Congaree Land Trust Announces Permanent Protection of 219 Acre Property in Fairfield County

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, SC – Congaree Land Trust is pleased to announce the permanent protection of Shelton Wood, a 219-acre property in Fairfield County. Thanks to the generosity of landowners Jack and Elizabeth Suber and the support of the South Carolina Conservation Bank, this land will remain safeguarded for generations to come.

The Subers acquired the property in 2021, naming it "Shelton Wood" as both a nod to the land's distinctive topography, the term "shelton" derives from Old English words meaning shelf and settlement/enclosure, and as a tribute to Elizabeth's paternal family lineage. The Shelton Wood property encompasses a rich mix of forestry and recreational uses, featuring working timber in the uplands and beautiful hardwood bottomlands.

For the Subers, the decision to place Shelton Wood under a conservation easement was a deeply personal one, rooted in faith, family, and a lifelong love of the outdoors. Elizabeth grew up enjoying the South Carolina coast and the lakes of the Midlands, and today incorporates native plants from Shelton Wood into her gardening and cooking. Jack shares that same connection to the natural world, shaped not only by his South Carolina upbringing but by summers spent with family in Ecuador, a country renowned for its remarkable diversity of climate and landscape. An avid hunter and fisherman, Jack has invested considerable effort into improving and developing wildlife habitat on the property.

"We feel that the guardianship of God's creation is our responsibility to protect and improve the natural habitat for wildlife and future generations," said the Subers. "By placing Shelton Wood in a conservation easement, we believe that this essential goal can be achieved."

The sentiment echoes a principle the Subers hold close: "To whom much is given, much is expected."

Shelton Wood joins a growing collection of conserved lands in Fairfield County, adding to a network of protected landscapes that support wildlife, clean water, and the region's rural heritage.

About CLT:

The Congaree Land Trust (CLT) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization committed to conserving the natural and scenic lands of central South Carolina. To date over 100,000 acres have been conserved, representing 226 individual conservation easements across 15 counties. Conservation easements help protect the natural areas that fuel our state's natural resources based economy and define our way of life. 

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