This 115-acre property near Easley was just one of several tracts of land included in agreements between conservation group Upstate Forever and local landowners over the last year.

Group conserves 699 acres

in county over past year

GREENVILLE — Upstate Forever has partnered with landowners in Pickens County to protect three important properties.

The 183-acre Lake Keowee tract is covered by mature hardwood forests and provides important habitat for wildlife. Located in Six Mile, the property includes frontage along Lake Keowee and Craig Creek. The owner, Keowee Investment Properties, plans to establish a park on the property that will be open to the public for hiking and picnicking.

The second protected tract is a working cattle farm near Easley that includes 3,500 feet of frontage along George’s Creek.

The beautiful 115-acre property adjoins a 13-acre site containing several historically significant structures, including the 1850s-era home of Robert Elliot Holcombe, who helped establish the city of Easley and was elected its first mayor in 1874. Also protected on the site are the Lenhardt School and a small store, both dating from the early 20th century. The landowners simultaneously protected this adjacent property through an agreement with Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation.

A third protected property is located near Highway 123 in Liberty. The 92-acre tract is primarily forestland and also contains a small wetland and pasture.

Upstate Forever also signed conservation agreements with two other Pickens County landowners in 2012, protecting a total of 699 acres in the county over the past year.

A voluntary contract between a landowner and a qualified land trust, a conservation agreement retains private ownership for the landowner, who relinquishes some or all of the rights to develop a property.  An accredited land trust, Upstate Forever currently partners with the owners of 87 properties across the Upstate region to permanently protect a total of 17,117 acres through conservation agreements.

Landowners may also enjoy significant tax benefits for protecting their land with conservation easements. Federal tax incentives for conservation have been increased, but are set to expire at the end of 2013. These increased incentives are particularly advantageous to farmers and to low- and middle-income landowners.