After nearly two years of determined negotiations, Conservancy of the Sea Islands, Town of Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island Community Association, Kiawah Partners, and the State of South Carolina have forged a landmark settlement agreement that guarantees the permanent protection of Captain Sams Spit—securing one of the Lowcountry’s most treasured coastal landscapes for generations to come and setting a powerful precedent for conservation across South Carolina and bey
If approved by the State, the comprehensive settlement agreement places the entirety of Captain Sams Spit—from Beachwalker Park to the end of the Spit, at the convergence of the Kiawah River, including both the Highland Area and Oceanfront Area—under a conservation easement held by the Conservancy of the Sea Islands. The Town of Kiawah Island will assume ownership of the Beachwalker Park parcel, while the State of South Carolina will take ownership of the remaining portions of the Spit. In both instances, the Conservancy will serve as conservation easement holder and steward, ensuring strict protections, coordinated management, and perpetual oversight. This landmark agreement will permanently protect Captain Sams Spit—one of the most ecologically significant undeveloped coastal habitats on the Eastern Seaboard and in the United States.
“Captain Sams Spit is a truly unique natural treasure, and the Town of Kiawah Island is committed to preserving and protecting it in perpetuity,” said Mayor Brad Belt. “This settlement agreement reflects years of partnership and determination. It ensures that this extraordinary landscape will remain protected not just for our community, but for the broader public who cherish South Carolina’s coastline.”
The proposed conservation easement permanently prohibits development and significantly restricts human impacts across Captain Sams Spit, while specifically preserving public beach access and the continued operation of public facilities within the Beachwalker Park area. This ensures that Beachwalker Park remains accessible to residents and visitors even as the surrounding habitat is permanently protected.
Captain Sams Spit provides critical habitat for federally threatened species, including the rufa red knot (Calidris canutus rufa), piping plover (Charadrius melodus), and loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The area also supports diamondback terrapins and bottlenose dolphins—frequently observed strand feeding near Captain Sams Inlet—and serves as the most important bobcat habitat on Kiawah Island. Naturally occurring sweetgrass (Muhlenbergia sericea), essential to the Gullah Geechee tradition of Lowcountry sweetgrass artistry, grows on the Highland Area of the Spit as well, linking environmental preservation with cultural heritage.
Since 2019, Town-led bird banding operations on the Spit have documented more than 324 species, capturing over 5,400 birds annually. With this settlement agreement and specifically the conservation easement, both of Kiawah Island’s fall migration banding sites are now permanently protected, strengthening regional conservation efforts along the Atlantic Flyway.
“Captain Sams Spit is an invaluable habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and crustaceans,” said Peggy Barnes, Chair of the Conservancy of the Sea Islands Board of Trustees. “Placing the entire Spit under conservation easement ensures these habitats are preserved in perpetuity, benefiting rare, threatened, and endangered species. This is a defining conservation achievement for our organization and for the South Carolina coast.”
The settlement agreement also establishes a clear framework for long-term coordination among municipal, state, and nonprofit partners—providing consistent management and oversight for generations to come.
If approved, this historic settlement agreement will secure Captain Sams Spit as a permanently protected natural treasure—preserving wildlife habitat, cultural resources, and public enjoyment along one of America’s most remarkable stretches of coastline.
On Monday, March 2, the Conservancy of the Sea Islands and the Town of Kiawah Island participated in a community meeting to share details of the settlement agreement and conservation easement and answer questions. If you were unable to attend, we invite you to watch the recording here.