News

Lowcountry Land Trust Protects Additional 512 Acres at Sheldon Plantation

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2023

Press Release

Lowcountry Land Trust today announced the permanent protection of an additional 512 acres near one of the most iconic sites in the Lowcountry, the National Register of Historic Places’ Old Sheldon Church Ruins. The announcement comes less than one year after the initial protection of 240 acres at Sheldon Plantation in Yemassee, South Carolina. Thanks to landowner Christine Jacob’s generosity and commitment to land conservation, the protection of the remainder of Sheldon Plantation further expands upon the initial conservation easement and all other protected lands in the region.

“My family and I are committed to protecting and preserving our land, indeed, the entire ACE Basin.” says Sheldon Plantation owner and easement donor Christine Jacobs. “On our over 700 acres, the breathtaking landscapes and migrating and indigenous species are now protected in perpetuity. It has been an honor to contribute to the preservation of this unique and treasured ecosystem.”

Conserving the entirety of Sheldon Plantation (752 acres) adds to the remarkable mosaic of protected lands in the ACE Basin, a 1.7 million acre watershed recognized by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and SC Department of Natural Resources as a priority focus area for diverse ecosystems and a wealth of wildlife. The collaboration of private landowners, conservation organizations, and federal and state agencies known as the ACE Basin Task Force has forever protected over 300,000 acres of public and private land. The protection of Sheldon Plantation reinforces the ACE Basin Task Force’s commitment to maintaining the pristine character of the region, and is an early start to Governor Henry McMaster’s conservation agenda to double the amount of protected land in South Carolina by 2050.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ms. Jacobs for trusting us to work with her on protecting the remainder of Sheldon Plantation. This latest grant of a conservation easement is a clear demonstration of the private landowner ethic seen in landscapes like the ACE Basin. The permanent conservation and stewardship of the land is a gift not only to Lowcountry Land Trust but to the entire state of South Carolina,” commented Ashley Demosthenes, President and CEO of Lowcountry Land Trust. “As coastal South Carolina continues to be one of the fastest growing regions in the country, it is imperative that land is set aside to provide undeveloped, open space that preserves wildlife habitat, mitigates flooding, enhances water quality, buffers historic resources, and so on.”