FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Audubon’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary is permanently protected

Grant from the South Carolina Conservation Bank Funds Easement with Lowcountry Land Trust

(AIKEN, S.C. – July 17, 2018) – Audubon South Carolina’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary in Aiken County is now permanently protected by a conservation easement, thanks in part to an $807,000 grant from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and a donation by the National Audubon Society. The legal easement is held by the Lowcountry Land Trust in partnership with the Aiken Land Conservancy.

Free and open to the public, Silver Bluff is a 3,300-acre property featuring stunning Savannah River views, more than 20 miles of public trails, historic resources dating back to the 1700s, a community pollinator garden, and training sites for bird-friendly forestry.

“Silver Bluff is a cultural and historical gem, and continentally-recognized Important Bird Area,” said Sharon Richardson, Executive Director of Audubon South Carolina. “I’m thrilled to know this special place will always be protected, regardless of who may own it in the future.”

“We are excited to count Silver Bluff among the 140,000 acres we’ve protected in South Carolina,” said Ashley Demosthenes, president and CEO of Lowcountry Land Trust. “The Land Trust is particularly interested in properties like Silver Bluff that have significant river frontage, because forested wetlands provide filtration that helps ensure clean water for downstream communities.”

Revenue from the sale of the easement will be placed into an endowment for the sanctuary, the proceeds of which will be used to shift to a forest management strategy that prioritizes ecological restoration and wildlife enhancement above the sale of timber. This includes expanding efforts like longleaf pine restoration, red-cockaded woodpecker translocation and bobwhite quail habitat restoration.

“Silver Bluff already enjoys nearly 4,000 visitors annually, but the potential for growth is outstanding,” said Richardson. “Our vision is a more user-friendly public space that is not only a sanctuary for birds and wildlife, but truly a resource for the Aiken-Augusta community and the state of South Carolina.”

Silver Bluff is valued for its ecological diversity, which includes 30 acres of ponds, 200 acres of grasslands, 700 acres of native longleaf pine, and 900 acres of mature bottomland hardwood forests. More than 200 bird species have been spotted there, including Bald Eagles (considered threatened in South Carolina) and Wood Storks (considered threatened throughout the United States.)

Silver Bluff is also of great historical and cultural significance. From its beginnings as a trading post for Native Americans and its role as a British fort in the Revolutionary War, to serving as home to one of the oldest African-American churches in the United States and its ownership by South Carolina Governor James Henry Hammond, Silver Bluff is a gold mine for archaeologists and historians alike. 

About Audubon South Carolina

Audubon South Carolina protects birds and the places they need, right here in South Carolina. We’re the state office of the National Audubon Society, which has more than one million members and a century-long track record of success. In South Carolina, we represent nearly 20,000 Audubon members and supporters, nine Audubon chapters and bird club partners, two Audubon centers and 22,000 acres of land that we own and manage. Learn more about what we do and how to help at sc.audubon.org and follow us on Facebook at @ScAudubon, Twitter at @AudubonSc, and Instagram at @audubon_sc.

About Lowcountry Land Trust

Founded in 1986, the Lowcountry Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to honor the relationship between people and land by protecting irreplaceable Lowcountry lands and treasured places. Lowcountry Land Trust has protected over 142,000 acres across fifteen (15) counties in SC. More information about the Lowcountry Land Trust is available at www.lowcountrylandtrust.org.

Media Contacts

Angelina Ricci Eisenhauer
Director, Policy and Communications
Audubon South Carolina
aeisenhauer@audubon.org
843-459-2473

Becky Woods
Communications Manager
Lowcountry Land Trust
843-577-6510 (Office)
843.410.0675 (Mobile)