Center For Heirs Property Preservation

BLACK BELT AND APPALACHIAN FOREST LANDOWNER SUPPORT PROJECT UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL/BUSINESS SUPPORT TO FARMERS TO INCREASE CAPITAL AND MARKET ACCESS.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HEIRS' PROPERTY IS CONSIDERED THE BIGGEST PROBLEM MOST HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. IT IS SIMPLY PROPERTY (LAND) THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN TO HEIRS WITHOUT A WILL. IT HAS BEEN THE LARGEST CAUSE OF BLACK LAND LOSS BUT IS AN ISSUE THAT EXTENDS TO ALL COMMUNITIES ACROSS AMERICA. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING AMONG UNDERSERVED FARMERS, RANCHERS, FOREST LANDOWNERS AND OPERATORS IN BEING AWARE, UNDERSTANDING AND ACCESSING US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, A MAJOR BARRIER TO ACCESSING USDA PROGRAMS AND A MAJOR CAUSE OF LAND LOSS AMONG THESE LANDOWNERS--HEIRS' PROPERTY--WILL BE ADDRESSED.THE CENTER FOR HEIRS' PROPERTY PRESERVATION™ (OR CHPP™), ESTABLISHED IN 2005, HAS A MISSION OF PROTECTING HEIRS' PROPERTY (HP) AND PROMOTING THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND TO PROVIDE INCREASED ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FAMILIES ACROSS A 22-COUNTY AREA IN THE LOWCOUNTRY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (SC). CHPP™ EMPLOYSTHREE KEY STRATEGIES TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION--ALL OF WHICH GENERATE AND ROOT LOCAL WEALTH: A) PREVENTION OF LAND LOSS THROUGH LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND ORGANIZING; B) LEGAL RESOLUTION OF HEIRS' PROPERTY TITLE ISSUES; AND C) PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE LAND USE BY TECHNICALLY ASSISTING LANDOWNERS IN RESTORING THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR FOREST AND FARMLAND. CHPP™ IMPLEMENTS THESE STRATEGIES IN 22 OF THE STATE'S 46 COUNTIES. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, CHPP™ WILL EXPAND TO SERVE ALL 46 COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.THESE GOALS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH CONDUCTING WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, INFORMATIONAL PACKETS, PRESENTATIONS, LANDOWNER SYMPOSIA AND CLINICS AND THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES FOR THESE LANDOWNERS. THE PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES WILL RESULT IN: INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF FORESTRY/AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES, INCREASED NUMBER OF HULOS APPLYING FOR COST-SHARE FUNDS, INCREASED AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF HEIRS' PROPERTY RESOLUTION, TITLES RESOLVED, ESTATE PLANS DRAFTED, INCREASED CHPP™ AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE STARTED AN ECONOMIC AND CONSERVATION MOVEMENT THAT CREATES WEALTH AMONG LANDOWNERS. CHPP™ PROTECTS FAMILY LAND BY EQUIPPING FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BUILD WEALTH AND GROW HEALTHY WORKING LANDSCAPES. ALL THESE EFFORTS ARE CRITICAL TO BUILDING LOCAL ECONOMIES, ENHANCING RURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND FOSTERING AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES THAT ARE CLIMATE-SMART, RESILIENT AND CAN ULTIMATELY PRODUCE GLOBAL BENEFITS (EMISSION REDUCTION, FOOD SECURITY, POVERTY REDUCTION).

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS INCREASE AWARENESS FOR THEANDOWNER AWARENESS AND OUTREACH PROJECT, ADVANCE THE ENGAGEMENT OF UNDESERVED AFRICAN AMERICANS COMMUNITIES.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE BIOTECH ASSISTANE THAT ADDRESS AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND NATURAL RESOURCESISSUES AMONG HEIRS' PROPERTY AND SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGE LANDOWNERS.

MIDLANDS/LOWCOUNTRY FOREST MANAGEMENT

THIS PROGRAM HAS A GOAL TO INCREASE THE ABILITY OF SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND LIMITED RESOURCE FARMERS AND MILITARY VETERANS TO OPERATE THEIR FARMS AND FORESTRY ENTERPRISES IN A 20-COUNTY AREA AROUND THE I-95 CORRIDOR IN THE LOWCOUNTRY REGION OF SC. THE NEEDS OF THESE LANDOWNERS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS:LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO SUSTAINABLY MANAGE THEIR LAND,LANDOWNERS "DISINTERESTED" ATTITUDE IN HARVESTING AS SHOWN BY LACK OF PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE LAND, ANDDEALING WITH THE COMPLICATIONS OF LAND OWNED BY GROUPS OF LEGALLY UNDETERMINED JOINT HEIRS (I.E., HEIRS' PROPERTY), WHICH IS A CRITICAL BARRIER TO SUCCESSFULLY OWNING AND MANAGING FARMING/FORESTRY ENTERPRISES.THIS COLLABORATIVE WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL BY ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES OF:INCREASING FARMERS' CAPACITY TO ACCESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GOVERNMENT COST-SHARE PROGRAMS FOR FARMING AND FORESTRY MANAGEMENT,INCREASING FARMERS' KNOWLEDGE OF FARMING AND SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY ANDFULL ARRAY OF FORESTRY-RELATED PROGRAMS, RESOURCES & MARKETS AVAILABLE TO THEM ANDINCREASING LANDOWNERS' KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO RESOLVE THEIR HEIRS' PROPERTY (HP) ISSUES IN ORDER TO BENEFIT FROM USDA COST SHARE PROGRAMS AND ESTABLISH SUCCESSION PLANS.THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE STANDARD BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (BFRDP) PROJECT'S LONG-TERM GOAL OF IMPROVING THE SUCCESS OF BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS (BFR) IN FARMING AND MANAGEMENT OF NONINDUSTRIAL PRIVATE FOREST LANDS BY PROVIDING THE TOOLS OF EDUCATION/TRAINING, MENTORING AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT HELP THEM MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEIR OPERATIONS WILL BE SUSTAINABLE.COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS/ORGANIZATIONS: CENTER FOR HEIRS' PROPERTY PRESERVATION, AGFIRST, ARBORGEN, SC FORESTRY COMMISSION, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF SC, BEAUFORT COUNTY OPEN LAND TRUST, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICES, SC USDA NRCS, INCREASING H.O.P.E., USDA FOREST SERVICE SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION AND WOODLAND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES.

LANDOWNER OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

LOWCOUNTRY SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY AFRICAN AMERICAN LAND RETENTION PROGRAM

CONDUCT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDE FORESTRY TECHNICAL ASITANCE

LANDOWNER OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON THE PEE DEE AREA OF SOUTH CAROLIN, WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF DARLINGTON, FLORENCE, AND MARION.

LANDOWNER OUTREACH AND FORESTRY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

LANDOWNER OUTREACH

LANDOWNER OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

LANDOWNER OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PROJECT

AGROFORESTRY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN COSTAL SOUTH CAROLINA

A COMMUNITY GARDEN INITIATIVE TO INCREASE FOOD SECURITY IN S. HELENA ISLAND, BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC. THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF HEALTHY FOODS IN LOW-INCOME AREAS.

CF - CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY & PRESERVATIONS SYMPOSIUM