Beaufort County Open Land Trust

Land Protection Achievements: 2022In 2022, The Open Land Trust successfully completed four land protection projects, comprising of three conservation easements and one fee acquisition. These projects directly align with the organization's mission, which focuses on the preservation of working rural landscapes, safeguarding water quality within the Port Royal and St. Helena Sound watersheds, conservation of prime agricultural land, and protection of sites of cultural and historical significance. 1. River Swamp Conservation EasementThe River Swamp conservation easement encompasses a sprawling 1017.5 acres that stretch along more than 2 miles of the Combahee River. This property boasts substantial ecological value and plays a pivotal role as a critical connector, linking over 15.4 miles of protected Combahee River frontage and 12,000 privately protected acres. Its significance extends from the confluence of the Little Salkehatchie and Salkehatchie Rivers to the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge Combahee Unit. The conservation easement includes a 119-acre preserve area along the Combahee River, designated to remain untouched by timber harvest or development. The emphasis of the easement is on substainable forest management practices for the uplands and the property's I-95 frontage.2. Village Creekside Conservation EasementThe Village Creekside Conservation Easement safeguards 11.8 acres of pristine river buffer along Village Creek, with prominent highway frontage on Highway 21 on St. Helena Island. This property falls within the Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan's Commercial Fishing Village overlay and is situated downstream from an active working waterfront. 3. Lobeco Farms Conservation EasementThe Lobeco Farms conservation easement offers protection to 115 acres along Highway 21 in Lobeco in Beaufort County, and also features frontage on other public roadways. This easement is vital for preserving prime agricultural land, with soils of statewide significance, while also maintaining scenic open space along a major roadway that serves as the gateway to Beaufort, Port Royal, and the surrounding sea islands. 4. Coosaw Island Historic Cotton FieldsThe Coosaw Island Historic Cotton Fields, located on Coosaw Island in Beaufort County, were acquired through a fee purchase. This acquisition encompasses multiple parcels under three distinct family ownerships, totaling 95 acres. The Open Land Trust secured these parcels in 2022, building upon the acquisition of 24 acres in 2021. The intention behind these acquisitions is to ultimately transfer ownership to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, ensuring the preservation of historical, cultural, and environmental resources and providing public access for educational and interpretive purposes as a designated Heritage Trust site. The property's low-lying and tidal marsh areas are crucial wildlife habitats for numerous resident and migratory bird species, including the potentially threatened Black Rail bird. The project is notable for its rich cultural and historic significance, featuring visible remnants of The Sea Island Cotton Fields cultivated before the Civil War.Throughout the year, all Open Land Trust properties undergo rigorous monitoring to ensure strict adherence to the conservation values specified in their respective conservation easements. The Director of Stewardship of the Open Land Trust serves as a valuable resource for landowners, offering guidance on best management practices for their properties.

Beaufort County's rural & critical lands preservation program olt continued providing Land acquisition consulting services for Beaufort County's rural and critical Land preservation program for the 14th consecutive year. Protected acreage for the program now totals 28,706.95 acres. The rural and critical preservation program is nationally recognized as a model for locally funded ballot measure programs to support Land conservation and is used to leverage federal and state funding sources.