Public Access Protected Properties

Some of our most celebrated conservation accomplishments are those that protect properties which offer public access.  We are honored to have a role in providing these enriching passive recreation opportunities to our communities.  None of these projects would have been accomplished without strong partnerships with other nonprofit groups and public agencies.

	Berry’s Mill – 60 acres – Greenville County
	Lake Conestee Nature Park – 378 acres – Greenville County
	Ramsey Creek Preserve – 32 acres – Oconee County
	Stumphouse Mountain – 517 acres – Oconee County
	Nine Times Tract A – 560 acres – Pickens County, SC

Berry’s Mill – 60 acres – Greenville County
This historic site near Greer contains the foundation of a textile mill that was established in 1820, making it one of the first textile manufacturing operations in South Carolina. Berry’s Mill also contains a 27-acre mill pond over 100 years old and upstream from the pond are over 20 acres of wetlands which provide valuable riparian habitat for wildlife.  Beaverdam Creek, which flows through the property, is a tributary to the Middle Tyger River, one of the principal sources of the water supply in western Spartanburg County.  Upstate Forever worked with the Berry family and the SJWD Water District to preserve a 58-acre section of the site from development and ensure a safe, clean supply of drinking water.  The property is open to the public on Wednesdays from 8 am to 5 pm and is accessible by a network of walking trails.  For more information, visit www.sjwd.com/berrymill.php.  

Lake Conestee Nature Park – 378 acres – Greenville County
Lake Conestee Nature Park is a large public tract within Greenville city limits used for passive recreation and environmental education. The property was purchased by the Conestee Foundation using grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Greenville and the South Carolina Conservation Bank.  This site was once degraded from years of industrial use, but has since been transformed into a nature preserve with over 5 miles of trails and boardwalks. Lake Conestee Nature Park contains grassy meadows, forests, Lake Conestee, and Laurel Creek, all of which provide excellent habitat for observing native wildlife, particularly birds. Learn more about Lake Conestee Nature Park at www.conesteepark.com.

Ramsey Creek Preserve – 32 acres – Oconee County
In 2006, Upstate Forever was proud to partner with Memorial Ecosystems to write and record the first conservation agreement on a green burial ground in the world.  At Ramsey Creek Preserve, the burial process is used as a means of facilitating ecological restoration and preserving a valuable natural area of distinctive beauty.  This peaceful protected property contains meandering trails, over 220 species of native flora, and a quarter mile of Ramsey Creek, a tributary of the Chauga River. Learn more about Memorial Ecosystems and Ramsey Creek Preserve at www.memorialecosystems.com.

Stumphouse Mountain – 517 acres – Oconee County
The protection of Stumphouse Mountain in 2007 was a true victory for conservation in South Carolina. This beloved landmark located near Walhalla contains a remarkable array of natural and historic resources, including the 100 foot tall Issaqueena Falls, a Civil War era tunnel, and three watershed lakes. Before its protection the property was privately-owned, but still open to the public and parts of it were used for hunting as a SCDNR Wildlife Management Area. Today, Stumphouse Mountain is publicly-owned and protected by a conservation easement that will ensure its protection permanently. To learn more about Stumphouse Mountain, including how to visit the property, check out http://www.oconeecountry.com/stumphouse.html

Nine Times Tract A – 560 acres – Pickens County, SC
This forested, mountainous tract in northern Pickens County is well known by hunters, fisherman, and other outdoor enthusiasts, but is equally as valued by biologists, botanists, and geologists. The Nine Times Tract contains the most botanically intact granitic dome in the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment, along with five mountains and seven distinct forest types. The tract also contains an abundance of native flora and fauna. To illustrate this point, Dr. Patrick McMillan of Clemson University once identified 134 different species of wildflowers in one small plot of the Nine Times Tract.

In 2008, Upstate Forever borrowed money to purchase the tract from Crescent Resources then jointly fundraised with The Nature Conservancy to raise the purchase price. Thanks in large part to funding from the SC Conservation Bank, The Nature Conservancy was able to purchase the property from Upstate Forever later that year and established it as a nature preserve for public use and enjoyment. To learn more about Nine Times visit http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/southcarolina/preserves/art28975.html.