PETITION TO THE CITY OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
In Support of Establishing the Just Ecological Corridor 

We, the undersigned members of the Charleston community, urge City Council to establish the Just Ecological Corridor as a transformative investment in our city’s future. This initiative will strengthen Charleston’s economy, create valuable community amenities, and improve the daily lives of residents while also preserving and protecting the natural systems that make our city unique.

The Just Ecological Corridor, in honor of eminent African American scientist and Charleston native Dr. Ernest E. Just, will connect neighborhoods from the Ashley River to the Cooper River with shaded walkways, bike routes, restored creeks, and green spaces. These improvements will:

• Protect property values by reducing flood risks and improving neighborhood stability, specifically through nature-based solutions to stormwater management.
• Boost economic vitality by attracting residents and visitors, supporting local businesses, and improving social and economic connectivity across the peninsula from the Ashley River Crossing to the Ravenel Bridge.
• Create vital public amenities—multi-use parks, trails, shaded streets, and interpretive spaces—that foster recreation, community connection, education, and healthy lifestyles.
• Prioritize investments in underserved neighborhoods, where residents face disproportionately high flooding risks and dangerous heat stress.

Charleston’s growth and prosperity depend on building RESILIENCE. Let’s embrace and utilize the inherent public benefits our marshes afford us: Each acre of salt marsh wetland can store up to one MILLION gallons of flood water while reducing storm surge impacts to our communities. Our marshes provide vital cooling effects and filter stormwater runoff pollution. Public access to wetlands has also been shown to have significant health and wellness benefits. Our marshes provide habitat for birds and pollinators, as well as juvenile fish, oysters, and shrimp. As a multi-functional, blue-green park system, the Just Ecological Corridor turns the challenges of flooding, climate change, and rising heat into an opportunity to create a healthier, more connected, and more prosperous city for all.

We, therefore, call on Charleston City Council to pass a resolution and take immediate steps toward implementation of the Just Ecological Corridor in partnership with community groups and residents. Together, we can ensure that Charleston leads the way in creating a just, resilient, and thriving future in the twenty-first century and beyond.

By signing below, I acknowledge my support for the Just Ecological Corridor as a vital health, wellness, and safety initiative that leverages the public benefits afforded by preserving and protecting Gadsden, Halsey, and Newmarket Creeks as a blue-green park system.

Sincerely,
Charleston Community Members