ACE Basin

A collaboration of federal, state, local, and private efforts have led to the preservation of 250,000 acres of land, with stakeholders controlling various interests.

Development pressures emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, prompting concerned citizens to petition local, state, and federal authorities to assist with preserving the basin.

Listed below is a partial list of protected areas in the ACE Basin, not including private conservation easements: The ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve was formed in 1992 and is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).

NERR staff monitors indicators such as flora/fauna livelihood and water quality, provides educational and scientific support to visitors and researchers and offers training programs for conservationists and other stakeholders.

The refuge operates an office out of the Grove Plantation House which receives visitors and hosts various educational and scientific programs and research projects.

The area is open to the public from early February to late October and is a popular spot for hiking, biking, birding, fishing, and hunting.

The area is named after the Donnelley family, which was instrumental in the ACE Basin Project's history and features a wide mix of landscapes and fauna.

Small hamlets do exist in the ACE Basin, including the communities of Bennetts Point, Green Pond, Jacksonboro, Wiggins and Willtown Bluff.