Local partners to host workshop “The Economic Benefits of Conservation and Open Space”
October 13, 2015
Spartanburg, SC – The value of open space – often discussed in relation to its environmental and quality-of-life benefits – will be explored in economic terms at an upcoming public forum on October 20. Conservation Economics Director Jessica Sargent from the Trust for Public Land is coming to USC Upstate to discuss how open space and parks provide real and tangible economic benefits to local communities and how this information can be used to successfully enhance public funds for land conservation, open space protection, and parks.
The event will also include the perspectives of a local developer and chamber of commerce. Jason Armstrong, Project Manager at Patrick Square, a traditional neighborhood development in Clemson, will discuss why developers decided to conserve approximately one-third of that development’s land area and how that decision is paying dividends. Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau will present on marketing outdoor recreation in Spartanburg, a component of Spartanburg’s Tourism Action Plan.
The event will be held on Tuesday, October 20 at the University Readiness Center at USC Upstate (800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC). The cost to attend is $10 and advance registration is required. RSVP to (864) 283-2317 or[email protected].
This is the final offering in the 2015 Shaping Our Future Speaker Series, presented in partnership with Upstate Forever, Ten at the Top, the Riley Institute at Furman University, the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and the Upstate SC Alliance. Special thanks to the JM Smith Corporation, which is helping to sponsor the October event. The goal of the series is to inspire dialogue regarding the connections between land use decisions, transportation options, housing choices and quality of life.
For more information, contact Lisa Hallo at [email protected] or (864) 250-0500.
Upstate Forever is a nonprofit, membership-based organization promoting sensible growth and the protection of special places in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Our three program areas are Land Trust, Sustainable Communities, and Clean Air and Water. Founded in 1998, Upstate Forever now has nearly 2,000 members, two offices, and a staff of 19. For more information, visit www.upstateforever.org.
