The Upstate Update: July 2023

The Upstate Update is a digital newsletter curated and shared each month that offers insights into Upstate Forever's recent work, highlights upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, and shares other conservation and advocacy news.

We post the Upstate Update here on the Upstate Forever blog each month. If you would like to receive the Upstate Update directly in your email inbox, please sign up for the mailing list.

Introducing the "Rural Preservation Series"

Between 2001-2016, 11 million acres of agricultural land were lost in America. Unfortunately, South Carolina is not spared from this trend — 280,700 acres of agricultural land were lost in SC during the same period.

In the first post of her new Rural Preservation Series on the Upstate Forever blog, Land Policy Manager Allie Martinsen shares what local municipalities and counties can do to protect and maintain the rural character of the Upstate.

Stay tuned for monthly blog posts celebrating the value of our rural lands while exploring opportunities for long-term preservation!

Also in this month's newsletter:

• Upstate wetlands in danger
  The Supreme Court of the United States made a catastrophic decision against US waterways with their ruling in the Sackett v. EPA case, rolling back decades of efforts to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation's waters. Our Clean Water team published an illuminating blog post explaining this ruling and what it could mean for Upstate waters. Read more
   
• Save the date: Apply August 1-20
  Our Citizens Planning Academy is returning this fall! Greenville residents, business owners, neighborhood leaders, and other stakeholders are invited to join this interactive, introductory course designed to empower citizens to engage in local planning and land use policy efforts. Click here to be notified when the application window opens on Aug. 1.
   

• Protected properties recognized
  Two properties permanently protected by UF conservation easements were recognized at the 2023 South Carolina Historic Preservation Awards last month. Mable Owens Clarke — sixth-generation steward and matriarch of Soapstone Church in Pickens — was honored with the Governor’s Award. The Spring Park Inn in Travelers Rest also received a Preservation Honor Award.

Read more in the July Upstate Update

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