Charleston, South Carolina – A conservation agreement will prevent the development of a Johns Island property that has been in the family for over a century.
The Lowcountry Land Trust has announced the permanent protection of the 37-acre property, which contains farming, forested wetlands, and wildlife habitats.
The conservation of this property will save two important habitats in the local landscape and environment. This area includes little over 13 acres of highland regions with agricultural soils and wooded wetlands. According to the Lowcountry Land Trust, these habitats help to conserve biodiversity, improve water quality, and reduce flooding.
The family contributed the conservation easement, ensuring that the area be conserved for future generations.
“Lowcountry Land Trust is honored to have been entrusted with the perpetual protection of this special family land,” stated Sam Seawell, community lands director for Lowcountry Land Trust. “The owner’s foresight and conservation of the property helps maintain the rural landscape of Johns Island, an undertaking that is seemingly hard, yet possible, to achieve.”
According to the Lowcountry Land Trust, the property’s protection helps Charleston County’s Urban Growth Boundary, a planning technique that directs development toward existing facilities while limiting growth in rural regions.
Although around 8% of Johns Island is protected by conservation easements, the organization estimates that roughly 80% of the island is outside the urban growth zone and remains primarily rural.
According to the Lowcountry Land Trust, the new easement complements ongoing efforts by landowners and conservation groups to protect the Lowcountry’s biologically and culturally valuable landscapes while regulating growth and ensuring resiliency.
