Mission: Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects critical lands, waters, and the unique character of Upstate South Carolina.
Vision: An environmentally healthy, economically prosperous Upstate that offers a high quality of life now and for future generations.
Over the past two decades, we have worked to protect the natural assets that make the Upstate so special — our farmlands, forests, natural areas, rivers, and clean air. We are committed to ensuring that our communities are vibrant and retain their green spaces, outdoor heritage, and unique identities in the face of rapid development and significant sprawl.
Upstate Forever works with landowners, communities, and local stakeholders to balance growth with the protection of our natural resources. We focus our work on the ten counties of Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union.
Our primary goals are to:
Founded in 1998 by Greenville attorney Brad Wyche, Upstate Forever now has offices in Greenville and Spartanburg and a staff of 25. We've spent the past 25 years forging relationships with business leaders and municipalities. Our reputation for common-sense solutions has earned us wide-spread respect across the Upstate region and beyond.
Upstate Forever's track record of success includes:
The latest edition of our twice-yearly publication explores the ways conservation and economic development in the Upstate can go hand-in-hand, in addition to sharing the latest news from our team.
With support from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund, the six-acre property home to the historic Soapstone Baptist Church in Pickens County has been permanently protected through a conservation easement.
We are proud to be among several nonprofits working to transform the inactive Saluda Grade railroad corridor into an approximately 31-mile rail trail that would run from Inman, SC to Zirconia, NC.
As our region grows, it’s more important than ever to recognize the tremendous value of water — and to fight to protect it.
To realize our vision of a future that is healthy, vibrant, and prosperous for the Upstate, we know it is vitally important and essential to our core values that we engage the diverse community we serve.
Your planned gift can help us achieve our goals for current and future generations, while you enjoy a wide variety of tax benefits.