Lowcountry Land Trust Inc

TO PROTECT LAND AND WATER FOREVER, NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PLACE, AND CONNECT CONSERVATION TO COMMUNITY.

LAND PROTECTION: DURING FY23, THE LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST PARTICIPATED IN THIRTEEN CONSERVATION TRANSACTIONS. THIS INCLUDED TWELVE NEW CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, FOR A TOTAL OF 2,089.57 ACRES, AND THE FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE OF A 0.83-ACRE PROPERTY. LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST'S FY23 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ENHANCED PROTECTED LANDS AT PLACES WITH NOTABLE DESIGNATIONS SUCH AS DONNELLEY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, THE ASHLEY RIVER HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE STATE-SCENIC ASHLEY RIVER, THE ASHLEY RIVER ROAD NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY, AND THE OLD SHELDON CHURCH ROAD STATE SCENIC BYWAY. ONE OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECTED 95 ACRES IMMINENTLY THREATENED BY A DEVELOPMENT THAT DEMONSTRATIVELY WOULD HAVE EXACERBATED FLOODING; INSTEAD, A CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORING JOHNS ISLAND AIRPORT LED TO THE BARGAIN PURCHASE OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FROM THE CHARLESTON COUNTY AVIATION AUTHORITY, WHICH PURCHASED FEE TITLE AS PART OF BUFFERING AIRPORT OPERATIONS. LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST HAS CONTINUED THE JOHNS ISLAND COMMUNITY CONSERVATION INITIATIVE, A JOINT EFFORT WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, THE OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE, AND THE CENTER FOR HEIRS' PROPERTY PRESERVATION. THIS EFFORT FOCUSES NOT ONLY ON TRADITIONAL LAND PROTECTION OPPORTUNITIES BUT ALSO HELPING LONGTIME RESIDENTS WITH SMALLER LANDHOLDINGS REMOVE OBSTACLES TO RETAINING THEIR LAND IN THIS RAPIDLY URBANIZING LANDSCAPE.

STEWARDSHIP: IN FY 23, LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST MONITORED 100% OF ITS OVER 500 PROTECTED PROPERTIES, INCLUDING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, DEED RESTRICTIONS, AND FEE- SIMPLE PROPERTIES. LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST STAFF UTILITZE VARIOUS MONITORING METHODS, INCLUDING ON-THE-GROUND MONITORING AND AERIAL MONITORING, TO MEET ITS MONITORING OBLIGATIONS. LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST STAFF CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH LANDOWNERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS DURING MONITORING VISITS AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO MAINTAIN WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL AS PROVIDE THEM WITH RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL, LAND MANAGEMENT, AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT RESOURCES.

OUTREACH: IN FY23, LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST CONDUCTED A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR LANDOWNERS IN AUGUST OF 2022, YOGA IN THE PARK AND A SPORTING CLAYS SHOOT IN OCTOBER OF 2022, AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE ANGEL OAK IN JANUARY OF 2023, A CONSERVATION WINS CELEBRATION IN FEBRUARY OF 2023, A SPRING GATHERING IN MARCH OF 2023, LOWCOUNTRY EARTH WEEK WITH OVER 40 PUBLIC- SECTOR PARTNERS IN APRIL OF 2023, AND A POLLINATOR PALOOZA IN JUNE OF 2023. LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST ALSO HOSTED HAPPY HOURS FOR SUPPORTERS OF OUR GIVING TUESDAY (NOVEMBER 2022) AND MAY GIVING CAMPAIGNS.