Upstate Forever’s land trust attains fourth national accreditation

Local conservation nonprofit Upstate Forever recently announced two updates related to its land trust. First, the organization recently attained its fourth accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, which recognizes land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.

Secondly, Upstate Forever shared four newly finalized conservation easements:

• December Hill Farm – Anderson County

• Snow Hill Farm – Anderson and Oconee County

• Ninety Six Creek – Greenwood County

• Mountain Bridge Passage Amendment – Greenville County

Together, these properties comprise nearly 450 acres of working agricultural land, forest, wildlife habitat, and water resources.

Accreditation: meeting the highest national standards for land trusts

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, recently awarded Upstate Forever accreditation for the fourth time. Upstate Forever first achieved accreditation in 2008, becoming the first land trust in South Carolina to do so. Each accredited land trust completes a rigorous review process and joins a network of organizations united by strong ethical practices. Renewed accreditation means that Upstate Forever meets the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence, equipping the organization to protect our region’s special places for many generations to come.

Recently finalized conservation easements

Upstate Forever, private landowners, partners, and funders collaborated to place four Upstate properties under conservation easement. The newly protected properties safeguard farmland, wildlife habitat, and water resources in Anderson, Oconee, Greenwood, and Greenville Counties.

“We are so fortunate to serve a region with growing landowner awareness of how valuable protected land is to residents’ quality of life and to the Upstate’s unique ecosystem,” said Scott Park, Upstate Forever’s Glenn Hilliard Director of Land Conservation. “Grateful doesn’t begin to describe how we feel about thoughtful landowners who decide to permanently protect their land. Add to that the unwavering support of partners like the South Carolina Conservation Bank, the Upstate Land Conservation Fund, and SC Parks Recreation and Tourism, and we are able to conserve and protect even more of our precious region’s natural resources.”