Blog

Our Community

Conservation is about people as much as place. Meet the landowners, advocates, volunteers, and partners working to protect what makes the Upstate special.

Discover the people behind the progress below.

A Year of Impact: Celebrating Upstate Forever’s 2025 successes

A Year of Impact: Celebrating Upstate Forever’s 2025 successes
December 16, 2025

From protecting treasured landscapes to strengthening water quality safeguards, empowering communities, and advocating for sustainable growth, it’s been a year full of meaningful wins for the Upstate.

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Remembering Dennis Chastain

Remembering Dennis Chastain
November 24, 2025

A naturalist, historian, storyteller, and so much more, Dennis dedicated his life to discovering, documenting, and sharing the unique majesty of South Carolina’s mountains and foothills.

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Meet the Team: Board member Maurie Lawrence

Meet the Team: Board member Maurie Lawrence
November 12, 2025

Get to know one of Upstate Forever's newest Board members, Maurie Lawrence, through a few rapid-fire questions.

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Ask an Advocate: Grassroots advocacy in Greenville County

Ask an Advocate: Grassroots advocacy in Greenville County
November 10, 2025

In this advice column, Land Policy Grassroots Specialist Tre’Dessa Smalls illustrates some of Upstate Forever’s recent grassroots initiatives — and shares how you can get involved.

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Bryson Children's Nature Walk is a gift to the community

Bryson Children's Nature Walk is a gift to the community
November 6, 2025

Mayor James Atkinson of Six Mile, SC, shares how his town's planned park is a model of child-first conservation and an example of how local officials can help protect greenspace for their constituents.

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Inside South Carolina's one-of-a-kind farm school

Inside South Carolina's one-of-a-kind farm school
November 5, 2025

Upstate Forever staff toured the SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, where educators are preparing the next generation of leaders in farming, forestry, and conservation.

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Nature play nurtures future conservationists

Nature play nurtures future conservationists
November 4, 2025

Conestee Nature Preserve aims to spark lifelong respect, wonder, and responsibility for what grows and thrives here in the heart of the Upstate.

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Wild Childhood: Inside the latest issue of the Upstate Advocate

Wild Childhood: Inside the latest issue of the Upstate Advocate
Aldon Knight  |  November 3, 2025

Executive Director Aldon Knight introduces the latest edition of our twice-yearly print publication.

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