Chelsea Plantation forever protected through conservation easement, set to become South Carolina’s newest state forest

Jasper County’s Chelsea Plantation, once in the crosshairs of Lowcountry developers and the subject of a massive grassroots campaign to “Keep Chelsea Rural,” is forever protected from development through a conservation easement. The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina (TNC-SC) today announced the creation of an easement jointly held by the Open Land Trust and the Navy and subsequent sale of the Chelsea property to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.  Plans are for the nearly-2,700-acre property to become a future state forest, open to the public.

“Today’s announcement opens a new chapter for Jasper County and demonstrates the incredible power of partnerships and tenacity,” said Dale Threatt-Taylor, executive director, TNC-SC. “Without the financial support of federal, state, and local agencies, along with a long list of private foundations and generous individuals, Chelsea’s future would have been much different.”

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

In 2022, the Jasper County Planning Commission moved to approve a multi-million-dollar development for a portion of the Chelsea property. The plan included 438 residential homes, 597 apartment units, and 11,000 square feet of commercial space. In response, residents formed the “Keep Chelsea Rural” movement, galvanizing local opposition to development and igniting support from across the country.

“Generations from now, people will still experience the open landscapes, clean waterways, wildlife habitat, and extraordinary natural beauty that define this special place,” said Ashley Rhodes, organizer, Keep Chelsea Rural. “This is a meaningful victory not only for the Euhaw District but also for the future of the Port Royal Sound and the Lowcountry we all love.”

Following a prolonged grassroots campaign, a series of complex negotiations and an extraordinary community funding push, TNC-SC acquired the Chelsea property in May 2025 for $32 million. To fund the purchase, TNC-SC secured ten loans and many generous gifts from individuals and foundations, which made the initial purchase possible.  “Loans for the initial purchase came from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. And most extraordinary, one-third of the purchase price, nearly $11 million came from individuals who came together to make loans,” Threatt-Taylor added.

CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND TRANSFER

Following the purchase, the global conservation organization then worked with Open Land Trust to secure funding for a conservation easement to be placed on the property and to transfer the permanently protected property to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Funding for the easement was granted by the Jasper County Greenspace program, the Beaufort County Greenspace program, the federal Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program and South Carolina Conservation Bank. Funding for the sale of Chelsea to the South Carolina Forestry Commission was provided by a United States Forest Service Forest Legacy Grant, which is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and administered by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

“A conservation easement is a promise that this land will remain protected, not just today, but for generations to come,” said Caylor Romines, Director of Conservation, Open Land Trust. “The Open Land Trust takes that responsibility seriously, and we are proud to help ensure Chelsea remains a working forest and the special Lowcountry landscape that so many people worked so hard to protect.”

REGIONAL CONTEXT

Chelsea is located in the heart of the Lowcountry Sentinel Landscape, an area of more than two million acres of forests and marshes that support training activities for Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Naval Support Facility Beaufort. The REPI program provides funding for the permanent protection of properties within this footprint.

“The protection of the Chelsea property is an investment in the long-term readiness of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and in the community we are proud to call home. Through the REPI Program and the commitment of our state, local, and conservation partners, we are protecting critical land from incompatible development while preserving the operating environment our Marines need to train and remain ready to fight. Just as importantly, this partnership will allow Chelsea to become a South Carolina State Forest, permanently protecting this remarkable Lowcountry landscape for future generations. Chelsea is a tremendous example of what is possible when military readiness, conservation, and community interests come together, and we are grateful to every partner who helped make it a reality,” said Colonel Trevor J. Felter, USMC, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

The grassroots momentum around the proposed development of this property contributed to a successful ballot referendum that established the Jasper County Greenspace Program, a conservation funding mechanism that committed an inaugural grant of $2 million to the Chelsea project. “We are proud to award the first grant from our sales tax program to help protect Chelsea State Forest.  Protecting land like Chelsea is what we hoped to do when we imagined the sales tax for conservation; it allows us to protect what we love about Jasper County, added Joey Rowell, chair, Jasper County Council.  “This Jasper County investment helps protect public lands forever, protect our salt marshes and fishing industries, and protect our working forests.”

Beaufort County Council, recognizing the connectivity of land and water, awarded a reimbursable grant for the conservation easement on this Jasper County property, a new mechanism that allowed TNC-SC to pay off some debt quickly. “We all benefit from land protection along the Broad River and are proud to partner with the military, land trust, state, and Jasper County to make this possible.  We know when we can protect a property like Chelsea, we protect water quality for Beaufort County residents and reduce traffic congestion on our major roadways like Highway 170 and 462,” noted Alice Howard, chair, Beaufort County Council. “This saves taxpayer dollars in the long run, and we are happy that the Forestry Commission will soon provide public access to this beautiful state forest.”

The South Carolina Forestry Commission is planning a December celebration of the acquisition. “Conserving working forests is one of the overarching goals in our agency’s strategic plan, and with the invaluable help of TNC-SC and many other partners in conservation, we are making the greatest sustained strides toward that end in decades,” said State Forester Scott Phillips. “The prospect of adding Chelsea and other properties to our state forest system in the near future not only ensures these forested landscapes’ protection from development, but also their effective management for multiple uses, and hence their sustainability.”

TNC-SC also recently closed on the purchase of the adjoining 212-acre Chelsea West property, which will be sold to the South Carolina Forestry Commission at a later date to be added to the new state forest.

The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at nature.org/sc(opens in new tab).