Help protect Upstate SC’s most important & iconic natural places
The lands we protect in the next five years will determine the future of the Upstate’s landscape.
The first of its kind in the region, the Upstate Land Conservation Fund unites the missions and expertise of local conservation organizations and agencies behind one common goal: to conserve special places before they are lost forever.
The need is urgent.
The Upstate of South Carolina is growing quickly, and land is being consumed at an alarming rate. In fact, the region is on track to more than double its urban development footprint by 2040.
The negative impacts from this rapid, unprecedented growth are already here. Our parks, trails, and other public outdoor spaces are overcrowded. Development near sensitive waterways and wetlands threatens drinking water and wildlife. And the farmland that forms the backbone of our local food supply chain — and deep-seated rural character — is quickly vanishing.
The need is urgent to protect green space, natural areas, and water quality for the future. We must be proactive about land protection right now.
Source: Shaping Our Future Growth Alternatives Analysis, 2017
It’s time to take action.
Many partners across the Upstate are already hard at work to conserve special places, but the need is urgent, and we must find local match funding to attract large national and statewide grants. The solution is substantial funding for direct land protection, and in order to be effective, it is required now. That’s where the Upstate Land Conservation Fund comes in.
This fund is the first of its kind in our region. We are uniting the missions and expertise of local conservation organizations and agencies behind one common goal. Gifts to the fund may be made to the Upstate Land Conservation Fund c/o Upstate Forever.
When you give to the Upstate Land Conservation Fund, each dollar will be leveraged with other gifts to create tremendous and immediate impact.
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“As Chairman of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, I’ve seen firsthand the urgent need for land protection... Not only is it critically important to help protect fish and wildlife species in the Upstate, it’s also a key component of economic development. People come to the Upstate because they love the unspoiled character of the woods, rivers, and scenic vistas.”
Norman Pulliam, SC DNR Board Chair
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“My husband Bryant and I have been farming for more than 30 years. We started a small company called H & G Produce, where we grow and sell fresh produce at different markets, including the Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery. I enjoy seeing plants grow and producing food of my own effort. It’s just a blessing to see how you can sustain yourself. I don’t know where we would all be if we didn’t have farmland.”
Margaret Harrison, Farmer and Co-Chair of the Farm Bureau Women Committee
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“I think now, more than ever, we understand the need to have outdoor spaces that are well maintained, accessible to the public and preserved… This fund invests in the maintenance, development and preservation of the outdoor resources that enhance the quality of life for all visitors and Spartanburg residents, all for pennies on the dollar.”
John Bauknight, Spartanburg County Foundation Chair
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“ScanSource is committed to environmental responsibility as a company value. The ability to live, work, and play in a community is one of the main factors in the decisions of people and companies to locate there. Protection of green spaces and water resources are key to that quality of life. We must make active choices to grow, while protecting the places that make our community what it is to all of us.”
Mike Baur, CEO of ScanSource
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“As a businesswoman, avid outdoorswoman, and longtime Upstate resident, I want to protect the quality of life that has made our communities so successful. Protecting critical land parcels positions our Upstate communities to continue to attract investment to create high-quality jobs and to retain local talent. We must act quickly if we are to protect iconic and important land resources for future generations.”
Jo Watson Hackl
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“The first thing that comes to mind when I think about the Upstate Land Conservation Fund is how lucky we are to have a dedicated fund committed to protecting the future of conservation, green spaces and trails right here in Spartanburg.”
Jeff Tillerson, City of Spartanburg
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“Preserving the natural resources of the area where Milliken does business is part of our corporate ethos. It not only makes good business sense but is also our inherent responsibility. We must protect our waterways and iconic places and steward the resources that were given to us for future generations.”
Allen Jacoby, Vice President of Plastics Additives Business, Milliken & Company
Apply to receive funding.
Nonprofit organizations or government agencies may receive financial support for conservation projects that impact the ten-county Upstate SC region. Funds may be used to buy fee simple land or offset the costs of conservation easements and match federal, state, and private grants for conservation.
