In a landmark effort to safeguard South Carolina’s natural heritage, more than 62,000 acres of forestland — an area three times the size of Hilton Head Island — will be permanently conserved under the Pee Dee Basin Initiative, the largest conservation easement in South Carolina state history. This extraordinary, $70-million conservation effort will preserve timberlands, protect wildlife habitat, and expand public access to nature across Marion, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. …Coined the nation’s “wood basket,” this region’s timber industry contributes more than $23 billion annually and supports more than 100,000 jobs, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. The Pee Dee Basin’s timberlands are among the most productive in the world, and this project ensures they remain a sustainable economic engine. Much of the land will remain in private hands, managed under conservation easements that prohibit the land from being developed. The South Carolina Forestry Commission will hold and monitor the easements.