Mark your calendars for two upcoming events . . .

It's hard to believe fall is just around the corner! As you map out your social calendar, we hope you'll join us for these two great opportunities to connect with Upstate Forever's work:

🍺 Brews & Big Ideas in Spartanburg County

This happy hour promises to be a fun and engaging evening with UF's staff and board at Holliday Brewing in Inman. Grab a brew and join the conversation about conservation, sustainable development, and the protection of critical waterways in Spartanburg County and throughout the Upstate.

Tuesday, September 22 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM

Holliday Brewing | 12 Prospect St, Inman, SC

Don't miss your chance to connect, ask questions, and enjoy a drink on us! This event is generously sponsored by Walker, Wallace & Emerson Realty.

🪻Annual Meeting at Elf Leaf Farm

Join our staff and board at the beautiful Elf Leaf Farm, a family-owned lavender farm in Landrum. Come celebrate the progress we've made this year and the generosity of folks like you who enable our team to do this important conservation and advocacy work.

Sunday, October 4 | 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Elf Leaf Farm | 141 North Campbell Road, Landrum, SC

This is a fun, family-friendly event open to all Upstate Forever members. We hope to see you there!

We're hiring a State Policy Manager

Do you want to advance conservation, environmental justice, and energy policy in SC? We're hiring a State Policy Manager to build partnerships, conduct research, and champion our legislative priorities across the Upstate and at the State House. This full-time role is based out of our Greenville or Spartanburg offices with a hybrid schedule. View the job description and apply by 5:00 PM on August 17!

Advocacy mixer success!

In June, UF's Land Planning & Policy and State Policy programs hosted Inside the Process: Local Planning & State Advocacy Mixer. Over 50 guests enjoyed lively discussions and gained key insights on local community outreach, missing middle housing, conservation subdivisions, and the status of data center policy statewide. Don't miss our next advocacy event — sign up for our e-lists for timely updates.

Thank you, Mast General Store

We were honored to receive more than $10,600 from Mast General Greenville as a result of this year's Land Trust Day and $430 from their July round-up campaign! These generous gifts help permanently protect even more of the Upstate's farmlands, forests, and special places for generations to come. Thank you for being such a valued community partner in conservation, Mast General Store!

UF staff enjoy a summer fun day

Every summer, our team takes a brief break from protecting the Upstate's special places to spend quality time together. This year, we gathered at Grove Station Farms in scenic Piedmont, SC. We had fun visiting with the lovely horses on a hayride and during a grooming session, and we topped the day off with a delicious lunch from a local favorite, Black Sheep Cafe & Catering.

Alexander Elementary students get a safer route to school

Despite the July heat, several members of our team — led by our Land Policy Grassroots Specialist Tre'Dessa Smalls — got out to support LiveWell Greenville's community-based initiative Safe Routes to School.

As a member of the Safe Routes to School Committee, Tre'Dessa has been working with other community partners to complete walk audits near schools along the White Horse Road Corridor.

This month's task involved painting a crosswalk and stenciling eagle feet for Alexander Elementary School students to follow as they arrive at school. Both updates will help direct the flow of traffic and help students find their way safely inside when school is back in session next month.

Staff updates & more news

Staff anniversaries

This month, Glenn Hilliard Director of Land Conservation Scott Park is celebrating ten years with UF. Since joining UF in 2016, Scott has led our land conservation program with vision, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the Upstate's special places. Working alongside landowners, partners, and communities, he has helped conserve thousands of acres of farmland, forests, waterways, and scenic landscapes that will benefit people and wildlife for generations to come.

We are also celebrating Gift Processing & Database Coordinator Ava Thacker, who has been an integral part of UF's Development team for eleven years. As an essential member of our Development team, Ava manages our donor database, supports our fundraising efforts, communicates with supporters, and helps make events a success. Her attention to detail and dedication behind the scenes help strengthen the relationships that make our conservation work possible.

Finally, our Assistant Financial Director Danna Brown is celebrating her first anniversary this month. Since joining our team last summer, Danna has played a vital role in ensuring our organization's financial operations remain strong. She brings extensive experience in public accounting, controller roles, and internal auditing to our team, and we're grateful for the expertise she contributes to UF's complex nonprofit accounting processes.

Water restoration grants available

The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council (AWC) is accepting grant applications until Monday, August 31 at 5:00 PM for projects dedicated to restoring water quality in the Savannah River watershed following the 2014 Kinder Morgan petroleum pipeline spill. Eligible organizations working in this impacted area can receive funds ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for education and outreach, or up to $100,000 for site remediation and land protection. Learn more and apply here.

Your tax-deductible gift to Upstate Forever will go directly toward protecting critical lands and saving special places in the Upstate.