Island Packet Online: Conservation easements more important each day

When a Savannah couple put a conservation easement on 400 acres along the New River, they brought attention to a major challenge for modern society.

Here in the Lowcountry and around America, the rural landscape is changing rapidly. It is becoming literally overrun with new neighborhoods, strip malls and congested streets.

The action of Jim and Lake Daly shows one important way to bring some semblance of balance to the development ledger.

They made a personal commitment to restrict future development on their land in Jasper County, known as Good Hope Plantation. They had in mind their children's children, and they took a meaningful step to enhance the quality of life of future generations.

Too little of that long-term thought is going on in either the private or public sectors.

Those who record permanent conservation easements get tax breaks for doing it. But in light of the growing importance land conservation has in society, state tax incentives for land conservation or relinquishing development rights should be increased.

Consider these statistics compiled by the Conservation Voters of South Carolina based in Columbia:

There are 12.4 million acres of forest land in South Carolina, but conversion to urban or agricultural use results in a net loss of more than 25,000 acres of forest land per year.

South Carolina's conversion of rural land is occurring at a rate six times greater than the population growth rate.

South Carolina ranks 10th nationally in the rate of conversion of farm land and forest land to urban uses -- 200 acres per day.

Since the 1970s, South Carolina has lost more than 50,000 acres of land in Wildlife Management Areas.

More incentives, and greater rewards, are due to people like the Dalys who do the right thing for themselves and society.

But more can and must be done.

The legislature must put the state's new Conservation Land Bank into action this year. It was a major accomplishment when it was approved in 2002, and the funding must begin this year. Gov. Mark Sanford's budget calls for $10 million to go to the bank, representing a small portion of the state deed transfer fee. The bank would work with other groups to leverage resources to protect wildlife habitat and open spaces by working with willing sellers.

Also, the legislature must restore money taken from trust funds to balance recent budgets. Some of those trusts were established for environmental protection.

The legislature also should give local governments the option to enact a small real estate transfer fee for land acquisition.

Locally, town and county governments must make meaningful comprehensive plans and stick by them. They must uphold zoning designed to guide future development. That will take political backbone, but, like the new conservation easement, it will put the focus on a brighter tomorrow.