Home

PROTECTING
UPSTATE SC FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS

help shape
the future

Explore our work

Take a look at our organization's successes through the years.

Get updates

Sign up to receive emails on the issues you care about.

Give now

Your support is what makes this important work possible.

Now and
forever

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting the critical lands, abundant waters, and unique character of Upstate South Carolina.

Our programs

Land Conservation

Clean Water

Land Planning & Policy

Energy

State Policy

Land Conservation

We partner with public and private landowners, partner organizations, and funders to protect and steward special places in our region.

Clean Water

We work to protect water quality and quantity, ensuring that our streams, rivers, and lakes remain healthy for the benefit of all Upstate residents.

Land Planning & Policy

We work at the local level to promote more balanced land development policies in our rapidly growing region.

Energy

We advocate for viable alternatives to unnecessary energy infrastructure while participating at the SC Public Service Commission and looking out for ratepayers' rights.

State Policy

We collaborate with lawmakers, partner organizations, citizens, utilities, business leaders, and state agencies to represent the Upstate's interests at the State House.

Upcoming
Events

View All Events

Volunteer Workday: Rocky River Nature Park

Volunteer Workday: Rocky River Nature Park

October 22, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Please join us for a volunteer workday removing invasive plant species in Anderson's beloved Rocky River Nature Park.

Latest Blogs

May 19, 2026

Give these native spring 'weeds' a chance and support local pollinators

May 14, 2026

Recently protected properties

May 13, 2026

Spotlight on: Upstate Land Conservation Fund

Error Message

[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}@media (min-width:160px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:320px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:640px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1020px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1200px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1440px){[data-bg-img="79e6c91a"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/commonblueviolet854557057.jpeg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}@media (min-width:160px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:320px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:640px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1020px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1200px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1440px){[data-bg-img="6b5ec00b"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/foster-fields-3756939430.jpg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=160&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}@media (min-width:160px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=320&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:320px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=640&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:640px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1020&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1020px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1200&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1200px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1440&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}@media (min-width:1440px){[data-bg-img="71379f34"]{background-image:url(https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&auto=format,compress);background-image: -webkit-image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x );image-set( url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=1&auto=format,compress') 1x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=2&auto=format,compress') 2x, url('https://upstateforever.imgix.net/cinder-branch-2023-6-15-16-1293607273.jpg?w=1920&dpr=3&auto=format,compress') 3x )}}