Who We Are & What We Do

Upstate Forever is a membership-based nonprofit organization that promotes sensible growth and protects special places in the Upstate region of South Carolina.  We cover ten counties: Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville,
Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union.

Our three main programs are LAND TRUST, CLEAN AIR AND WATER and SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

Our LAND TRUST PROGRAM works with landowners to voluntarily protect significant properties, primarily through conservation agreements. We were the first land trust in South Carolina to receive national accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance and now protect more than 14,000 acres of farms, forests, natural areas, and other special places in the Upstate.

Our CLEAN AIR AND WATER PROGRAM works to protect and improve water quality in our region’s waterways by minimizing the impact of stormwater, protecting watersheds, and ensuring adequate stream flows and lake levels. The program also endeavors to improve air quality, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and use energy more efficiently.

Our SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM promotes economically, socially, and environmentally sound growth in the Upstate by supporting sensible land use and infrastructure planning, adaptive reuse, revitalization of existing communities, active living initiatives, and an expansion of parks and natural areas. This kind of growth is a win-win for our region since it reduces both fiscal and environmental impacts. 

Across all three programs, we work to educate policy makers, business leaders, and the public on important issues and potential solutions. We publish a semi-annual newsletter, the Upstate Advocate; a monthly bulletin, the Upstate Update, and a weekly Legislative Update during the South Carolina legislative session.  We also maintain this website; sponsor conferences, lectures, and workshops; take numerous field trips; and speak to many different groups and organizations throughout the region.

Founded in 1998, we now have over 2,000 members, a staff of 21 (full- and part-time), and two offices — our main office in Greenville, and an office in Spartanburg.

For more information, please call 864.250.0500 or e-mail us at info@upstateforever.org.