Stewardship

Properties are protected forever.

Every ½ acre and every 4,000-acre property is protected forever. This means we monitor and enforce the standards in the conservation easement but so much more – we provide resources and support to the conservation landowner to ensure that the conservation values of the property continue to exist grow over time.

Land
Protection

We protect land by conservation easement.

We work with landowners and their trusted advisors – lawyers, accountants, finance professionals – to help them achieve the best conservation outcome for their property. Doing the right thing can come with some financial incentives: tax incentives and in some cases outright funding, can benefit a willing landowner who wants to do the right thing and protect their property forever. Properties located in priority conservation corridors, biologically able to support threatened and endangered species, in operation as working farms and forests, and located along rivers and scenic road corridors are all strong candidates for conservation easements. We aim to connect private land protection with publicly accessible conservation areas including state parks and Wildlife Management Areas and to knit together contiguous conservation communities where water and wildlife benefit from existing within a larger protected landscape.

Outreach

We provide conservation resources and education.

We provide conservation resources to the public, special interest groups, landowners, and local government officials. We routinely educate the greater community about the benefits of land conservation and its importance in the balance of our day-to-day decision-making around roads, schools, taxes, and other pressing community needs. We work in partnership to connect to other community organizations and bring outside resources to land protection opportunities. Increasingly, we work with kids, residents, and community groups to lead tours and provide resources so that everyone can be the best land steward too!

Policy

We work with local governments.

We work with local governments on land planning and protection policies including things like planning for public parks, comprehensive planning, county-wide conservation planning, statewide conservation initiatives. Examples include the Beaufort Comprehensive Plan, Beaufort Greenprint Plan, Hardeeville Comprehensive Plan, Statewide policy and legislation, Oyster Factory Park master plan.

Partnership

Our partners are essential to success.

When we work in partnership with national, regional, and local conservation organizations we can leverage funding resources, increase technical capacity and provide more to our community. Partnerships/examples include ACE Basin Task Force (project: removing power lines off Scenic Sheldon Church Road), SC Land Trust Network, Department of Defense/REPI, Beaufort County Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program and more.

Support Our Work

Annual supporters receive biannual mailings and monthly e-newsletters about the work at the Open Land Trust; supporters also receive early invitations to community events, including field trips.