Congaree Land Trust marks milestone achievement of 60,000 acres of protected land
February 1, 2016
The Congaree Land Trust (CLT) recently celebrated the achievement of reaching the 60,000- acre milestone of protected land in central South Carolina! The Congaree Land Trust added approximately 1,865 acres to its roster with the closing of a conservation easement in Kershaw County bordering Spears Creek and the Wateree River last week. With the addition of this easement, the Land Trust now protects approximately 61,300 acres.
This most recent closing took place on a property that is located within the COWASEE Basin, one of CLT’s primary focus areas for land protection and is also part of the “Wateree River Conservation Corridor,“ a large expanse of more than 25,000 acres of connected private properties along both sides of the Wateree River in Kershaw, Richland and Sumter Counties. The Wateree River Conservation Corridor includes the state’s newest Wildlife Management Area and the Wateree River Heritage Preserve, which is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
“This has been an exciting time for our land trust and we would not be able to realize these milestones without the partnership of the South Carolina Conservation Bank,” said Stuart White, Executive Director of the Congaree Land Trust. He added, “The Conservation Bank has proven to be an important resource in the business of land conservation across our state and its support, coupled with the new federal tax incentives, will continue to have a significant impact as we work with landowners on future conservation easements.”
Studies show that farming, forestry, outdoor recreation and tourism tied to our natural resources contribute about $54 billion to the state’s economy and provide 463,000 jobs. Conservation easements help protect the natural areas that fuel our state’s natural resource- based economy and define our way of life. “Landowners not only protect the land through conservation easements, but also help to ensure the future of our natural habitats which are home to many important species of fauna and flora,” said Mary Crockett, Land Protection Director for CLT. “The Congaree Land Trust has helped to connect thousands of acres of contiguous woodlands and wildlife corridors that will play an important role in preserving our local natural landscape.”
The Congaree Land Trust is in its third decade of conserving South Carolina’s scenic lands to help preserve the visual landscape, protect water and air quality by creating buffers around our Central South Carolina river systems, and making it possible for the same recreational and agricultural opportunities that we enjoy today to continue in the future. Founded in 1992, CLT works to establish conservation easements for landowners in a 12-county area of central South Carolina that includes Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter, Williamsburg counties.
CLT has supporters who share a passion for preserving the scenic South Carolina we enjoy today. Membership is open to the general public at various levels and members enjoy a variety of activities including quarterly day-hike excursions, equestrian trail rides, paddling and mountain biking on protected properties. For more information on conservation easements and membership in the Congaree Land Trust, please visit their website www.congareelt.org.
