Working Lands in South Carolina

Our Goals

Protecting and improving habitat for priority bird species through practical land management strategies that support healthy, resilient forests and working lands on both public and private property, while helping landowners keep working lands intact and address climate change though adaptation and conservation practices.

What We’re Doing

Audubon's Healthy Forests program promotes bird- and climate-friendly forestry to conserve, sustainably manage, and restore vital forestland. Through hands-on management and technical support, we work to protect and improve habitat for priority bird species while supporting healthy, resilient working lands. Diverse forests are better able to adapt to climate change, maintain long-term forest health and productivity, and provide important habitat for wildlife, including many declining bird species.

A brown speckled bird sits high on a branch in a forest singing

How forests are managed has major impact on wildlife, water, climate resilience, and the long-term livelihoods of forest landowners. In South Carolina, 87% the state's 12.9 million acres of forestland are privately owned, with over 8 million acres owned by families. Because of this, the future health and resilience of forests and wildlife habitat largely depend on how private lands are managed.

ASC works successfully with both large- and small-acreage private landowners, as well as the natural resource professionals who support them, to integrate bird habitat conservation with broader forest management goals. Our goal is to support landowners in keeping working lands intact while promoting forest management practices that provide economic, ecological, and recreational benefits to landowners and their communities.

Through this program, ASC supports landowners with properties smaller than 2,500 acres in implementing climate-friendly forestry practices that improve forest health, resilience, and wildlife habitat. Using our centers and sanctuaries as demonstration sites, we provide opportunities for landowners to see healthy forest management practices in action and learn how management strategies are applied over time.

We offer a series of landowner workshops covering topics including prescribed fire, voluntary carbon markets, cost-share programs, and improved forest management. In addition, we will provide onsite technical assistance to workshop participants, helping landowners make informed decisions for their forests that align with their goals and objectives for their property.

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Upcoming Landowner Workshop Series

Keeping Forests Intact. Supporting Working Lands. Strengthening Futures.

Join Audubon South Carolina this fall for an engaging workshop and field tour series taking place across the state and designed for private landowners. These events focus on strategies that support the long-term economic viability of your land while helping you keep your property intact for future generations. Click the registration link for each workshop to learn more.

Pee Dee Landowner Workshop and Field Tour
Date: September 17, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Pee Dee Research and Education Center, 2200 Pocket Road, Florence, SC 29506
REGISTER HERE

Sandhills Landowner Workshop and Field Tour
Date: October 8, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Sandhills Research and Education Center, 900 Clemson Road, Columbia, SC 29229
REGISTRATION TO OPEN SOON

Upstate Landowner Workshop and Field Tour
Date: November 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: BearnLee Tree Farm, 4224 Highway 252, Laurens, SC 29630
REGISTER HERE

Landowner Workshops

Northern Bobwhite are a bird that many landowners want to create habitat for. Photo: Jodi Taylor

How forests are managed has profound environmental implications and impacts the long-term livelihoods of forest owners, particularly the small-acreage producers that make up a sizable share of owners in South Carolina. The majority (87 percent) of South Carolina’s 12.9 million acres of forestland are privately owned, with over eight million acres family owned. Therefore, the future of forests and associated biodiversity, and their ability to be resilient and adaptable to a changing climate, lies in how private lands are managed.

ASC has a long track record of working successfully with both large- and small-acreage private landowners and the natural resource professionals who support them on the integration of bird habitat management with other forest management goals.

Working Lands at ASC

A small brown bird perched on a pine bow

ASC’s Healthy Forests program, which promotes bird- and climate-friendly forestry to conserve, sustainably manage, and restore vital forestland. ASC employs these techniques on the 30,000 acres of land we own and/or manage, and we deliver education, training, and direct on-site technical assistance to landowners and managers to promote forest conservation and resilience across the state.

Diverse and resilient forests are better able to adapt to the stresses of climate change, are likely to have better long-term health and production, and offer habitat for wildlife, including many declining bird species.

Get in touch to talk about your land.

If you own land and would like to know more about how to manage your property for birds, habitat, or carbon, etc., we'd love to connect with you! Get in touch or check out our upcoming events to see if a landowner workshop is scheduled near you.

Tim Evans

Land Conservation Director

Carson Love

Working Lands Coordinator

Rachel Schutes

Working Lands Coordinator

Brandon Heitkamp

Sanctuary Manager Silver Bluff

Erin Giebner

Program Manager, Working Lands

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