Southern Conservation Trust

Conservation - the Trust conserves the most important and threatened land using all the tools of private, voluntary land Conservation. The Trust works exclusively with willing landowners to find ways to conserve, forever, the scenic and natural values of the land and water. Landowners donate or sell a Conservation interest in their land, such as development rights or full ownership, to the Trust. The Trust manages the land under a stewardship plan and, if necessary, legally defends its Conservation values. The Trust also identifies priority Conservation lands to purchase. Further, the Trust conserves working forest and agricultural land for the purpose of keeping the land in resource production.

Education - the Trust increases awareness about the benefits of private land Conservation and the mission of the Trust. Methods include focusing education and outreach to support Conservation in priority areas, targeting technical advisors to landowners, showcasing successful projects to promote Conservation and stewardship, and introducing the general public to land Conservation through tours and publications. The Trust also provides multiple camps and educational programs throughout the year. The Southern Conservation Trust's environmental education efforts in fayette county impacts 20,000+ students each year through partnerships with 24 public schools, 4 private schools, and dozens of homestead groups. Sct owns and operates nesmith environmental study area, the first in an expansion of educational projects within fayette county. Sct offers 4 full weeks of camp wild, and educational summer camp for children at line creek and the ridge nature area. Working with clayton state university, we have identified over 740 box turtles and launched a protection project at the ridge nature area. Sct holds dozens of educational events throughout the year. We are looking forward to opening our latest project, the fayette environmental education center (feec), later this year. Feec will be a premier environmental education destination south of atlanta for children and adults of all ages to learn about the wonders of nature in Georgia and how to have meaningful interactions with nature.

Public nature areas - protecting and enhancing the Conservation values of lands acquired by the Trust is some of the most important work in which the Trust is involved. It is the responsibility of the stewardship program to protect Conservation values and to be a good neighbor and community member for all Trust properties through science-based management. The Trust evaluates every property for its Conservation value, the threats to these values, and for opportunities to enhance Conservation values through responsible management.