SI For All Celebrates 5 Years!

JOIN US OCTOBER 18TH AT 2PM!

This Fall marks the 5th anniversary of Sullivan’s Island for All, the grassroots advocacy group that has become a powerful voice for conservation, community, and responsible stewardship of one of the Lowcountry’s most unique natural environments: the Sullivan’s Island Maritime Forest.

What began in 2020 as a concerned group of neighbors has grown into a lasting movement, united by one mission — to protect the maritime forest that lines the island’s accreted land. This thriving ecosystem of trees, dunes and wetlands is not only a buffer against storms and rising tides but also a haven for wildlife and a rare natural sanctuary in an increasingly developed coastline. Come enjoy a guided tour of the maritime forest as we host a  5-year Celebration Walk on October 18th. It’s FREE and open to the entire family. We only ask that you RSVP below. Plan to meet on the Station 16 beach path for our 2pm start!

Maritime Forest Under Attack: SC Appeals Court Hears Motion that Would Allow Cutting

A small group of island residents is now challenging a major court ruling at the South Carolina Court of Appeals — a ruling that protected Sullivan’s Island’s beloved Maritime Forest. Their goal: to cut down large portions of the forest to gain oceanfront views. CLICK HERE TO WATCH SC COURT OF APPEALS HEARING FROM OCTOBER 8, 2025.

In 2023, Circuit Court Judge Jennifer McCoy ruled in favor of the Town of Sullivan’s Island, blocking a controversial settlement agreement that would have allowed the destruction of the island’s natural barrier against hurricanes and storm surge. The judge called the settlement “invalid and unenforceable.” Since that controversial agreement passed, every councilperson who supported it was voted out of office or did not run for reelection. A ruling from the South Carolina Court of Appeals is expected in 2026.

Now, Sullivan’s Island for All (SI for All) — the grassroots group that led the fight to save the forest — is calling on the community to stay vigilant and help defend this hard-won victory.

This small group is appealing a ruling that simply upheld common sense and the law. They want to cut down the Maritime Forest for better views, no matter the cost to the island’s safety, ecosystem, or future generations. We can’t let that happen.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT THIS SATURDAY

To mark the 5th anniversary of Sullivan’s Island for All and to celebrate how far support for the forest has come, the public is invited to a guided Maritime Forest tour this Saturday at 2:00 PM, meeting at Station 16 on Sullivan’s Island.

The event will highlight the forest’s importance, the community’s united efforts to protect it, and the next steps in ensuring it remains preserved for future generations.

BACKGROUND ON THE COURT RULING

In her original ruling, Judge McCoy found that the previous Town Council’s Settlement Agreement improperly bound future councils and granted excessive power to a handful of private citizens.

The Court concluded that the agreement:

  • Imposed perpetual obligations that limited future councils’ ability to govern in the public’s interest.
  • Circumvented zoning procedures and violated the Town’s authority to manage its land.
  • “Bargained away” the Town’s discretion to act for public health, safety, and welfare.

The ruling emphasized that Sullivan’s Island’s leadership must always retain the ability to protect its residents — particularly from storm surge, flooding, and the impacts of climate change — and noted that the Maritime Forest plays a critical role in the island’s climate resiliency plan.

Had it gone into effect, the Settlement Agreement would have resulted in massive vegetation removal from the 195-acre Maritime Forest, increasing flood risks and harming wildlife habitats. Even South Carolina DHEC warned the Town that the proposed deforestation would worsen stormwater runoff.

HOW TO HELP

This forest protects every single home on this island. It’s not just trees — it’s our natural defense system, our wildlife refuge, and a vital part of our environmental legacy.

To support ongoing efforts to protect and preserve the Sullivan’s Island Maritime Forest, please visit SiForAll.org to make a donation today.

And this Saturday at 2 PM, join the guided Maritime Forest Tour at Station 16 to celebrate five years of community action and environmental stewardship.ur own text

Cool Way to Birdwatch in the Maritime Forest!

Recently, a fan of the Maritime Forest had a great suggestion for those of us who can’t tell one bird from another. It’s called the Merlin Bird ID app and you can download it to your phone easily on the Apple or Google Play store. Simply open the app and then the app will interpret the chirping nearby and pop up a photo of the bird you are near! The Merlin Bird ID app, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is a free mobile app that helps users identify birds using various methods. It offers features like Photo ID, Sound ID, and step-by-step identification based on bird characteristics. The app is powered by eBird’s extensive data and utilizes machine learning to enhance identification accuracy. 

Maritime Forest Serves as Habitat and Protector

This letter to the editor written in 2021, has stood the test of time and we wanted to re-share this with you!

(Letter to the Editor Written by Grace Reed)

Sullivan’s Island does not exist in a vacuum. The importance of Sullivan’s Island’s Maritime Forest is closely related to the neighboring communities of Mount Pleasant and Charleston.

The islands along the coast of South Carolina are called “barrier islands” for a reason. They act as a barrier between the enormous forces of the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland. Were it not for the barrier islands, there would be waves crashing onto the Battery in Charleston and the Intracoastal side of Mount Pleasant. One has only to look at an aerial photo of Sullivan’s Island to realize its vital position as a massive surf break for Mount Pleasant during hurricanes.

A high density of trees and vegetation on the island serves to fortify its diffusive effect on the velocity of ocean waves during a storm surge. Thus the trees and shrubs of the Maritime Forest on Sullivan’s Island’s accreted land play an important role in the protection of Mount Pleasant and downtown Charleston, in addition to the protecting the middle and back side of the island itself.

Besides protecting the mainland, the trees and shrubs of the Maritime Forest act as a critical habitat for migratory and indigenous songbirds and butterflies. Moreover, the flora and fauna of the Maritime Forest are woven in a complex web of co-dependence to create a thriving ecosystem.

As an example, the lowly wax myrtle provides a necessary food source for tree swallows which migrate in masses of thousands and swoop through the myrtles to snatch berries on the fly. The berries of the myrtle also are a necessary food source for the beautiful myrtle warbler, which overwinters here. These birds, in turn, help to propagate the myrtles by spreading seeds in their droppings. Cutting myrtles to 3-feet or 5-feet, as designated in the Sullivan’s Island mediation agreement, could deprive the tiny warbler of protective cover, and also affect the availability and accessibility of berries. The lack of an abundant source of food could threaten individuals of both these species during their most vulnerable seasons.

Most people are aware of the habitat needs of the Monarch butterfly, which stops on Sullivan’s Island during its southern migration in fall. But they might not realize the importance of the Hackberry tree for our indigenous Hackberry butterfly. Hackberry nectar and sap are important food sources for the butterfly. Also, it lays its eggs exclusively on that species and the larva hatch to feast on the leaves of the Hackberry before pupating. The larva and butterflies, in turn, provide food for many migrating songbirds. Yet in the Sullivan’s Island mediation agreement, the Hackberry tree is considered expendable and allowed to be removed.

During the last 25 years, there has been a vitally important occurrence in Mount Pleasant that has largely gone unrecognized. For countless eons, one of the the southward neotropical song-bird migrations has generally followed the Eastern coastline. One of the reliable and important stopovers on their journey has been Patriots Point, where the birds have dropped down for rest, food and water before crossing the “big water” of Charleston Harbor. However, the state-sanctioned development of Patriots Point has resulted in a significant loss of valuable habitat. When the millions of migrating birds and butterflies arrive here, each year there is less land and vegetation to support them.

However, as that door has shut, a window has opened in the growth of an alternative habitat on Sullivan’s Island, just a few miles away.

The importance of Sullivan’s Island’s Maritime Forest is interwoven with the area around it, both as habitat and in storm surge mitigation. Its protection should be considered vital for Islanders and mainlanders alike.

The Board of Directors of SI for All will match every gift on Giving Tuesday up to $1,500. Can we count on your support to save the maritime forest?

Become a sponsor for the Second Annual Sullivan’s Island Earth Day Celebration, a family-friendly collaborative initiative of Sullivan’s Island For All, The South Carolina Aquarium, Poe Library, Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station, Battery Gadsden, the Sullivan’s Island Community Garden, and the Sullivan’s Island Turtle Team!

Kick off Earth Day Week with a fascinating virtual talk with acclaimed ecologist and author Doug Tallamy.

A new trail in the maritime forest will be 3 times as long as the original trail, and will include matting to support wheelchairs. A big thanks to Town Officials for making this happen!

As you are aware, on January 30, 2023, in a blockbuster victory for the environment, a South Carolina Circuit Court invalidated the Settlement Agreement entered into by a previous Town Council that would have allowed the destruction of our unique Maritime Forest. But that is, unfortunately, not where our effort to save the maritime forest ends!

We’re excited to report that, for the first time, Sullivan’s Island has approved the hiring of a Director dedicated to managing the town’s natural resources across the island