Naturaland Trust

“A copy of the 2015 form 990 was not provided to the entire board. An appropriate officer of the board was designated to review the 990 on behalf of the board of directors.”

“The organization does not currently have a conflict of interest policy in place.”

“The organization makes its form 990 available upon request. Additionally, recent filings of the form can be found on guidestar.org.”

“Our mission for the past 40 years has been to protect "a few special places...in trust for the future." the places we strive to protect include the blue ridge escarpment - the magnificent "blue wall," key upstate south carolina rivers, waterfalls and riparian resources and other important natural areas. We accomplish this by working with landowners, other land trusts, government agencies and foundations to secure title, conservation easements or other protected status in perpetuity for these important natural lands and resources.”

“The following parcels were acquired by purchase or received as a donation to further the preservation of natural areas for the benefit of the public. Expenses include costs associated with the servicing of the assets, but not the asset cost. The following parcels were purchased: 1. Ecu saluda river gorge - naturaland trust has worked for decades to protect the north, south and middle saluda rivers along their course before their convergence at saluda lake in greenville county. Many of these properties have become popular trout fishing, paddling, and hiking destinations while serving the dual benefit of protecting source water for the people of easley. Since much of the watershed north of the lake is unprotected, the lakes health faces an uncertain future. This is especially concerning for easley combined utilities (ecu), who draws their drinking water from the lake. In 2011 ecu spent over 7,000,000 dredging excess sediment that washed down from farms and cleared lands north of saluda lake. Taking a proactive stance to help saluda lake and the people of easley, ecu decided to invest in land conservation and habitat restoration to protect the forests that buffer the south, north and middle saluda rivers. With guidance from save our saluda, we looked for the right property to start this initiative. The 225-acre saluda river gorge property is situated approximately 7 miles upstream of the saluda lake between the north and south saluda rivers. The property is mixed mature forest on relatively steep land that includes over 2 miles of frontage on the north saluda river (which forms the eastern boundary) and 3/4-mile on the south saluda river (which forms the southwest boundary), along with interior streams and floodplains. The rivers tumble over boulders, forming rapids and a gorgeous blueway in a gorge-like setting. Because of its steep boundaries, river frontage and interior streams, a clear-cut, development or mismanagement could have severe and lasting negative impacts on saluda lake. Ecu agreed to purchase and hold the property until naturaland trust could raise the funding to buy the land and protect it forever. In april of 2020, with funding from the sc conservation bank and a 250,000 donation via bargain sale from easley combined utilities, naturaland trust closed on the property. Ecus proactive attitude to protect source water is one we hope will become a model for other utilities around the state. 2. Core connector - the core connector, at 16.72 acres, is a critical piece of piedmont seepage forest and floodplain that strengthens the connectivity of bunched arrowhead habitat in greenville county. The bunched arrowhead is one of the rarest plants in the carolinas, perhaps in the world. It exists in a rare ecosystem, the piedmont seepage forest, and has been found only in two counties: greenville county in south carolina and henderson county in north carolina. It is dependent upon a habitat made up of clean, shallow, slow moving seepage wetlands. Unfortunately, many of these seepage forests have been drained and damaged as the rolling hills where they originate have historically been utilized as farms, horse pastures, and recently leveled for developments. The bunched arrowhead thrives and only grows in this ecosystem and is an umbrella species for myriad plants, amphibians, reptiles and mammals who depend on these wetlands. It is federally-listed as endangered, and the principal strategy for its survival as determined by the usfws is protection of existing populations and their habitat. Unfortunately, these plants and their principal population are now in the heart of a real estate boom outside the bustling town of travelers rest along tigerville road. 3. Burrell's place - forming an island within sumter national forest and along pig pen creek is a 6.5-acre property that controls the fate of over 4 miles of brook trout stream, which flows into the wild and scenic chattooga river. Scdnr has worked for decades to restore popul”

“Unrealized gain on revaluation of two notch llc 1,518,833 valuation change top notch for 754 -195,224 total 1,323,609”