SCDNR Obtains Land For Recreation Area North Of Marietta

If you like to hunt or fish or just be outside in the Upstate there is a new area for you to visit.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will have an event to reveal a new outdoor recreation area Friday.

Greg Lucas with SCDNR said that it took several years to acquire this property and was a collaboration between state lawmakers Senator Tom Corbin Representative Mike Burns and Representative Dwight Loftis of Greenville County and people who care about the environment and wildlife.

The land is referred to as “Tall Pines” and includes more than 1700 acres near Cleveland in northern Greenville County.

Lucas said the land will enhance wildlife habitat and provide more opportunities for hunting and hiking.

The South Saluda river is included in this wildlife area accessible by Moody Bridge Road, about eight miles north of Travelers Rest.

He said the land provides habitat for fish, deer, turkey, quail and small game.

“DNR will be developing trails and lots of different other types of ways to get to this property so the public can access now but stay tuned there will be other ways for it to be available,” Lucas said.

Lucas said this land cost about $4 million and about $3 million came from the South Carolina Conservation Bank.

Lucas said SCDNR partnered with the Conservation Fund, a national non-profit conservation organization to protect the site.

He also said the land is in SCDNR’s Wildlife Management Area Program, which provides more than 1.1 million acres of public hunting lands statewide.

Lucas also said this was a large piece of land that would typically cost much more however development of the land was no longer an option and greatly decreased the price

He said $500,000 to purchase the land came from the SCDNR Heritage Land Trust Fund and $500,000 from the SCDNR Timber Management Account.

There is a 600 ft elevation change on property.

(FILE PHOTO BY ROGER JEWELL)