Pennies for Preservation is a voluntary giving program in which the business community helps raise funds to preserve and protect greenspaces, wilderness areas, trails, waterways, wildlife, important habitat, and tree canopy on St. Simons Island.
HOW IT WORKS
The St. Simons Land Trust’s partnership with local businesses and their customers/clients was launched in 2017 under the name 1% for St. Simons. The voluntary giving program was envisioned as a way for the entire community to conserve the finest qualities of St. Simons Island and to assist the Land Trust in fulfilling its mission of protecting and preserving the island’s scenic and environmental features and maintaining quality of life for present and future generations.
That initial program was met with tremendous success, and in 2019 it won the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Partner of the Year Award. To help celebrate the program’s third anniversary in October 2020, the Land Trust’s leadership incorporated input from its partners and consumers and decided to rebrand it under a new name – Pennies for Preservation. Pennies for Preservation funds are raised by participating businesses either:
1) Collecting a voluntary donation from their customers’ receipts/invoices
OR
2) Donating a percentage of their companies’ proceeds.
For example, if a customer’s bill comes to $50.00, a voluntary 1% donation (50 cents) may be added. It’s truly pennies for the consumer or business, but those small coins add up quickly. Our partnering businesses then send their collected donations to the St. Simons Land Trust for land protection, public access, and scenic protection. And at the suggestion of our partners, who wanted those funds to go to something tangible and lasting, 100% of contributions from Pennies for Preservation goes directly to protecting environmentally and culturally significant land on St. Simons.
In February of 2021, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), roughly 35 of these important acres at Oatland North were added to Cannon’s Point Preserve and will now also be protected in perpetuity under the Preserve’s original conservation easement that is held by The Nature Conservancy. Read more HERE.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
There is no limit to the type of businesses that can participate. Partnerships include those with restaurants, retailers, media and service providers, art galleries, hotels, and many others.
2024 PARTNER OF THE YEAR
SANDY BOTTOM BAGELS
Justin and Sarah Callaway (owners of Sandy Bottom Bagels) and their three children
Photo by Sam Ghioto Studio
HOW THE LAND IS PROTECTED
The acquisition projects we undertake are carefully vetted against a set of important criteria that includes ecological values, historical and cultural features, location, long-term management costs, public access, and overall benefits to the community. The St. Simons Land Trust protects property in two ways:
- Property can be acquired outright through a fee simple purchase.
- The landowner continues to hold the title on the property, agrees to maintain it according to the covenants of a conservation easement, and is assured that the land will not be developed beyond the terms of that easement.
WHO CAN USE LAND TRUST PROPERTIES?
Most Land Trust properties are open to the public, and we welcome residents and visitors to use those properties with public access as much as possible for hiking, walking, biking, birding, picnicking, and other low-impact recreational activities. To learn which properties have public access, the hours of operation, and the activities that visitors can enjoy, please click below.
A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS FEATURES
In early 2022, the Land Trust launched a new communications initiative that was designed to help us all learn more about our Pennies for Preservation partners. This initiative has resulted in hearing fascinating and fun facts about our partners’ businesses and why they are involved in the conservation of St. Simons. See below for a recap of comments from all partners who were featured on social media.
1% WEDNESDAY FEATURES
The Land Trust proudly featured our Pennies for Preservation partners to show special recognition to the hard-working businesses, their employees, and patrons. This initiative was called 1% Wednesday. It was a mid-week opportunity for all in our community to support local businesses. Below are some highlights that include additional opportunities to support these local restaurants, retailers, service providers, media and more. Let’s Keep It Local!
To learn more about the Pennies for Preservation program or to inquire about becoming a partner, please fill out the contact form below. Thank you!