Charleston County Greenbelt Programamong nation's best

Charleston County's Greenbelt Program is among the top five local government land and water conservation and protection programs in the United States today. In November 2004, Charleston County voters acted with vision and courage in passing a half-cent sales tax to provide critically needed funding in support of transportation improvements and conservation of Lowcountry open space. In less than three years of implementation, the program has achieved spectacular results.

The Greenbelt Program has earned national significance for several reasons. First, since its adoption in June 2006, the Greenbelt Program has conserved and protected more than 15,000 acres of highly valued Lowcountry rural and urban open space.

Assembling this amount of land and water resources in such a short period of time is a staggering achievement. It clearly demonstrates the overwhelming acceptance that the program has realized among landowners, residents and conservation partners.

Second, in accomplishing this assemblage, the Greenbelt Program has wisely leveraged $60 million from the sales tax against $100 million in matching funds, generating the purchasing power necessary to efficiently and effectively fulfill the program's mission.

Few local government conservation programs have matched the purchasing power that Charleston County has implemented within a similar timeframe.

Jefferson County, Colo.,, Suffolk County, N.Y., and King County, Wash., are among the few to achieve similar results.

Third, Charleston County has successfully conserved and protected a wide range of Lowcountry real estate, including wetlands, forestland, farmland, boating and fishing access areas, parkland, and greenways. This program of conservation, protection and acquisition serves the diverse interests of community residents today and for generations to come.

The Greenbelt Program is a model for the South Carolina Lowcountry. Dorchester, Berkeley and other Lowcountry counties should immediately emulate the Greenbelt Program and the success that Charleston County has enjoyed.

The Greenbelt Program is a model for other counties throughout South Carolina and Southeastern United States. It demonstrates for the nation how to craft and implement a community-based land and water conservation program that is efficient, effective, fair and balanced.

Congratulations to the Charleston County Council, the Greenbelt Advisory Board, the Greenbelt Bank Board, the coalition of municipal partners, the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, the outstanding staff of the Greenbelt Program and Charleston County Planning Department, the numerous non-profit and government conservation partners, and most importantly the citizens of Charleston County.

There is much more for the program to achieve, and now is not the time to rest on laurels. However, given the accomplishments to date, the Greenbelt Program has earned the right to be known nationwide as one of America's very best community land and water conservation programs.

Charles A. Flink, a landscape architect and environmental planner, is founder and president of Greenways incorporated. He has worked on open space, greenway, bicycle and pedestrian projects in more than 200 communities in 35 states. He served as a consultant to Charleston County and assisted in authoring the Greenbelt master plan.