CHARLESTON — The Lowcountry Land Trust is opening its first permanent workspace, which will double as a regional hub for conservation collaboration.
The Center for Conservation was Emily Ravenel Farrow’s dying wish as she bequeathed the acreage to the land trust after she passed in 2011. Farrow owned the West Ashley property, formerly known as Ashem Farm, for several decades. She hoped the Lowcountry Land Trust would build a permanent headquarters and that the space would remain protected from development, said Catherine McCullough, chief advancement officer at the land trust.
The workspace will also operate as a gathering place for partners including the Open Space Institute, Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, Coastal Conservation League and state Department of Natural Resources to meet and discuss how they can continue to conserve land throughout the Lowcountry, she added.
The Center for Conservation sits on four acres of the 55-acre property. McCullough said staff realized they didn’t need the entire site, so they negotiated with Farrow and her estate attorney to give the rest to Charleston County Parks for Old Towne Creek County Park, which will open to the public in early 2026.
Kevin Bowie, executive director of Charleston County Parks, said the Lowcountry Land Trust is an excellent partner to work with. With the help of other community organizations, the two groups have preserved several properties, like Simmons Creek Park on Johns Island.
Bowie said he is excited for the unveiling of their new headquarters after years of operating out of rented spaces in downtown Charleston.
While the nonprofit owned the land for years, they delayed building the center because of how they operated.
McCullough said a lot of employees do hands-on work, so they’re usually out in the field. When the COVID pandemic hit, she said it didn’t make sense to build an office building because everyone would be working remotely.
Around 2023, McCullough said the nonprofit started planning out what the building should be and landed on the Center for Conservation. It would serve both as a working space for the Lowcountry Land Trust staff and a gathering space for partnering organizations, she said.
The nonprofit broke ground in March 2024 to build the $2.5 million headquarters — entirely funded by donations from a local foundation and residents — and is hosting the grand opening on Aug. 28. McCullough said the center is already a hit as organizations are booking meetings into the fall.
The building’s design incorporates sustainable elements, like native plants and reclaimed brick. McCullough said it reflects the Lowcountry’s natural beauty.
Inside, there is office space, a conference room and a larger room named after Sam Carlton, a forester and former Lowcountry Land Trust board member. The building also has a kitchen, screened-in porch and courtyard.
McCullough said the nonprofit’s staff were careful and thoughtful with the plans for the Center for Conservation and are happy with the outcome.
“We’ve known for a while that this was Mrs. Farrow’s vision,” McCullough said. “I think it’s lovely, the balance between fulfilling Mrs. Farrow’s wish and at the same time lifting it up to be something that was bigger than just a space for Lowcountry Land Trust.”
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