Beaufort County, South Carolina
more than 60 parks and trails, and has preserved nearly
10,000 acres of open space.
DARCY KIEFEL
BEAUFORT COUNTY RURAL AND CRITICAL
LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM
Beaufort County, South Carolina
Only an hour’s drive from Savannah and Charleston,
coastal Beaufort County enjoys a thriving economy
based on its scenic beauty. But a surge in population has
fed new development and increased traffic on already
congested roads. In 1998, the county council and a
group of citizens established the Beaufort County Rural
and Critical Land Preservation Program, which in 2003
began partnering with The Trust for Public Land to pri-
oritize scenic, historic, recreational, and natural lands for
protection. Voters have twice approved bonds to fund
the program—a total of $90 million—and the program
has protected more than 16,750 acres.
TPL congratulates these county programs for their model
conservation work. For more information about the winners
and the County Leadership in Conservation Awards, go to
www.tpl.org/awards.
COUR TESY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUN TY PARKS, RECREATION AND CONSERVATION
Hillsborough County, Florida
