Lowcountry Land Trust protects Wadmalaw farm

Lowcountry Land Trust has protected another piece of property, H&H Farm, approximately 84 acres of private farmland and wildlife habitat on Wadmalaw Island.

The action expands the growing network of conserved land in the region. Lowcountry Land Trust is striving to protect land and water forever and connect the community to conservation in what it considers to be among the region’s most ecologically significant rural landscapes.

H&H Farm features a rich diversity of habitats, including a large freshwater pond, open fields, forested areas and an oak allee, all of which support a wide range of native wildlife, according to a news release from Lowcountry Land Trust. Notably, the property provides habitat for migratory species, like sandhill cranes.

“H&H Farm supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife species,” Natalie Olson, Sea Islands program director at Lowcountry Land Trust, said in the release. “This property expands the growing landscape of permanently protected land on Wadmalaw Island, safeguarding it from future development. Donating a conservation easement is a way for landowners to guarantee lasting protection of their land’s beauty and character, regardless of what the future brings.”

The conservation easement was fully donated by the landowners, the release stated. The organization thanked the family for their generosity in safeguarding the property’s future, ensuring its natural and agricultural character will be protected in perpetuity. In addition to its ecological value, the farm includes more than 13 acres of land designated as “farmland of statewide importance” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, underscoring its role in supporting local agriculture.

Wadmalaw Island, with its residents’ leadership, has become a premier example of conservation success in the Lowcountry, according to the release. Of the island’s approximately 26,666 total acres, more than 34%, or 9,000 acres, are now permanently protected, with the majority safeguarded through Lowcountry Land Trust’s conservation easement program.

“Landowners like those of H&H Farm continue to build on this momentum, ensuring the island’s natural beauty, wildlife habitat, and agricultural heritage are preserved for current and future generations,” the organizations said in the release.