Why were 21 acres of trees cleared in Carolina Forest? Here’s what we know
At the intersection of Carolina Forest Boulevard and Stafford Drive, about 21 acres were recently cleared.
Close to an apartment complex and the Horry County Memorial Library in Carolina Forest at 2250 Carolina Forest Blvd., the 21-acre property’s many trees were cut down and driven away in late February 2024, the remainder left in a big heap.
The land clearing is part of significant development. The Horry County Board of Education owns the land, according to Horry County Land Records.
The site is one of two new elementary schools coming to Carolina Forest, said schools’ spokesperson Lisa Bourcier.
In an email to The Sun News, Bourcier added that the second elementary school is on Ronald McNair Boulevard. The Horry County Board of Education also owns a 35-acre plot of land along Ronald McNair Boulevard, according to Horry County Land Records.
Bourcier also wrote that site work is starting soon, and the two schools will probably open for the 2025-26 school year. The new schools are part of an effort to deal with overcrowding in Carolina Forest’s current elementary schools while also focusing on upgrading school security, The Sun News reported in June 2023.
The Sun News also reported that both new schools will cost an estimated $64 million.
