County Conservation Board awarded two grants in 2017

In a county which sees lots of tree cuts to make room for development, Oconee made a pair of strides in 2017 in the name of land conservation. Shea Airey, chairman of the county Conservation Bank, said grants were awarded to allow a pair of property owners to protect their land from future development. More than 100 acres were entered in permanent conservation. Jerry Powell received a grant of $7,500 to protect 94.1 acres in a conservation easement in the Westminster/Highway 24 area; a grant of $12,500 went to the Morris Family Revocable Trust for permanent conservation of 26.26 acres in the Tamassee area, bordering State Park lands. Chairman Airey released this statement, “Both of the grants provided assisted the landowners in overcoming upfront costs associated with conserving their property permanently. These upfront costs (including surveying, appraisal and other costs, for example) often prevent landowners from being able to complete the permanent conservation of the properties. Oconee County, nor the OCCB, has any ownership interest in the properties for which the grants were awarded, but both landowners (and all future landowners) have and must demonstrate the legally binding commitment of a third-party non-profit to ensure the conservation of the properties.” The county Conservation Bank has money to award in its current application cycle. Landowners who wish to
permanently conserve their properties should complete a statement of interest form, found on the OCCB website.