What's at Stake
From the mountains to the coast, the lands and waters of the state have been a source of pride, wealth and recreation for generations of South Carolinians. While development brings much-needed growth to our state, it needs to be balanced with land protection to ensure that our quality of life, our heritage of hunting and fishing and our vital water resources are not degraded. The South Carolina Conservation Bank provides a fair and equitable method to preserve our state’s natural heritage while respecting private property rights and leveraging finite fiscal resources for maximum impact.
Challenges
Now in its fourth year of funding, the Conservation Bank uses voluntary easements and acquisitions to protect vulnerable natural and historic lands, family farms, wetlands, battlefields, urban greenways, river corridors and public parks. The Bank has provided $70 million to protect 134,171 acres of land at an amazing cost of only $523/acre. South Carolina’s rapid growth continues to exceed the amount of land being conserved and requests for Bank funding far exceed the amount available. In 2007, grant requests totaled $42 million, nearly double the $24 million available.
Many Conservation Bank projects are collaborative efforts, such as the 2007 campaign to protect Oconee County’s historic Stumphouse Mountain and scenic Issaqueena Falls from private development. The Conservation Bank contributed $1.22 million of the $4.3 million raised from 1,100 individuals, 110 towns and multiple state agencies.
Although a percentage of the documentary stamp tax is designated for the Bank, the General Assembly determines the final amount appropriated in the state’s annual budget. Unsuccessful attempts have been made every year to divert Bank projects to other uses such as beach re-nourishment, education shortfalls or even mitigation for wetlands destroyed by the construction of I-73. Current Bank funding is merely a down payment towards protecting what Governor Sanford has described as a “key part of our quality of life and our competitive advantage.”
Next Steps
Ensure that the dedicated real estate transfer tax is used to fully fund the Conservation Bank, and commit to incremental funding over the next five years.
Continue funding the Heritage Trust Program, which has been a model since 1976 in protecting endangered habitats.
Facilitate local land conservation bond referendums and funding for counties, towns and cities, and foster public-private partnerships at all levels of government.
Create a Water For the Future Fund to protect watersheds and streamside buffers and to correct infrastructure deficiencies and failing septic systems that degrade water quality.
For more information:
Marvin Davant, Conservation Bank, 803-734-3986
Christie McGregor, Coastal Conservation League, 803-771-7102
Mark Robertson, The Nature Conservancy, 803-254-9049
Fast Facts
The Conservation Incentives Act allows landowners to receive tax incentives for protecting their land.
Local Land Trusts work with landowners to find creative ways to conserve land.
The Conservation Bank has preserved more than 124,000 acres of forestlands and wetlands and almost 9,000 acres of working farms.
Conservation Bank Board has three members appointed by the Governor, three by the Speaker of the House and three by the President of the Senate, plus the Board Chairs of Department of Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission and the Director of Parks Recreation and Tourism.