News & Media

During monitoring yesterday after heavy rains, Upstate Forever discovered a dangerous gully forming in the pipeline right-of-way that would eventually threaten the structural integrity and safety of the newly-constructed pipeline. “We have had continual problems with Dominion’s construction quality and impact on streams throughout this project,” stated Shelley Robbins, Energy and State Policy Manager, “but this is the first one that is a safety threat.” The gully, which has encroached to within mere feet of the buried pipeline, was discovered during inspection of the right-of-way along Hobbysville Road near the historic Price House in southern Spartanburg County. read more

Upstate Forever now protects nearly 500 acres on two tracts —the 353-acre Grassy Knob tract in Pickens County and the 135-acre Gilkey Creek tract in Cherokee County— through wetland and stream mitigation partnerships. Working closely with the SC Department of Transportation, Upstate Forever identified strategic projects that would satisfy the mitigation requirements for the impacts to waterways by local highway improvements, helping keep the much-needed infrastructure projects on-time and on-budget while protecting local headwater streams and critical habitat areas.  read more

Hollingsworth Funds has awarded Upstate Forever a grant for $75,000 to empower and equip Greenville’s community leaders, citizens, and quality-of-life stakeholders with land use solutions to help address the most urgent issues facing our community. read more

Upstate Forever is thrilled to announce it has received a $1 million gift in honor of Marjorie E. Schmidt, a longtime Greenville resident with a heart for nature and a humble, giving spirit. The gift will be used to advance Upstate Forever’s mission to protect land, water, and the unique character of the Upstate in the face of skyrocketing growth and sprawling development. read more

The first phase of mountain bike trails on Stumphouse Mountain in Oconee County is officially open! Six miles of trails are already accessible and ten total should be completed by the end of the year, linking the town of Walhalla to the Palmetto Trail. The Trail is built and managed by Palmetto Conservation Foundation. Upstate Forever holds the park land under a conservation easement, which permanently protects the property from development. We are honored to have worked with many sponsors and partners to complete this exciting project to improve access to nature in the Upstate. read more

Upstate Forever and Heart of Boiling Springs will host a series of public workshops in partnership with Toole Design Group on Thursday March 22, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm at Boiling Springs First Baptist Church, 3600 Boiling Springs Rd. and Thursday April 26, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm at New Beginnings United Methodist Church, 210 Rainbow Lake Rd., Boiling Springs. The workshops are part of a process to develop a shared, community-driven vision for Boiling Springs, a rapidly developing uninco­rporated community along the I-85 corridor in central Spartanburg County. read more

Upstate Forever is pleased to announce three new additions to its Board of Directors: Hank McCullough, Ken Deon, and Charles Dalton. We look forward to their participation and insight as Upstate Forever works to protect the critical lands, waters, and unique character of Upstate South Carolina. read more

PICKENS, SC — A tract of land near Glassy Mountain Heritage Trust Preserve in Pickens County that was once slated for a controversial real estate development has been permanently protected by a conservation easement. Upstate Forever was instrumental in working with the community and the owners of the proposed development site to realize a conservation outcome for this important tract of land at the base of Glassy Mountain, a Pickens County icon. The tract in question is critical to preserving the natural heritage of the area. read more