One of the reasons that Beaufort remains one of the most beautiful places to be is the amount of preservation that goes on around here by the hard work of a local land trust organization.
When you admire the beautiful marsh views or take in some of our open spaces, it’s the Beaufort County Open Land Trust that you should thank.
The Beaufort County Open Land Trust has been working to preserve our precious views all over the county and this year the organization turns 50.
The Beaufort County Open Land Trust is South Carolina’s first and oldest
land trust working to preserve open spaces, natural habitats and rural communities throughout the Southern Lowcountry.
And they do a great job of it, too. For the past 50 years, the Trust has been preserving iconic vistas providing windows to the rivers and marsh; parks and greenspace that form the foundation of community; working farms that define our rural and cultural heritage; and large properties that play host to exceptional hunting or timbering operations.
The Open Land Trust protects over 25,682 acres in seven counties with 88 conservation easements and 51 fee-owned properties. In addition, through conservation partnerships and role with the Beaufort County Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program, the Land Trust has protected thousands of additional acres now owned by Beaufort County.
Most recently, they purchased a 108 acre tract of land on Lady’s Island for protection from development. The forested 108-acre property has over 2,200 feet of water frontage on Rock Springs Creek and sits next to the 517-acre protected Holly Hall Plantation.
Read about some more of the Land Trust’s recent successes.
Through conservation easements, fee-simple land purchases, and land stewardship practices, the Open Land Trust secures properties in perpetuity that affect viewscapes, water quality, habitats, wildlife, farming, forests and other critical land uses threatened by over development or environmental degradation; preserving a sustainable place for current and future generations by creating and fostering connectivity between the land, water and people of the Lowcountry.
Lots of folks say that Beaufort’s growth is soon going to make us look like Charleston.
It’s organizations like this one that will help make sure this doesn’t happen.
We wish them a happy birthday, thank them for their efforts and look forward to the next 50 years of their preservation work.
To learn more about them and to help them with their preservation efforts, visit here.
Photos courtesy Beaufort County Open Land Trust.
