is a lot of money, but it is pretty economical for a large parish project. (For example, it recently cost a nearby parish a million dollars to rework their parking lot!) After the pond is complete, the facilities committee expects that we will gradually invest a similar amount on additional landscaping and beautification.
Q: Who can I talk to if I have questions?
You can talk to Bob Gross, who has been working with Mr. Folk as part of our Facilities Committee. He is also chair of our Finance Council. You can also reach out to our parish manager, Willard Fosberry.