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The South Carolina Land Trust Network announced today that Lyles Cooper, Executive Director of Pee Dee Land Trust, has assumed the Board Chair role. She succeeds Ashley Demosthenes, who recently became the CEO of the Land Trust Alliance. Cooper has been a respected leader within the network, having served multiple terms as Treasurer and as one of the founding board members when the organization secured its 501(c)(3) status and appointed its first executive director.

Beginning her career in conservation almost thirty years ago, Ashley Demosthenes now serves as President and CEO of the Lowcountry Land Trust (LLT) and brings a wealth of knowledge to the South Carolina Land Trust Network (SCLTN).

September 5, 2024 - Columbia, SC - The South Carolina Land Trust today honored Senator Nikki Setzler for his lifetime of contributions to conservation in South Carolina. During the organization's Fall Member meeting, Setzler was presented with a coffee table book on the Cowassee Basin, an expansive area in the heart of Senate District 26 which he has represented for the last forty-eight years. Inside the front cover was a signed Board Resolution that read: In recognition and profound appreciation of Senator Nikki Setzler’s Service to the State of South Carolina Whereas South Carolina is blessed with rich and abundant natural, historical, and cultural resources and remarkable beauty; Whereas protecting these special places is paramount to our enviable quality of life and to the thousands of jobs provided by industries that depend on natural places; Whereas effective land protection work relies on committed people and proactive policies; Whereas for forty-seven years, Senator Nikki Setzler has served the people of South Carolina through his leadership in the South Carolina Senate, notably as Chairman of the Senate Finance Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee; Whereas his bipartisan efforts to reauthorize the South Carolina Conservation Bank have ensured the permanent protection of hundreds of special places, including the recently expanded Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve; Whereas he has championed conservation funding and voted in support of policies that financially incentivize private landowners to permanently protect their working farm and forestlands; Whereas his steadfast leadership has positioned investment in voluntary land conservation as an essential aspect of state governance to balance growth with quality of life today and for future generations:  Now, therefore, be it Resolved that the South Carolina Land Trust Network Board of Directors this fifth day of September 2024 formally acknowledges and extends its deepest appreciation for Senator Nikki Setzler’s exemplary service to the people of South Carolina.

Congaree Land Trust is proud to announce a significant achievement in its 33-year history: the permanent protection of over 100,000 acres of vital land across central South Carolina. Read more.

Lowcountry Land Trust is excited to announce the permanent protection of 66 acres on Johns Island, marking a crucial step toward restoring the community’s historic access to the water while preserving the area’s natural beauty and ecological health. The property will eventually become a county park managed for public use by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC). Read more.

Congaree Land Trust is proud to announce the permanent conservation of 174 acres of land in Sumter County. This newly protected property is a significant addition that further protects the ecological integrity and rural character of the COWASEE Basin, a region celebrated for its rich biodiversity and natural heritage in central South Carolina. Read more.

Congaree Land Trust is proud to announce the permanent conservation of an additional 51.66 acres of land in Lexington County. This conservation success was made possible through a fully donated conservation easement from the Stone Family, whose gift ensures the lasting legacy of this cherished landscape. Read more here.

Dorchester County donated $4,125,000 in Greenbelt funds to the Open Space Institute towards the purchase of the Beech Hill Tract, a 1,644-acre property on Old Beech Hill Road between the Edisto River Wildlife Management Area and Givhan’s Ferry State Park in the East Edisto area of Dorchester County. The property will be transferred to the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) and will become a State Forest, managed and operated by the SCFC. The property will be open to the public with recreational opportunities, such as wildlife viewing, hunting, hiking, and biking.  Read the full story on the Dorchester County website.

Greenville County's Historic & Natural Resources Trust partnered with the Community Foundation of Greenville to survey voters about their views on use of their tax dollars to protect open space. The results were overwhelmingly positive: Controlling growth and development topped the list of concerns; 91% were concerned about loss of open space; and 93.3% supported keeping funding at $2Million/year with a whopping 66% saying, invest more! Read the survey on the Greenville Historic and Natural Resources Trust website.

Jasper County’s Chelsea Plantation – the site of a proposed development that drew widespread, vocal opposition from citizens throughout the Lowcountry – has been purchased for conservation. The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina (TNC-SC) today announced the acquisition of the 2,737-acre property, identified as a high priority for conservation and under significant threat of development. Read the full story on The Nature Conservancy website.

Lowcountry Land Trust is excited to announce the permanent protection of the 35-acre Holly Grove property, which will serve as an official addition to the Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel, South Carolina. In collaboration with the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC), this strategic acquisition expands public access to nature, enhances water quality, and ensures the long-term conservation of vital habitats in one of Charleston County’s most ecologically and recreationally valuable public spaces. Read the full story on the Lowcountry Land Trust website .

Lowcountry Land Trust is proud to announce the permanent protection of an additional portion of Fairfield Plantation—an ecologically rich and historically significant property located on the South Santee River at the gateway to Charleston County along both sides of U.S. Highway 17. Read the full story on the Lowcountry Land Trust website.

Coordinates and facilitates the natural resource management and conservation activities of the State Park Service's Resource Management Section in collaboration with the field and other internal departments. *Coordinates the development and implementation of a wide variety of natural resource management plans/ projects (agency-wide and for individual park needs) including visitor service enhancements, invasive exotic plant management, species management, nuisance animal management, and land conservation/restoration projects. *Develop and administer federal and other partner grants/cost share to support restoration, conservation, or species management projects. *Works with Resource Management Chief, Forester, and Geospatial Analyst to plan and facilitate state-wide natural resource projects. *Preparation of specific management plans for individual state parks and system-wide -Provide technical assistance for conservation, visitor services, and land management needs. *Work with acquisition team to prioritize conserved lands for acquisition and manage state-wide land acquisition projects. *Responsible for the coordination of research permitting and monitoring projects on SC State Park property. For more information click here

Guest blogger: Sebrenna Bryant, state outreach coordinator for USDA's Farm Service Agency (SC) Boasting a robust agricultural landscape of nearly 23,000 farms sprawled across 4.5 million acres of fertile land, South Carolina is a state deeply rooted in agriculture. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) in South Carolina plays a pivotal role in supporting this thriving agriculture economy by managing acreage reports for nearly 2 million acres and aiding farmers' participation in approximately 20 different FSA programs. By doing this, the FSA in South Carolina not only supports USDA's mission but also contributes significantly to maintaining a healthy, stable, accessible, and affordable food supply for all. Historically, FSA traces its roots back to the Great Depression, when the Farm Security Administration was created to help American farmers amid a challenging time. And while the agency’s name and mission have both changed and grown over the years, its commitment to helping farmers has not. Today, FSA plays a crucial role in supporting rural prosperity, improving the environment, and contributing to U.S. national security by helping to ensure a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply. Over the years, FSA’s available programs have expanded to include safety net, farm loan, conservation, and disaster assistance programs. These programs ensure producers have a strong safety net in place in case of natural disasters or market fluctuations. FSA farm loans are available for producers who want to get started in production agriculture or make investments in existing operations but are unable to obtain credit from private lenders. FSA conservation programs give landowners the tools and resources to protect environmentally sensitive land and restore grasslands and forests, leading to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and enhanced wildlife habitat. FSA’s flagship conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural producers and landowners to convert highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as native grasses, trees, and riparian buffers. The benefits of CRP are far-reaching. CRP protects more than 20 million acres of American topsoil from erosion and is designed to safeguard the nation’s natural resources. With over 22,000 acres enrolled in CRP in South Carolina, several landowners have utilized CRP in our home state, with the hope that the increased vegetation would lead to increased wildlife habitat, including bobwhite quail. This has been seen as a great success. Although the terms of CRP and land trusts may differ, with land trusts often encouraging permanent easements, both entities share conservation goals to support farmers and ranchers, and to protect environmentally sensitive land.  Together, FSA and land trusts can help landowners understand the wide scope of available options for preserving and protecting their property, while helping South Carolina to achieve a greater impact in protecting farmland and promoting sustainable agriculture for generations to come. W.R. “Cody” Simpson, III, was appointed by the Trump Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency in South Carolina in May 2025. He has spent his lifetime protecting the Palmetto State’s agricultural heritage and growing its future. Simpson supports wetland conservation through Ducks Unlimited and collaborates with the Pee Dee Land Trust to safeguard natural habitats.