Governor McMaster Honored with Inaugural Palmetto Conservation Leadership Award

jen • April 28, 2026

South Carolina Land Trust Network recognizes decades of leadership protecting the state’s natural and historic resources



Columbia, S.C. (April 27, 2026)— The South Carolina Land Trust Network (SCLTN) presented Governor Henry McMaster with the inaugural Palmetto Conservation Leadership Award, recognizing his commitment to protecting South Carolina’s farms, forests, waterways, and historic landscapes.

The award was presented by Lyles Cooper, Board Chair of the Network and Executive Director of the Pee Dee Land Trust, and Jen Howard, executive director, SCLTN, on behalf of the state’s 24 land trusts, their boards, staff, and conservation easement donors.


“South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, and more than three-quarters of our land is privately owned,” said Jen Howard, executive director, SCLTN. “That growth brings increasing pressure on landowners to sell their property for development. Conservation easements and strategic land protection are essential to maintaining the balance between livability and economic strength that defines our state.”


Land trusts across South Carolina work directly with landowners to permanently protect working farms, forests, and scenic landscapes—ensuring clean water, wildlife habitat, and preservation of the state’s unique sense of place. From historic battlefields to river corridors and family-owned farms, these lands represent both South Carolina’s heritage and its future.


While acknowledging the increasing pace of land protection, Governor McMaster issued a challenge to the fifty landowners and land trust staff in attendance. “South Carolina has been discovered, and that brings increased use of natural resources across our state,” said Governor McMaster. “In order to support our economic prosperity and quality of life, we must continue to protect more land at a faster pace before it’s too late.”


Under Governor McMaster’s leadership, South Carolina has emerged as a national model for collaborative, bipartisan conservation efforts. Through public advocacy, policy support, and partnerships with state agencies and land trusts, his administration has helped advance large-scale conservation initiatives across the state.


Key accomplishments during his tenure include:

  • Significant increases in funding for the South Carolina Conservation Bank, a critical program that helps landowners protect their property while keeping it in productive use
  • Establishment of the South Carolina Office of Resilience to better coordinate conservation and resource management efforts
  • Support for the 2024 Working Agricultural Lands Preservation Act, expanding tools and funding to protect family farms
  • Facilitation of major conservation projects, including new state parks, forests, and large-scale easements across the state

Since Governor McMaster took office in 2017, more than 385,000 acres have been permanently protected in South Carolina. This includes over 273,000 acres conserved through easements, 58,000 acres acquired for public access, and an additional 54,000 acres secured by land trusts for future transfer to state ownership.

“These achievements reflect a vision that conservation and economic growth are not competing priorities, but complementary ones,” Cooper said. “By protecting working lands and natural resources, we are strengthening South Carolina’s economy and preserving what makes it such a special place to live, work, and visit.”


The Palmetto Conservation Leadership Award honors extraordinary contributions to the permanent protection of South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources. In lieu of a traditional plaque, Governor McMaster was presented with a handcrafted longleaf pine needle basket, symbolizing the resilience and ecological importance of one of the state’s most iconic ecosystems.


“We hope this serves as a lasting reminder of the importance of protecting our special places,” Cooper added. “And as encouragement to continue championing conservation for generations to come.”


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