Apr 5, 2022 | News
Our Mission
Upstate Forever (UF) is a nonprofit conservation group that works to balance growth with natural resource protection. Our mission is to protect our region’s critical lands and waters, especially in the face of rapid sprawl. We advocate for an environmentally healthy, economically prosperous Upstate where residents experience a high quality of life because our region’s natural assets are maintained and preserved through conservation and smart growth. Our programs include Land Conservation, Clean Water, Energy and State Policy, and Land Planning and Policy.
Program Overviews
Land Conservation: UF was the first land trust in South Carolina to receive national accreditation. Our Land Conservation program partners with landowners to protect special places through permanent conservation easements. In 2021, our team protected approximately 3,600 acres of private and public forests, farmlands, and greenspaces across the ten Upstate counties we serve. Through our partner projects with other nonprofits, we also successfully protected an additional 900 acres.
Clean Water: Our Clean Water team partners with a diverse group of stakeholders to ensure water quality and quantity are protected, especially as population pressure increases. We focus on keeping streams, rivers, and lakes healthy and protecting watershed lands critical to clean drinking water.
Energy & State Policy: UF has recently emerged as leader in energy advocacy. We work at the state and local level to fight unnecessary infrastructure and lay the groundwork for regulations and policy that encourages flexible and cost-effective clean renewable energy, energy storage, demand side management, and energy efficiency.
Land Planning and Policy: With the Upstate’s projected population growth estimated to reach nearly 1,750,000 – an increase of 64% since 1990 – by 2040, our Land Planning and Policy team works diligently to facilitate plans and policies to accommodate that growth. Where and how growth occurs directly impacts residents’ quality of life and the region’s natural assets. We believe that growth should be directed to already urbanized areas equipped with supporting infrastructure.
Greenville City and County recently adopted Comprehensive Plans, which include targeted goals to advance smart growth. Historically, such plans have too often remained underrealized and never enacted with policy. However, we are excited to see the City and County drafting new ordinances to support implementation of their Comprehensive Plans.
Current priority efforts in Greenville County
We have seen growth within the City of Greenville, but Greenville County is growing rapidly, too, with 220,000+ new residents projected by 2040.
In early 2020, County Council unanimously adopted a widely supported Comprehensive Plan that envisions protecting natural assets while accommodating growth by directing most new development to the county’s center, where infrastructure can support it. To help realize this vision, Greenville County is drafting a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to replace existing zoning and land development regulations.
The new UDO should enact the community’s future vision by allowing higher density development in already urbanized areas and limiting development intensity in rural, undeveloped areas with remaining forests and farmlands. The UDO should also respect the community’s desire to protect natural assets by strengthening open space requirements in the county’s rural conservation subdivision design standards, as well as tree canopy and riparian buffer protection countywide. Riparian buffers play an enormous role in preventing severe flooding events and stabilizing streambanks, thereby protecting water quality and critical habitats.
Land conservation is critical to water quality as well. In fact, the Trust for Public Lands found that every $1 spent on land protection saves $27 on water treatment costs, reinforcing the crucial relationship between land conservation and water quality, and the essential role that local conservation banks and funding can play in protecting water quality and residents’ quality of life. Keep an eye out for our kiosks along the Swamp Rabbit trail to learn more about how we’re protecting Greenville’s water sources.
City of Greenville
The City is currently developing the GVL Development Code to implement their new comprehensive plan: GVL 2040. This multi-year, once-in-a-decade process intends to overhaul zoning and land development regulations to direct most future growth to nodes and corridors through traditional, higher density urban development. To realize this vision, the new Code must ensure smart growth that is more urban and less suburban.
Three priorities are driving the new Code: preserving greenspace, offering more affordable housing, and reducing dependence on cars. Our Land Planning and Policy team closely monitors and advocates for provisions in the Code to advance these community goals. We advocate for incentives and requirements that promote upward, not outward forms of development; green and open spaces within developments; diverse housing types that suit their location, such as taller buildings on major streets and house-size buildings in walkable neighborhoods; pockets of higher density, walkable, mixed-use development that make efficient public transit feasible; complete streets that encourage walking, biking, and transit; and deliberate steps to avoid displacing current residents, especially in historically marginalized communities of color.
How Greenville residents can help
To further our work, we need more local conservation funding to match state and federal funding sources. Local funding sources, such as the Greenville County Historic Natural Resources Trust and the Upstate Land Conservation Fund, and state funding sources like the South Carolina Conservation Bank, are dedicated to supporting local conservation projects, but the local match piece is critical.
Our programs also rely overwhelmingly on donations from residents, and you may donate directly to UF.
If you are interested in joining the efforts in the City or County, Upstate Forever has several upcoming opportunities.
Land Planning and Policy will host our popular Citizens Planning Academy this fall, which is an interactive course designed to help Greenville residents, business owners, and neighborhood leaders understand processes that drive local planning and land use policy.
If you’d like to stay informed about general updates, news, or action alerts, then please join our email lists or visit our website upstateforever.org. We have other events coming up, including our ForeverGreen Annual Awards Luncheon on June 13th, and a variety of volunteer opportunities and site visits.
You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Mar 29, 2022 | News
Following the welcome by Senior Issues Group co-chairs, James Bennett and Vee Daniel, each panelist shared how their organization’s work impacts food security in the Upstate, specifically for seniors.
Brooke Brittain, Associate Director, Food and Nutrition Security, Clemson University, shared information on the Clemson Health Clinic in Walhalla and Clemson mobile clinics that provide breast screening through DHEC’s Best Chance Network, and cardiovascular screening and counseling through the WISEWOMAN program. Clemson worked with Ten at the Top to create an Upstate Food Access Map, as well as other resource maps found here. More information about Clemson’s food security program in Oconee County may be found here.
Jim Abbot of the Pickens County Salvation Army spoke of their part in delivering food from pantries to community centers and churches in Pickens County’s food deserts. The Salvation Army now delivers food for 15 households where the average age is 67 years.
Lesa Howard of 5 Point Church coordinates providing 20-25 pounds of food per person to hundreds of people in the area. As of last week, 274 households were served, including 581 individuals. Lesa also coordinates FoodShare deliveries twice a month with Feed & Seed.
Trish Tripp of Feed & Seed Co. is an expert in foodborne illness advocacy and communication in addition to bringing the Feed & Seed concept to fruition. Feed & Seed’s Food Innovation Hub is a multi-purpose facility in Greenville that serves the Upstate’s resident, farmers, and communities. Join Feed & Seed for their grand opening ribbon-cutting at 10:00am on April 8!
Ten at the Top Upcoming Events – Register on TATT’s website
Upstate Connect
April 22 at the Dream Center in Easley
Focus on the Future Upstate Summit
May 10 at the Convention Center in Greenville
Keynote Speaker – Richard Florida
Thank you to our Senior Issues Group sponsors, Upstate Home Care Solutions and the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate, and to Tri-County Technical College in Easley for providing the venue.
Mar 17, 2022 | News
March 16, 2022
The UEE heard an entrepreneurship legislative update from Luis Reyes, Senator Tim Scott’s Deputy Legislative Assistant for Small Business and each attendee had the opportunity to share their most recent wins, needs, and other pertinent information on their organizations’ work. The group also celebrated the South Carolina Small Business Development Center following a proclamation by Governor Henry McMaster designating March 16 “SBDC Day” in South Carolina.
Mar 17, 2022 | News
Get ready for STEAM fun for the whole family- iMAGINE Upstate is returning to Downtown Greenville!
The iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival Fueled by Fluor is returning to Downtown Greenville on April 2nd.
The iMAGINE Upstate Festival is a free street festival held annually on Main Street in Greenville. The mission of iMAGINE Upstate is to create meaningful experiences that promote a culture of lifelong learning and career readiness, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) in pre-K through 12 education career pathways.
Over 50 exhibits from Upstate businesses and organizations will offer hands-on, educational activities for attendees of all ages. Experience the excitement of STEAM through drone races, robotics shows, explosive science experiments, 3D printing, arts and crafts, dance performances, and much more!
“Our amazing sponsors and exhibitors make STEAM accessible and fun. They help students answer the question, ‘When I grow up, I want to be…’ And it can be anything – an automotive engineer, an art therapist, a zoologist, a food scientist – you name it,” said Dallas Thomas, Program Coordinator for iMAGINE Upstate.
Key experiences will include:
- Join Fluor, iMAGINE Upstate’s title sponsor and a global leader in the engineering and construction industry, to help build a better world! Grab your hard hat and join the team! Learn how Fluor designs and builds the world’s toughest projects as you get certified in Design & Planning, Environmental Stewardship and Site Safety. Then, you’ll try your hand at building as part of a Fluor construction team. Working together, you’ll learn how to deliver safe, well-executed and efficient results.
- ‘Break I.T. Down’ with ScanSource! Learn more about the technology solutions you use every day! Put on your thinking cap and solve puzzles using QR codes and RFID (Radio-frequency identification).
- On your marks, get set, GO! Ride a stationary bike or use a handheld generator to power an RC car around a racetrack with ZF Transmissions Race Around the World! Learn how physics and electricity can make a car go faster or slower. Take an inside look an automotive transmission and crank a handle to explore L.E.D efficiency.
- How does the science and technology inside your electronic devices work? How does physics help you listen to your favorite music? Explore the relationships between electricity, magnetism, power storage, and audio filtration with Kyocera-AVX!
- Can you overcome the friction created by three different surfaces? Will you be able to Dodge the windmill to putt the golf ball into the hole? Which speed is optimal for a conveyor belt? STEM discoveries await you at Dodge Industrial!
The iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival Fueled by Fluor will be held Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Greenville. Attendees can enjoy complimentary Greenlink bus service to the festival site on festival day, thanks to Proterra! Greenlink will also be operating a free downtown trolley that will offer shuttle service from 10 AM to 7 PM on festival day. Festivalgoers can park for free at County Square and ride the trolley to and from the festival site.
There is no cost to attend, and the festival is open to the public. T-shirts, food from local food trucks, and refreshments will be available for purchase.
Mark your calendars, and join Upstate South Carolina in celebrating the joy and excitement of STEAM!
Stay up to date by visiting our website and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Festival Fueled by Fluor is a program of South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science (SCCMS) at Clemson University.
Mar 16, 2022 | News
The BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX is all about raising awareness and funding for nonprofits in our community and, so far, we have given away $14.3 million dollars!!
One of the ways we raise money and awareness is through Birdies for Charity, but we need your help to make this successful.
Donating to a nonprofit or K-12 school through our Birdies for Charity Program makes your money go 25%* further. With our matching donation fund, we will match 25% of what you donate to any of the nonprofits or K-12 schools that have signed up with Birdies for Charity.
Plus, as a donor you have a chance to win the Stay and Play Package:
- Foursome at Thornblade Club
- Foursome at the BMW Performance Center Driving School
- Two-night stay at the Greenville Marriott
- Two-night stay at the Spartanburg Marriott
To win all you have to do is guess the number of birdies the professional golfers will make June 9-12, 2022, at the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX.
For more information or to donate visit bmwcharitygolf.com!
Questions? Email Kari Snyder at ksnyder@sccharities.org
*There is a 25% match up to the first $100,000 raised amongst all organizations. No purchase/donation required
Mar 11, 2022 | News
Guest Speaker
Walt Lindsley, Site Director and General Manager for the Lockheed Martin Greenville Facility
View presentation here. View a video recap here.
Resource Updates
Teresa Spires, KNOW2
Public health, education, entrepreneurship, families and youth at risk
3 programs:
- Business generator BGEN
- Neighborhood ambassadors – volunteers who share resources, mentor and support students in public housing, during COVD vaxed 700pp
- Foodshare Cherokee, one of 19 hubs in SC providing fresh fruit and vegetables every 2 weeks, boxed (students pack) available to anyone for $15, $5 for snap holders, 1,800 boxes, 32,000 pounds of food since launch, will expand through the medical community, and delivery.
April 2 Cherokee Rock and Ride – community festival, celebrating one year Foodshare anniversary
Jonna Turner, LITCHAIN
Blockchain and crypto company
- Bitcoin mining data centers
- Energy
- Education about crypto and blockchain technology, consult with legal on contract and work with school systems, K-12 and higher education, kids crypto camp
LITCHAIN is investing in communities and teaching financial literacy and technology.
Ribbon cutting Friday, March 11.
Brian Ziegelheafer, BGEN
Business generator founded in 2016
City owns building, KNOW2 is oversight partner, 7,000 square feet of space
Began with ARC grant, Timkin grant
See recording for video tour!
Incubator facility has bakeries, Main Street Director, coffee shops, tuxedo store, massage therapist, gym, contractor, school district partner, living room area, Peach City Brewing, Trackside Tap Room, has helped over 40 businesses learn, launch, and land wherever it is best for them.
