Richland County Conservation Commission outlines land purchases, grant increase and tourism work plan

The Richland County Conservation Commission presented its annual work plan to Richland County Council on March 18, reporting plans to expand preservation grants, pursue large land easements and launch a heritage tourism marketing effort.

Commission Chair Grego told council the commission oversees roughly 3,800 acres of county-managed conservation land and is planning to place easements on about 700 acres, ‘‘basically the Cabin Branch properties,’’ a step he said will generate revenue for the county. Grego said the commission has asked to increase the annual conservation grants program from $250,000 to $300,000 to meet demonstrated demand, with historic-preservation grants capped at $50,000 and natural-resources grants capped at $20,000.

Grego outlined other priorities funded by the half-mill special revenue fund: monitoring and acquiring conservation easements, supporting the Ag and Art Tour, implementing a forestry stewardship plan and beginning phased work from a yet-to-be-finalized historic preservation plan. He said the commission planned to continue implementing the Lower Richland tourism plan and is working with the University of South Carolina Small Business Development Center on small-business support tied to that effort.

On timelines, Grego said the vendor working on branding and marketing had started work and that the commission anticipated a rollout in early June 2025: "I think we anticipate early June 2025, but, you know, but it should be soon," he said. He told council the marketing work and the tourism materials will include a heritage tourism marketing plan that emphasizes African American heritage sites in the county.

Grego said the commission relies on a green-infrastructure analysis and coordinates with the county GIS office to evaluate priority watersheds, naming Myers Creek/Cabin Branch, Sandy Run, Mussel Creek/Watery Creek and Big Cedar Creek among priorities. He also said the commission uses drone surveys to monitor conservation easements for compliance.

Grego described an anticipated land transaction tied to Cabin Branch that he said would bring in more than $700,000 and said the budget request for land acquisition had increased to $2 million for the coming year after a $1.6 million project fell through last year. "We will continue to negotiate to purchase large tracts of land," he told council.

Council members asked about staff coordination and project timing. Councilmember Gretchen Baron asked specifically about the heritage-tourism timeline; Grego replied that vendors had been given final site lists and branding and he expected a significant marketing rollout in late spring or early summer. A council member asked whether the green-infrastructure analysis is coordinated with planning staff; Grego said the original study was coordinated with the county GIS department.

The commission introduced staff who attended the briefing, including Conservation Division Manager Quint Nepps and Conservation Program Analyst John McKenzie.

The commission’s presentation also noted that several projects depend on vendor schedules, available funding and final approvals from committees such as the county’s Development and Services Committee. The Cabin Branch easement item was scheduled for the Development and Services Committee on March 25, the commission said.

The commission did not request a formal vote that evening; its report was presented under the county administrator’s report slot and followed by council questions.