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Historic and Natural Resources Trust reports 22 projects and 2,350 acres protected in four years
Summary
The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust updated the finance committee on recent and proposed land-conservation projects, including additions to state parks, conservation easements, and a small Conestee Park parcel; trust leaders described funding partners and how easements and fee acquisitions are structured.
The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust told the county finance committee it has completed 18 projects covering more than 2,200 acres and is reporting four additional projects that would bring the total to 22 projects and roughly 2,350 acres over its first four years.
Ken Baxter, a founding board member, told the committee the trust’s work has added land to two state parks, supported development of a new state park, protected farmland and rivers, and assisted in restoring two historic structures. “To date, we have completed 18 projects totaling more than 2,200 acres across the county,” Baxter said.
The trust presented four proposed projects: a Saluda Riverbanks parcel tied to a Piedmont mill site redevelopment and a planned riverfront park that, if approved by the local public service district, would create a roughly 6‑acre park; Moore Farm, which the trust said would preserve farmland and explore leasing to next‑generation farmers; a small addition to Caesar’s Head State Park to protect headwaters and water quality; and a 0.2‑acre inholding in Conestee Park to protect park character.
Carlton Owen, a founding board member who identified himself as unpaid staff to the trust, explained funding and closing mechanics and said projects use eligible entities such as Naturaland Trust, South Carolina Conservation Bank grants, and the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. “That land will ultimately be transferred to South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism as part of Caesars Head State Park,” Owen said. He added that in many easement cases the landowner retains ownership while a land trust (for example, Upstate Forever) monitors the easement.
Owen and Baxter said the trust does not use its allocation for overhead and routes all grant funds to landowners or escrow accounts handled by attorneys. The trust reported a carryover estimate: while a $2.6 million carryover had been cited earlier, the trust said that figure assumed all projects had closed; after accounting for projects still in process and four new projects presented to the committee, the trust expects a carryover closer to $1.3 million at the close of the biennium.
Council members asked for clarification about conservation-easement mechanics, the role of Upstate Forever and other land trusts, monitoring endowments, and whether easements usually provide public access. Owen said easements commonly limit development and often do not include public access, but the Piedmont riverfront parcel is structured to include public access plus a lease that allows the public service district to make modest park improvements.
The trust requested no formal action at this meeting; the trustees presented the update and offered to provide the committee with the public-opinion study results and additional site information.
