Friends of the Edisto, Inc. (FRED), a non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to facilitate conservation of natural resources and encourage [people and boats and nature in and around the Edisto River] and support sustainable economic development within the Edisto River Basin in South Carolina. The Edisto River Basin contains the longest free-flowing blackwater river in America and encompasses twelve counties, including much of the midlands and low country areas of South Carolina.
FRED is an educational and advocacy organization supporting the implementation of the Edisto River Basin Task Force recommendations. This 200-member South Carolinian public/private partnership applied advanced planning and mapping techniques and carefully surveyed the basin's resources. The result was a 225-page comprehensive guide ‘Managing Resources for a Sustainable Future: The Edisto River Basin Project Report,’ which inventoried resources and suggested long term planning policies for the Basin.
