Dear Friends,
On Monday, November 9th, LLT staff participated in a socially-distanced group paddle on the Black River. We hopped into kayaks and paddled for a few miles, observing the distinct flora and fauna that call the Black River ecosystem home. As staff moved through the dark, tannin-stained waters and admired the long-lived bald cypress, the ecological significance of this place reminded us why our mission is so essential. When we protect the lands we love, we ensure that future generations can experience the personal connections to our landscape that nature inspires.
Black River Cypress Preserve, a privately-owned 1,000-acre nature preserve, hosted LLT for the day. The preserve provides the opportunity for walking, biking, paddling, and birding amongst its rural landscape surrounding the waterway. The Black River is a 151-mile-long blackwater river that winds through multiple counties before joining the Great Pee Dee River. About 75-miles of its length are designated a State Scenic River.
Needless to say, it was the perfect opportunity to reflect with gratitude and reconnect to the objects of our mission.
With Warm Regards,
David Ray
Acting CEO & Chief Conservation Officer
Lowcountry Land Trust
PS: Did you know that Giving Tuesday is right around the corner? Giving Tuesday, held the Tuesday after Black Friday, is the world’s largest day of giving. We hope you’ll join us in support of lowcountry land and water on Tuesday, December 1st.
As we move into the busy holiday season, we will adjust the Log portion of the update to share staff highlights from the past week.
Check out a few drone images taken by Carl Taylor, GIS and Conservation Planning Manager, from the staff outing on the Black River.
Ashton Lamb, North Coast Project Manager, attended a Black Scenic River Advisory Council meeting, where they formally approved the final draft of the Black Scenic River Management Plan. The release of the management plan is expected to occur in early 2021.
Sam Seawell, Stewardship Associate, and Josh Bell, Land Protection Program Manager, completed a baseline documentation report for the Magnolia Hall project, which is scheduled to close in the coming weeks. As noted by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, baseline documentation reports are critical for establishing the condition of the property at the time the easement is transferred, and are the basis of future monitoring and enforcement.
The Conservation Team met to discuss closing out the 2020 season. Discussion topics included upcoming project closings, monitoring reports and documentation, and the transition to using LLT’s new stewardship database, LANDSCAPE.
OTHER NEWS
Women Owning Woodlands: The last session in the four-part “Your Land” webinar series, hosted by Women Owning Woodlands, is being held tonight at 7:00pm. Female speakers from Clemson Extension, SCDNR, USDA-NRCS, The South Carolina Forestry Commission, and more will cover a variety of topics, including the issues women face working their land, cost-share assistance programs, managing your land for pine straw, and more. Be sure to register today!
[The President’s Log will feature a series of rotating guest writers, including LLT staff and board, as well as friends of Lowcountry Land Trust]
This edition of the Lowcountry Land Trust President’s Log is presented with support from Gilchrist/Bissell Wealth Management of Raymond James. Thank you!