Funding for conservation

Why is conservation funding so important?

With additional local funding, we can...

• Protect more of the Upstate’s iconic forests, mountains, fields, and waterways forever. Nationally recognized gems —places like Jones Gap State Park, Stumphouse Mountain, Lake Conestee Nature Preserve, Paris Mountain, Cragmoor Farms, Nine Times Forest, and Scenic Highway 11 — define our region and make the Upstate a beautiful place to call home. As development pressure increases, the time is now to preserve even more iconic places forever.
   
• Secure more conservation projects right here in the Upstate. The South Carolina Conservation Bank is a fantastic resource for conservation funding, but to be more effective at this critical time, its funding must be increased by the legislature. Plus, because the Bank’s grants are distributed statewide, the Upstate must compete with many worthy projects across South Carolina for limited conservation funds. Increasing the Bank’s funding will certainly help, but we also need additional local funding sources that will exclusively benefit conservation projects right here in the Upstate.
   
• Offer matching funds that give the Upstate a competitive edge in securing federal, state, and private grants for conservation. For example, both the South Carolina Conservation Bank and the USDA’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program offer significant funding to protect land, but insist that local match dollars be brought to the table. With readily available funding, we are better positioned to seize these opportunities and ensure more grants go to local Upstate projects.
   
• Open doors for more landowners to protect their land with a permanent conservation easement. Funding removes financial barriers for conservation-minded landowners and allows them to rest easy knowing their property is preserved for generations to come.