Upstate Forever Protects Over 1,200 Acres in Laurens County, Including One of Its Largest Conservation Projects

Laurens County is home to two of the nine properties recently placed under permanent conservation by Upstate Forever, preserving significant working lands and forest resources as part of a broader regional effort across the Upstate and western North Carolina.

The nonprofit organization announced that more than 2,100 acres were conserved through new and amended conservation easements finalized in late 2025.

RML Timber — 1,219 Acres

The largest protected property in Laurens County — and the second-largest easement secured by Upstate Forever to date — is the RML Timber tract, encompassing approximately 1,219 acres of working forestland.

This expansive property consists primarily of managed timberland and natural forest, preserving wildlife habitat, protecting water quality, and maintaining the county’s rural character. Conservation easements allow land to remain privately owned and actively managed for forestry or agriculture while permanently restricting subdivision and intensive development.

Funding partners supporting protection of the RML Timber tract include:

• Sustain SC

• South Carolina Conservation Bank

• Upstate Land Conservation Fund

Large forest tracts such as this play a critical role in safeguarding clean water, supporting biodiversity, and preventing fragmentation of rural landscapes.

Langley Tract

A second Laurens County property — the Langley tract — was also conserved as part of this initiative. While smaller in size than RML Timber, the property contributes to preserving the county’s agricultural and natural landscape and helps maintain connected habitat across the region.

Together, the two projects represent a substantial investment in the long-term environmental health and rural heritage of Laurens County.

Regional Conservation Effort

In total, Upstate Forever finalized nine conservation easements across:

• Laurens County (2 properties)

• Anderson County

• Greenville County

• Oconee County

• Spartanburg County

• Polk County, North Carolina

These protected lands include farms, forests, wetlands, and rural properties that reflect the diverse character of the Upstate.

Since its founding in 1998, Upstate Forever has permanently protected more than 44,000 acres across the region.

Preserving Land for Future Generations

Conservation easements are voluntary agreements between landowners and conservation organizations that permanently limit development while allowing traditional land uses — such as farming, grazing, hunting, or timber management — to continue. The protections remain in place even if the property changes ownership.

To read full details about all nine conserved properties, visit the official Upstate Forever press release:
👉 https://www.upstateforever.org/news/upstate-forever-announces-2100-recently-conserved-acres

Photo: Warrior Mountain, source Upstate Forever