Sunday, August 17, 2008

Forest easement - Gordon Darby

I am confident the Lowcountry community joins me in appreciation of Norfolk Southern Railway's willingness to grant a conservation easement on the Brosnan Forest. This tract of land contains one of the largest stands of longleaf pines in the Lowcountry.

Live oaks and cypress have their special places in the tree world, but there's nothing more rare and majestic than a longleaf pine forest that is at least 200 years old.

In the past 200 years, as pointed out in a Post and Courier article, 97 percent of longleaf pine forests have been cut down for lumber.

Norfolk Southern is a large corporation, but granting this conservation easement proves its leaders are sensitive to the preservation of our natural resources.

It is important to note this could not have happened without the involvement of the Lowcountry Open Land Trust. Special thanks go to Will Haynie and Lewis Hay for their dedicated work, not just on the Brosnan Tract but on the many other parcels of land for which they have encouraged owners to grant conservation easements.

GORDON DARBY
Dorchester Road
Charleston