Beaufort County and the Old Growth Forest Network (OGFN) are co-hosting a Recognition Event for Okatie Regional Preserve Thursday, April 13, at 1:00 p.m. The event will be held at the preserve located at 60 Cecil Reynolds Drive, Bluffton.

Beaufort County Passive Parks Manager and OGFN Executive Director will provide opening remarks. The County Passive Parks Manager and Local Volunteer, Michael Murphy, will also be taking attendees on a trail walk through the forest.

Okatie Regional Preserve, owned by Beaufort County, is 187 acres of mixed pine and hardwood upland forest, bottomland hardwood forest, and salt marsh at the headwaters of the Okatie River.  The Preserve is currently not open to the public, however the County intends to plan for public access in the future.

On January 23, Beaufort County Council approved Okatie Regional Preserve to be designated in the Old Growth Forest Network.  This designation recognizes the importance of old growth forests to the native flora and fauna, as well as the air and water quality benefits to the human community.  This designation also comes with the commitment of Beaufort County to preserve and protect the old growth forest from logging, in perpetuity.

For a complete list of County Passive Parks click here.