(Georgetown, SC) — The Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation proudly announces it has been awarded a two-year $750,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) – National Coastal Resilience Fund 2025. The funded project, titled “Planning for Flood Resilience and Habitat Restoration in the Pee Dee Watershed,” will focus on developing community-driven, nature-based solutions to strengthen flood resilience and restore critical habitats throughout the Pee Dee watershed, including the Black and Sampit rivers.
This major investment supports a coordinated effort to identify, design, and prioritize nature-based solutions in collaboration with the Gullah Geechee community, local residents, community organizations, environmental and regional partners. A Technical Advisory Panel will guide the project as the Foundation engages directly with communities most impacted by recurrent flooding, ensuring that local expertise and generational knowledge shape the planning process. A Community Partner Advisory Board comprised of local community-based organizations will engage community members with direct involvement.
The project will generate protocols and planning frameworks for restoring wetlands, rivers, and shoreline ecosystems within the Pee Dee watershed. These nature-based solutions—such as living shorelines, wetland restoration, and floodplain reconnection—aim to reduce flood risks while improving water quality, biodiversity, and climate resilience. The initiative will also help set the stage for future implementation projects that bring long-term environmental and economic benefits to the region.
