Projects

Applications

This is a summary of all projects of the GCHNRT, including projects whose details can’t be announced yet.

As is vital in any real estate transaction, the Trust is cautious to protect confidential information until the parties have executed their real estate transactions. Until a Project is closed on between a property owner and the Eligible Entity, we will withhold identifying project information.

The Trust’s Grants Committee reviewed and ranked each project against criteria outlined in the Trust’s establishment ordinance and other pertinent measures. This summary has been posted on the Trust website to allow for public input and afford information to members of the County Council. The long-term goal is to identify and fund worthy projects in each Council district.

August 2026 Applications

The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust received:

• Three (3) applications from three eligible entities.

• The requests total $950,000 in funds

Applications represented:

• Three (3) Natural Resources (District 17)

Project 052

This property is a marquee property that extends the protected landscape of Jones Gap State Park eastward to Highway 25, securing a key tract for the integrity of the larger Mountain Bridge Wilderness. More than the protection of a single tract, it is a continuation of a fifty-year conservation vision: connecting mountains, forests, streams, and public lands into a resilient landscape that protects water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic character, and the wild identity of the South Carolina Blue Ridge. At 38 acres, this mountainous property is the first landscape visitors see as they enter South Carolina from North Carolina.  

Grant Request: $200,000
Total Project Value + Additional Real Estate Value: $600,000 
Leverage Ratio: $2.00 of external money to every $1 the county trust proposes to invest
Type of Project: Natural Resource
Application Type: Fee Simple Purchase
County Council District: 17

Project 053

This property lies at the heart of a decades-long effort to protect key properties between the South Saluda and Middle Saluda Rivers. It is entirely surrounded by protected lands. This 111-acre forested tract contains an important cove forest and headwater stream, and notably is known as habitat for blue ghost fireflies. The site secures a prominent ridgeline and mountaintop overlooking the Piedmont while filling a significant gap within this larger conservation landscape.

Grant Request: $300,000
Total Project Value + Additional Real Estate Value: $1,360,000
Leverage Ratio: $3.53 of external money to every $1 the county trust proposes to invest
Type of Project: Natural Resource
Application Type: Fee Simple Purchase
County Council District: 17

Project 054

The 146-acre acquisition would protect some three-quarters of a mile of North Saluda River frontage just south of the Poinsett Reservoir. The property offers the opportunity for significant long-term restoration of riverbank and floodplain habitat, and for the protection of water quality. The property also affords access for hiking, fishing, and paddling, while also welcoming regenerative farming of the existing field once restoration work is complete.  

Grant Request: $450,000
Total Project Value + Additional Real Estate Value: $2,800,000
Leverage Ratio: $5.22 of external money to every $1 the county trust proposes to invest
Type of Project: Natural Resource
Application Type: Fee Simple Purchase
County Council District: 17