The four properties below are open to the public and provide wonderful opportunities to get outside and appreciate what nature has to offer. Boyd Pond Park and Langley Pond Park provide a wide variety of recreational activities such as hiking, rowing, disc golf, horse trails, bike trails and more.
Boyd Pond Park
In a partnership with Aiken County, ALC received a $300,000 grant from the South Carolina Conservation Bank to purchase 92 acres of the 206-acre former ORA site south of Aiken. The ALC tract will be leased to Aiken County for perpetual care and use for passive recreation such as hiking. Public access permitted.
Carolina Bay Nature Preserve
14 acres was purchased by ALC and donated to the City of Aiken. The City combined the gift with 10 acres it already owned, including a central pond, to create a fully protected and largely restored Carolina bay and its watershed–a wildlife preserve almost in downtown Aiken. Public access permitted.
Langley Pond
Purchased with funds granted to the ALC by the South Carolina Conservation Bank in 2010, this additional “upland tract” expanded the 285 acre Langley Pond Park and proved to be a very successful public – private partnership between the ALC and Aiken County. Public access permitted.
Winthrop Polo Field
Purchased by ALC from the Winthrop family, this multi-use equestrian and pedestrian open space is located in Aiken’s historic horse district. Public access permitted.
The properties below are privately held and are not open to the public
Alibi Farm
Bottomland hardwood flood plain along Shaw’s Creek and buffering upland bordered by meadow and old-field succession, with deeded access to Fox Pond Road. The generous gift of Frances and Marion Smoak.
Over and above the deeded land described above, ALC holds a conservation easement on 81 acres of agricultural-use meadow, wooded wildlife corridors, and old-filed succession areas that are managed for deer, quail, and turkeys.
Altman Preserve
Originally part of the Parkman Tract, the ALC sold two lots to the Altmans who immediately placed a conservation easement on the property.
Audubon / Gibbs Preserve
Located off of Brown Hill Lane Road near the intersection of Kathwood and Silver Bluff Rd. What makes this property even more valuable is that it is contiguous to the nearly 3,200 acre Audubon Silver Bluff Plantation, which is protected by the National Audubon Society.
Chew Preserve
Located on Fox Pond Rd., this property contains a house, a pool and a pool house, a guesthouse, a four-stall barn, two run in sheds, and three small storage sheds. This property is very close to other properties on which the ALC either holds a title or an easement, such as Alibi Farm and the Preston tract.
Clark Barn
This historic property in Aiken’s horse district abuts the Winthrop Polo Field, and includes a stable, riding arena, paddocks, and open lawn with magnificent old trees. This easement was donated by George and Gretchen Wintersteen in 2005.
Desiderata
Donated by Greg and Michelle Paschal in 2011, this mostly wooded tract extends 1.7 miles along Town Creek and contains a large portion of McElmurray Pond. Along with Long Leaf Pine, Loblolly Pine and many other hardwood species there is a very large Chinkapin that could be a state champion for this increasingly uncommon plant.
Edisto Farm Reserve
Located near Ridge Spring, SC, along a pristine stretch of the South Edisto River, this tract encompasses forested slopes, rich bottom land, an active flood plain, extensive marshes and wetlands providing vital habitat for rare birds and plant species. Includes four miles of river front footage and the only known waterfall on the South Edisto River.
Fox Chase
Two entrance lots that serve as buffer to riding trails, with conservation easement access to the 2,100-acre Hitchcock Woods preserve.
Garvin Trust
Donated by Olivia Garvin in memory of her husband. Steep slopes hold magnificent long-leaf pines and kalmias. Preservation of this small preserve aids in containing down-slope flooding.
Get Away Preserve
This gently rolling working forest is located on Storm Branch Road in Aiken County, an area that is experiencing development pressure. There are natural plant and biological communities in large upland areas of the property that are relatively undisturbed. The property represents relatively natural wildlife habitat, ecosystem and natural features typical of a rolling Piedmont ecosystem, with some rich bottomland hardwoods, side slopes and uplands.
Hall Preserve
Located on Audubon Dr. S.E., near the corner with Powder House Rd and adjacent to the Aiken Training Track. This property was formerly allowed to be subdivided into separate lots. Presently the property contains a house, barn, and a two car garage.
Houck Barnwell
The conservation easement includes 51.03 acres in Barnwell County. The easement protects forest, wetlands, and open grass land in the area from high density development and infrastructure.
Houck Long Branch
The conservation easement is 36.549 acres and lies on portions of two separate parcels of land.
Houghton Preserve
Located at 422 South Boundary Ave., this 2.21-acre property was formerly allowed to be subdivided into separate lots. Presently the property contains a house, a two-car garage, a pool and a small pool house. It is on the right just as you enter the South Boundary entrance to Hitchcock Woods.
Jantzen-Pickett 2020
This conservation easement, donated by Dr. Carol Jantzen and Dr. John Pickett, consists of relatively undisturbed forested, natural open space. This property connects natural lands, habitat and open space between two other protected properties, creating a total corridor of approximately 167 acres.
Jantzen-Pickett Preserve
Four small but critical lots donated by John Pickett and Carol Jantzen to provide access to the trails on our preserved land from Creekside subdivision to the Parkman/Lyman tract.
Jantzen-Pickett Tract
Hardwood upland that joins the Parkman Reserve and the Lyman Preserve described below.
Lyman Preserve
A highly visible open meadow that frames an historic farmhouse and rolls down to woods, a small azalea wetland, and two ponds.
New Haven Farm
This working equestrian farm is located in a key focus area, the Route 302 corridor. In addition to relatively undisturbed natural wildlife habitat, the property contains wetlands, floodplains, waterways, riparian corridors, and aquifer recharge areas in and around Shaw’s Creek, which are necessary for protection of drinking water supply, water resources and wetland habitat.
Parkman Reserve
In Creekside subdivision. Two adjoining 26-acre parcels slope down to Town Creek, with another 12-acre parcel surrounding a feeder creek and containing wild azaleas, kalmia, and large hardwoods. Additional acreage of many lots, donated over several years by Mr. J.P. Parkman.
Power Preserve
In the Ridge Spring section of Aiken County, this tract is the first parcel of what ALC plans as a greenway along McTier Creek. Hillside seeps on a regularly mown power line right-of-way hold rare plants, surrounded by deep sand longleaf pine ecosystem on the ridges and hardwoods below.
Raiford Three Runs Plantation
Easements donated by J. Wayne Raiford near Plantation Drive and Cedar Creek protect portions of Upper Three Runs Creek, which is one of the most insect diverse streams in the world. Also includes a 34-acre easement donated in 2013 that links to the previous donation along Upper Three Runs Creek.
Riviere Preserve
Located in the heart of Aiken’s historic horse district, this property helps provide a link between two other properties currently under easement, Winthrop Polo Field and the Clark Barn. Consisting of fenced pastures, this piece of land is critical to maintaining the unique look and feel of Aiken.
Shaws Fork Preserve
Lisa Darden donated this conservation easement to protect its natural, scenic and aesthetic value. The property is located within the Shaws Fork watershed, a tributary of the Edisto River, and includes 30 acres of open grassland and 35 acres of forested land, providing excellent habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.
Soucy Preserve
Terraced fields located 10 miles southeast of Aiken, off of Hwy. 302. Donated in December 2006.
Sylvia Cullum Whitney Preserve
The Sylvia Cullum Whitney Preserve is the largest easement to date in ALC’s diverse portfolio of conservation holdings with 611 acres of undeveloped land. The property has been family-owned and responsibly managed as an active timber farm for thirty years.
Talatha Gardens
Forested common space with a trail in the Talatha Gardens subdivision. Donated in September 2006 by Mr. Otis Crowell.
The Brodie Preserve
In Perry, SC. Mixture of hardwood and upland planted pine forest, with two ponds and assorted buildings on the site. This land has been in Mr. Brodie’s family since an original land grant.
Thomas Reserve
In Barnwell County, this outright donation and an adjacent easement combine large agricultural fields, active timber land, cypress swamp, and 50 acres of pristine flood plain along the Salkahatchie River.
Toad Hall
The Toad Hall property on Magnolia Avenue sits prominently on 3.48 acres in Aiken’s historic horse district.
Toole Reserve
Donated by Mac Toole, this easement includes five separate parcels located off of Hwy. 39 outside of Perry, SC very near the Brodie easement. There is a farmhouse and shed on the 118-acre parcel. The property is a combination of farmland, forest, and two ponds. This easement not only protects the open space and habitat for wildlife but the easement supports the economic base of the area with working farmlands and working forests.
True Bleu Farm
Lisa Darden donated this conservation easement to protect its natural, scenic and aesthetic value. The property is located within the Shaws Fork watershed, a tributary of the Edisto River, and consists of rolling uplands, forests and open space, providing important habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species.
Waters Tract
This hardwood bottomland and upland buffer along upper Shaw’s Creek is the anchor parcel to protect the water supply of the City of Aiken. Donated to ALC by Jerry Waters, it was gifted to the City and is protected by a conservation easement held by ALC.