Earlier this summer, Lowcountry Land Trust invited the public to help shape the future of the Angel Oak Preserve by suggesting names for the entrance road that will guide visitors toward the beloved tree.
The thoughtfully designed entryway will pass through the future Preserve’s parking lot, providing a safer connection between Bohicket and Angel Oak roads. With the tree’s health in mind, the new pervious path will lift the weight of parked vehicles from the tree’s delicate root system. It will also create a more serene experience for visitors, nurturing the relationship between people and place.
Lowcountry Land Trust is thrilled to announce that, after receiving over 350 thoughtful suggestions from the local community, the new entryway road leading into the future Angel Oak Preserve will be named Protected Path.
Other creative, meaningful, and carefully considered ideas ranged from references to the Angel Oak’s biodiversity to nods honoring community and conservation leaders, as well as names acknowledging the Indigenous and enslaved peoples historically tied to the site. Several suggestions even highlighted the iconic white squirrels that call the 44 acres home!
However, the creation of the Preserve has always been a project rooted in history, ecology, and community. Protected Path symbolizes not only the many storied life paths that occurred at this reverent place, but also its protection—which wasn’t always guaranteed—and the collective promise to safeguard the Angel Oak and its surrounding landscape for generations to come.
Click here for more information about the Angel Oak Preserve initiative.
