Peter Kleinhenz, Executive Director, the Aiken Land Conservancy

The Aiken Land Conservancy is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve Aiken’s unique character and natural and historic resources for present and future generations through advocacy and land protection. ALC has preserved thousands of acres of land throughout Aiken County. These tracts include rolling meadows, towering pines and shady hardwoods with azaleas and kalmia blooming underneath, wetlands, stream banks and prime habitat for deer, turkey and other wildlife.

Our initiatives include:

Protecting natural resources: sporting lands, forests, fragile ecosystems, working farms, open space and public parks;
Protecting historic resources in Aiken’s Historic Horse District;
Protecting Aiken’s water resources in Upper Shaws Creek and the Edisto River Basin; and
Partnering with the City of Aiken to protect the city’s trees and parkways, particularly the spectacular live oaks that line South Boundary.

ALC preserves land through land donations and conservation easements from landowners. ALC directly owns approximately 733 acres, which have been donated by landowners dedicated to the preservation of open space. The rest of the acreage we protect comes from conservation easements donated by landowners (33 conservation easements covering over 2500 acres). In addition to protecting the environment, both outright donations of land and conservation easements can offer significant state and federal income tax benefits. Structured properly, these types of donations can reduce property taxes and estate taxes as well.

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