Lowcountry Land Trust is proud to announce the permanent protection of a 225-acre working agricultural property owned by Rita and Melvin Young in Dorchester County. Located just outside the Town of Saint George, Young’s Farm represents the first conservation easement in the county supported by both the South Carolina Conservation Bank and the Dorchester County Greenbelt Program.
“We applaud the Young Family for ensuring their working land remains working forever, Dorchester County voters for voluntarily establishing the Greenbelt program, and County Council for recognizing the role of conservation easements in protecting working farmland,” commented Raleigh West, director, South Carolina Conservation Bank. “We’re honored to bring state dollars to the table when so many parties have worked together for success.”
In addition to preserving valuable farmland, the conservation of Young’s Farm helps sustain the region’s agricultural heritage through a long-standing partnership with a large-scale local farmer. The farmer cultivates crops such as cotton, soybeans, and corn, which contribute to the broader agricultural economy, and also produces oat hay specifically for the Youngs’ beloved llamas. By maintaining access to productive, high-quality soils, this easement supports the ongoing viability of agriculture in Dorchester County.
“When we originally moved to Illinois, the entire area was farmland,” recalls Dr. Rita Young. Within eighteen years, we were the only farm left. Eighteen years is such a short time for productive agricultural and eco-friendly land to be turned into developments. We never wanted to experience that again. Preserving the land is healthy for the environment, the agricultural community and for the continued beauty of Dorchester County.” That commitment to preservation is now being realized through a conservation easement, which, as Mel Young explains, “will allow our land to be preserved as productive agricultural land, as well as a habitat that is crucial to the biodiversity that comes with the combination of woods, wetlands, and open fields.”
The protection of Young’s Farm also strengthens neighboring conservation efforts by connecting with a major restoration project within Polk Swamp, a once-thriving cypress and tupelo swamp that was severely impacted by Hurricane Hugo. Led by Dorchester County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the restoration will begin later this year. Together, the conservation easement and restoration project create a synergistic opportunity to heal and sustain this rare natural habitat.
Preserving working lands in Dorchester County, near growing towns like Saint George, is critical to protecting the character, ecology, and agricultural future of the Lowcountry. This project is a shining example of how landowners, nonprofits, and government partners can collaborate to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
