The Upstate Update: August 2020

The Upstate Update is a digital newsletter curated and shared each month that offers insights into Upstate Forever's recent work, highlights upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, and shares other conservation and advocacy news.

We post the Upstate Update here on the Upstate Forever blog each month. If you would like to receive the Upstate Update directly in your email inbox, please sign up for the mailing list.

COVID-19 has brought the need for land protection to the forefront

It’s a strange and bewildering time, but Upstate Forever is still hard at work to protect the critical lands, waters and unique character of our region.

Although the need for local conservation predates COVID-19, the ongoing crisis has shown just how critical it is to protect even more land across the Upstate, especially in fast-growing counties like Greenville. Our Executive Director Andrea Cooper recently wrote a letter to the editor of the Greenville Journal outlining three key reasons our region has an urgent need to protect more land:

• We need more natural spaces for recreation and refuge.
• We should also protect farmland to strengthen local food supply chains for a more resilient economy.
• Finally, we must safeguard water quality through strategic land protection.

Read more in the Greenville Journal

View this month's Upstate Update

Also in this month's update:

• Stormwater and flooding tools
  Our region has almost met its average annual rainfall for the year — with the remainder of hurricane season and autumn storms still to come. All of that rain has made concerns about stormwater and flooding top-of-mind for many. Clean Water Advocate Megan Chase recently compiled this list of tools to help you prevent flooding and sediment runoff.
   
• Our GVL2040 advocacy priorities
  The City of Greenville's comprehensive planning process is moving forward this fall. With a draft plan anticipated to be released to the public soon, UF's Land Planning and Policy team has developed advocacy priorities for the city's new comp plan. Read them on our blog
   
• Keeping lights on for our neighbors
  As the impacts of COVID-19 continue, many in the Upstate are struggling to keep electricity on in their homes. We are proud to partner with a new effort called SC Connected in Crisis to raise awareness of this issue and ensure SC's public utilities are regulated to act in the best interest of ratepayers. Learn more at scconnectedincrisis.org and sign up for updates and action alerts here.

View this month's Upstate Update

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