Protecting Land & Water | Advocacy | Balanced Growth
|
|
Join us on a virtual stewardship site visit
Upstate Forever's
Land Conservation team works to protect the natural assets that make our region so special — our farmlands, forests, natural areas, and critical lands — through voluntary conservation easements. But what happens after a conservation agreement is signed?
Conservation stewardship is the perpetual monitoring of land protected by a conservation agreement and, when necessary, the defense and enforcement of that agreement. Our team monitors every property protected by Upstate Forever through stewardship site visits each year — and thanks to your generous
support, UF now protects more than 23,500 acres across 124 properties.
In this video, Scott Park, Upstate Forever's Glenn Hilliard Director of Land Conservation, and Christina Sprecher, Land Stewardship Manager, take you along on a virtual stewardship site visit to help illuminate this critical aspect of our work.
Watch the video
|
|
Enter our Earth Day giveaway
We partnered with the
South Carolina State Parks
to give away one All Parks Passport (free admission to all 47 State Parks!), as well as two of our brand new
Be the Upstate Nalgene bottles
and two
t-shirts by Dapper Ink
. Visit us on Instagram to enter!
Details here
|
|
Support local farmers
Finding grocery store shelves lacking? You can fill your pantry
and support small businesses by purchasing food from Upstate farmers.
Greenbrier Farms in Easley is offering pastured pork, grassfed beef and more for curbside pickup. Email
roddy@greenbrierfarms.com to order.
|
|
|
|
Clean Water Act Lawsuit Launched Against Pickens County Event Venue
Last week, Upstate Forever joined
Naturaland Trust
and
South Carolina Trout Unlimited
to take legal action against the owners and operators of a Pickens County event venue over violations of the Clean Water Act and related property and environmental damage. We are represented by the
South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP)
, a nonprofit environmental law association.
Read more
|
|
From our backyard to yours
The grounds surrounding UF's Greenville office are lush with native plant blooms right now. While our team is not currently together in the office, a few of us have made some visits to check mail, pick up supplies, and generously water each other's house plants (
thank you!). Kerry Newberry, our Office Manager / Executive Assistant extraordinaire, snapped the above photos of some of the office's blooms, including native azaleas, irises, and dogwoods, so we can all enjoy the beauty of spring.
Read more about our Greenville office's landscaping in our native plant guide
Whether you have a backyard blooming in abundance, a small balcony garden, or something in between, we hope you'll take a few moments to enjoy this season of growth. To help you get out and enjoy spring (
while observing social distancing recommendations, of course), our team put together a fun activity the whole family can enjoy:
Backyard Bingo.
Click here to download a printable bingo card to fill out on your next backyard adventure, neighborhood stroll, or nature walk.
We'd love to hear what you find! Take a photo on your adventure or share your completed bingo card with us on
Facebook
.
|
|
More news, updates & resources
Coming soon: The
Upstate Advocate
Keep your eyes peeled for the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of the
Upstate Advocate arriving in mailboxes next week! In the meantime, you can catch up on the most recent issues of our biannual newsletter sponsored by Pacolet Milliken Enterprises at
upstateforever.org/newsletter.
Tune in for
Conversations with Conservationists
This weekly webinar series coordinated by our partners in the
South Carolina Conservation Coalition will give you the opportunity to learn more about conservation issues in SC from the comfort of your home. Upcoming webinars include:
- Advocacy 101 – Wednesday, April 22 at 12:30 pm – Featuring Audubon South Carolina and Conservation Voters of South Carolina – Register here
- Commercial Composting and the End of Landfills? – Thursday, May 7 – Featuring UF Director of Energy & State Policy Shelley Robbins – Time and registration link to come
- Will We Have Enough Water in 20 Years? – Tuesday, May 19 – Hosted by UF Clean Water Advocate Megan Chase – Time and registration link to come
How you can support local farms right now
The
South Carolina Department of Agriculture has compiled
a handy list of farms and businesses offering delivery, on-farm pickup, CSAs, and other options by county. This list is being updated regularly, so check back frequently for more opportunities to support the local food movement.
View the Upstate list
|
|
Follow us on social media:
|
|
Your tax-deductible gift to Upstate Forever will go directly toward protecting critical lands and saving special places in the Upstate.
|
|
Click the icons below to learn more about our work
|
|
Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects critical lands, waters, and the unique character of Upstate South Carolina.
Over the past two decades, we have worked to protect the natural assets that make the Upstate so special — our farmlands, forests, natural areas, rivers, and clean air. We are committed to ensuring that our communities are vibrant and retain their green spaces, outdoor heritage, and unique identities in the face of rapid development and significant sprawl. Our vision is an environmentally healthy, economically prosperous Upstate that offers a high quality of life now and for future generations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
