Mast Store hosts Land Trust Day on June 5

On Saturday, June 5, the Mast Stores in Columbia will welcome Congaree Land Trust (CLT) to the store in celebration of Land Trust Day.  Volunteers will answer questions about CLT and will offer information about the benefits of protecting land.  Mast will donate 20% of the day’s sales to support CLT’s conservation efforts.  Mast will also support CLT through a round-up effort that will encourage customers to round-up their purchases to benefit CLT during June 1 – 6.

The Congaree Land Trust works to conserve the natural and scenic lands, farms, waterways, forests, and open spaces in the Midlands of South Carolina, while supporting traditional land uses such as agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. The CLT works to preserve 14 counties:  Barnwell, Newberry, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Saluda, Lexington, Richland, Sumter, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Williamsburg, and Bamberg.

More than 80,000 acres, representing 172 individual properties, have been preserved since CLT’s inception in 1992.  Their focus is to support economic vitality, promote healthy lifestyles, safeguard drinking water and air quality, and protect quality of life. The state’s natural resources are tied to industries such as farming, forestry, outdoor recreation, and tourism which provide significant revenue to the state.

Land Trust Day is an important day at Mast General Store. Employees believe in the mission of CLT and are proud to support land conservancy, clean water, and scenic beauty.

Lisa Cooper, president of Mast General Store, appreciates the important work that Congaree Land Trust does in our local community.  “Last year during the pandemic, we rediscovered local trails and open spaces that we may not have had time to enjoy before. Many of these locations that helped sustain our mental and physical health were the end result of partnerships formed by land trusts. We hope that Land Trust Day helps our customers understand and appreciate how these organizations impact our lives every single day.”

A land trust can help individuals, families, businesses, and communities take steps to ensure that the land is there for us, our children, and our children’s children. The impact of their work can help family farms remain productive and in the family or ensure that the habitat for a rare species of plant will remain intact.

Stop by the Mast Store in Columbia on June 5 to learn more about what the Congaree Land Trust is doing in the local area and how you can get involved. For more information about Land Trust Day, visit www.MastGeneralStore.com or about the CLT , click on www.congareelt.org.