Green Space Hero - Carl Voelker
Volunteerism is a vital aspect of what makes Seabrook Island truly special. The Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy (SIGSC) has been fortunate to have many passionate, dedicated, and generous volunteers over the past 25 years, but few have made a more profound impact than Carl Voelker.
Carl and his wife of 52 years, Simone, became full-time residents of Seabrook in 2006. Since then, Carl has embraced numerous volunteer opportunities, dedicating himself to the community.
He served for seven years on the Seabrook Island Property Owner Association’s (SIPOA) Environmental Committee, where he played a pivotal role in establishing recycling as a common practice on Seabrook. Following that, he spent another seven years on SIPOA’s Long-Range Committee, focusing on issues such as the impact of sea-level rise on Seabrook homes built at lower elevations. Additionally, Carl conducted extensive research on solar energy solutions for the island and has become well-versed in solar energy applications. He believes sustainably managed communities should embrace and promote the use of renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
Carl also served on the Boards of Seabrook Island Natural History Group, the Seabrook Island Birders and is an active volunteer with Seabrook Island Village’s Neighbors helping Neighbors Program. Roughly twenty years ago he and three friends founded Seabrook’s “Men’s book club” which still meets monthly at the Lake House.
Carl played a pivotal role in securing certification for Seabrook Island to become an Audubon International Sustainable Community. As Lucy Hoover, former President of SIGSC, noted, “Without Carl’s energy and determination, I imagine Seabrook would not have achieved this distinction.” This was a significant accomplishment for Seabrook Island, marking it as the first in the state to attain this honor. It required several years of dedication, research, and collaboration with many diverse stakeholders to bring this achievement to fruition.
Carl served two terms on the Green Space Board, a total of seven years, during which time he held several key positions, including Communications Chair, Acquisitions Chair, and Vice President. As a chair of acquisitions, he worked tirelessly to identify undeveloped properties and proposed innovative strategies to acquire and protect this land. No less than six new properties were acquired and conserved during his three-year term. As Meg Carter, former President of SIGSC, stated, “He ran down every lead, knocked on doors, sent countless letters explaining donation options, and nurtured donor relationships to even create some repeat supporters. He most definitely advanced the mission and increased the conserved acreage.”
Reflecting on his work in acquisitions, Carl emphasizes the point that all credit should go to our donors. Without the generous donations of funds and property, no amount of effort to secure new parcels could succeed. He believes special gratitude is deserved by donors who have made possible the conservation of entire lots solely by their singular donations. Four such transactions occurred during his 2022/2023 term.
Carl developed the original prototypes of the signs which now identify our conserved lots. He and Lucy Hoover collaborated with several groups, including the Town, SIPOA, and various other SIGSC volunteers, to gain approval for displaying these tasteful signs. Prior to this effort, many of these lots were unknown to Seabrook residents and guests.
On a personal note, Carl is a gifted carpenter and often used his skills to advance the mission of SIGSC. He crafted several prototypes of signage display options for the now familiar “Conserved Property” signs and designed and built two unique deck chairs, complete with drink holders and footrests, which he donated to a Green Space auction during his tenure as VP. Carl is also a talented harmonica player and dedicated grandfather to his two James Island grandchildren.
When asked how we can all contribute to the betterment of our local natural environment, Carl recommends incorporating native plants into landscaping, reducing turf areas—since grass lawns offer minimal benefits for wildlife—volunteering for committees, planting an oak tree, which supports more life forms than any other genus of North American trees, and donating to our “Conservancy”.
Anyone who knows Carl would agree that he works tirelessly, demonstrating unwavering passion and dedication to conservation on Seabrook Island. His behind-the-scenes efforts to protect the island’s fragile environment truly establish him as an Unsung Hero of the Conservancy.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our donors, volunteers, and community partners. Thanks to the incredible contributions of many Green Space Heroes, we have successfully conserved 32 acres of our natural environment.
