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The Waccamaw River is one of the coast's richest resources, and there's a new effort to promote it and profit from the 100-mile black river.
Saturday morning in Conway, several environmental groups held a news conference to introduce the beginning of the Waccamaw River Blue Trail. A blue trail is just like a hiking trail but on water.
The effort is a partnership among American Rivers, the Pee Dee Land Trust and Winyah River's Foundation's Waccamaw Riverkeeper. The groups want to protect, promote and educate locals, tourists, and politicians on the benefits of the river.
Staci Williams is with the Waccamaw River Blue Trail effort and is leading the effort.
"The goal of the project is to reconnect the communities to the river and the natural and historical and cultural significance of the river."
The city of Conway supports the efforts and hopes to make some money from it in the form of eco-tourism.
"We utilize the Waccamaw River as a tourist attraction for the guests who don't have the opportunity to go out and paddle or canoe or even see a river, especially a black river. ... So what we like to do is partner with Blue River and use it as another way to bring people here," says Bridgette Johnson, the executive vice president of the Conway Chamber of Commerce.
In the coming years, the blue trail will include guide maps, marked historical spots, and areas along the river where people can visit.
