Lowcountry Land Trust protects key Wadmalaw Island property along Bears Bluff Road

Lowcountry Land Trust, a nonprofit committed to protecting land and water forever and connecting the community to conservation, announced the permanent protection of Newground, a working farm spanning 58 acres on Wadmalaw Island. The conservation easement reinforces ongoing efforts to conserve the region’s rural character, agricultural legacy, and natural resources.

Newground adds to 9,069 acres of protected lands on Wadmalaw Island, further strengthening a connected network of conservation easements totaling 34% of the island’s land mass. The site also sits directly across from the historic Nine Mile Fork Rosenwald School, preserving the broader cultural landscape that defines the area. Located along Bears Bluff Road, with approximately 1,900 feet of road frontage, the property is a highly visible and ecologically valuable landscape. The land has historically supported robust farm production, including strawberries and corn, and is currently leased to a farmer who grows corn for the local livestock feed market.

“Farmland is the lifeblood of the Lowcountry,” said Natalie Olson, Sea Islands program director at Lowcountry Land Trust. “Working land like Newground feeds the community, supports wildlife, recharges groundwater, and helps filter our air and water. Thanks to the landowner and the South Carolina Conservation Bank, Newground is protected from development forever.”

In partnership with landowner Lewis Hay, a former Lowcountry Land Trust board member and employee who has championed multiple conservation efforts on Wadmalaw Island, the project was completed through a bargain-sale conservation easement funded by the South Carolina Conservation Bank. Lowcountry Land Trust and the South Carolina Conservation Bank are eager to collaborate with landowners to support ongoing conservation efforts.

As development pressures continue across coastal South Carolina, protecting working farms like Newground is critical to maintaining the character of the Sea Islands while supporting local food systems and environmental resilience. The project reflects Lowcountry Land Trust’s broader mission to partner with landowners and communities to protect lands that are essential to the region’s identity and long-term well-being.

Stay connected by following @LowcountryLandTrust on social media and signing up for their email newsletter to receive the latest updates on conservation efforts and ways to get involved.

Lowcountry Land Trust—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization—permanently protects land throughout coastal South Carolina that is foundational to the region’s overall resilience and residents’ quality of life. Having protected over 165,000 acres since 1986, Lowcountry Land Trust is one of the most impactful land trusts in the state and across the country. Its work includes the stewardship of privately owned land and iconic public places, such as the future Angel Oak Preserve—a 44-acre passive park and living museum in partnership with the City of Charleston. More information about Lowcountry Land Trust is available at www.lowcountrylandtrust.org.