Lowcountry Land Trust, Drayton Hall Preservation Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation today announced the permanent protection and restoration of 104 acres of marsh land along the Ashley River through a conservation easement that will be held by the Lowcountry Land Trust. The Drayton Hall Marsh Tracts include 4,600 feet of frontage on the Ashley River across from Drayton Hall.

In 1994 and 1996, the National Trust acquired the property to protect the viewshed and historic context of Drayton Hall, a National Historic Landmark and a National Trust Historic Site operated by the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust. The National Trust has been working with a group of federal and state environmental agencies over the past decade to participate in a Natural Resources Damages settlement related to a claim against Koppers Company/Beazer East, Inc. As part of this settlement, the National Trust agreed to convey a conservation easement on the Drayton Hall Marsh Tracts and to permit the restoration of the natural habitat and ecosystem of the property.

"The National Trust is pleased to partner with the Lowcountry Land Trust, which has maintained a strong presence along the Ashley River and is a natural partner to hold the property’s conservation easement," said Paul Edmondson, interim president and chief executive officer, National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Successful preservation of the Ashley River Historic District takes many tools and by deploying this innovative approach to environmental mitigation, we can permanently protect the marsh land along the river--a key aspect of the historic district."

Drayton Hall Marsh Tracts marks Lowcountry Land Trust’s 18th conservation easement now protecting 446 acres along the Ashley River. The Drayton Hall Marsh Tracts conservation easement encourages open space for forestry and agriculture and provides protection of natural habitat. The property is located within the Ashley River Historic District, a 23,000-acre historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Drayton Hall Preservation Trust is committed to the conservation and long-term protection of the Ashley River region,” said Carter C. Hudgins, president and chief executive officer, Drayton Hall Preservation Trust. “Collaboration is at the heart of our work, and we are honored to have partnered with Lowcountry Land Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to place the Drayton Hall marsh tracts under easement ahead of the work to restore the site’s natural hydrology. Collectively, our work will safeguard important viewsheds, enhance the natural surroundings of Drayton Hall and preserve the cultural character of the Lowcountry.”

The property includes a semi-impounded marsh, originally constructed in the 1940s for waterfowl habitat. The local environmental firm, Sabine and Waters has been contracted to break the dike in several areas to restore natural hydrology, plant native grasses and treat the invasive plant, Phragmites australis, to encourage the establishment of native plants. Work is expected to begin in early 2020, upon approval of the permits.

“Mitigating flooding, protecting our local water quality and maintaining our historic places are part of the daily dialogue in the Lowcountry,” commented Ashley Demosthenes, president and chief executive officer, Lowcountry Land Trust. “We are excited to be a part of a project that not only provides permanent land protection, but also leverages the expertise of partners in a way that may inspire other landowners to consideration restoration and protection of their properties.”

In 2018, the National Trust designated the Ashley River Historic District a National Treasure and placed the district on its annual America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. The conservation easement on the Drayton Hall Marsh Tracts property closed on March 7, 2019.

Media contacts:

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: Ruth McBain, Manager, Public Affairs, rmcbain@savingplaces.org, 202.588.6186
• Drayton Hall Preservation Trust: Catherine Coughlin, Communications and Marketing Manager, ccoughlin@draytonhall.org, 843.769.2638
• Lowcountry Land Trust: Becky Woods, Communications Manager, bwoods@lowcountrylandtrust.org, 843.410.0675

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About Lowcountry Land Trust

Founded in 1986, the Lowcountry Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to honor the relationship between people and land by protecting irreplaceable Lowcountry lands and treasured places. Lowcountry Land Trust has protected more than 143,000 acres across seventeen (17) counties in SC. More information about the Lowcountry Land Trust is available at www.lowcountrylandtrust.org.

About Drayton Hall Preservation Trust

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust fosters a deeper understanding of colonial America and the evolution of life in the South by discovering, researching, conserving, and interpreting the history, context, and culture of Drayton Hall. DraytonHall.org DHall@draytonhall.org