Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyles Cooper.
Lyles , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I joined Pee Dee Land Trust (PDLT) in 2015 as the Director of Outreach and was promoted to Executive Director in 2017. My professional experience spans multiple organizations in both the corporate and non-profit worlds. A graduate of College of Charleston with a degree in Corporate Communications and Marketing (2003), I bring a unique mix of skills to PDLT. I have always been actively involved in many community organizations and currently serve on the board of the SC Land Trust Network as the Chair. I enjoy outdoor activities with my friends and family, including my son, Woods (11). Growing up and having spent much of my childhood enjoying all the Pee Dee outdoors has to offer, I am passionate about helping preserve our land and water resources for future generations in order to sustain a balance for economic growth in our state.
I worked for Florence County Economic Development Partnership from 2005-2007 as the Coordinator for Florence County Progress, Inc. One of my job duties included giving tours of the County to prospective large business executives and recruiters. I quickly realized many of the things I took for granted as a child were actually some of the strongest recruiting assets our community had to offer- an amazing quality of life due to the vast natural resources across the Pee Dee Watershed. I gain a much larger appreciation for all the outdoor opportunities, including public and private lands.
As a six-year old child I remember vividly my first experience on Black Creek in Darlington. My family was invited to a Sunday afternoon picnic and tube float down Black Creek. I went camping for the first time in the same Back Swamp community of Darlington and Florence that same year where we played in the woods, fished in the pond and picked wild berries. Some years later while playing at a friend’s family farm nearby, I learned to drive a stick shift car (well before I was of age and dug up a few rows of the cotton by accident!). Little did I know all of these landowners of the properties I had these amazing experiences on would one day be the landowners I would work with at PDLT. All of these properties are much the same as they were when I was a child, because those landowners had the forethought and the good stewardship principles to permanently protect their land through conservation easements with PDLT.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since becoming PDLT Executive Director eight years ago, I have proudly led our organization to more than double in size and impact. The growing pains have been challenging, however I am incredibly luck to work a supportive Board of Directors, passionate supporters, dedicated landowners, successful partner organizations and the most amazing dedicated staff.
Over the last 8 years, our staff has gone from stewarding 65 conservation easements totaling 24,570 acres to 122 conservation easements totaling 52,838 acres. Additionally, our staff has partnered with private and public entities to protect an additional 80,000+ acres across the Pee Dee Watershed.
We have grown from a staff of 3 full-time and 1 part time staff members to 6 full-time and 3 part-time staff members. As our overhead and programming grew, so did our fundraising efforts.
The largest challenge is always time and money – prioritizing staff time on activities that directly correlate to our 5-year strategic plans and the funding to accomplish those goals. I am constantly pressured to spend my time and our staff’s time supporting activities that don’t align with our mission and strategic plan goals. Often these are important issues and activities, however our organization doesn’t have the capacity to do all things for all people, so we primarily stick to what we do well – land protection through conservation easements.
We’ve been impressed with Pee Dee Land Trust , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The mission of Pee Dee Land Trust is to conserve, and to promote an appreciation of, the significant natural, agricultural, and historical resources of the Pee Dee Watershed of SC. But it takes the people to preserve the places. Our conservation community is a growing network of PDLT members, friends, and landowners who believe that owning land is something far greater than holding title to property – it is an opportunity to practice good stewardship of that land today, so that we may honor the legacy of our ancestors and provide a bright future for our descendants. PDLT has now permanently protected 52,838 acres in the Pee Dee Watershed. While remaining in private ownership, the 122 properties protected through conservation easements held by PDLT ensure that special places will be available for farming, forestry, and recreation for future generations.
Our land conservation efforts are focused on the counties that make up North Eastern South Carolina along the Pee Dee Watershed, and we follow a strategic plan to preserve:
– clean water in wild and scenic rivers for both drinking water supplies and a strong draw for outdoor recreational tourism
– productive farmland run by family farmers who support the food systems we all depend on
– working forest land supporting jobs and supplying mills as our number one sector of the agricultural economy in South Carolina
– rich natural areas where we can all enjoy the incredible diversity of native wildlife and vegetation that is our inheritance
– cherished historic sites as foundations for heritage tourism
We are the only community-based organization started by and for conservation-minded landowners in the Pee Dee, and we plan to be here for the long haul. All 21 of PDLT Board Members and 9 staff members live, work and/or have property in the Pee Dee – our work is personal. As conserved land changes hands from generation to generation, through inheritance or sale, you can count on PDLT to be here year in and year out to uphold the conservation vision and values that were put in place. PDLT was one of the first land trusts in SC to become nationally Accredited and continues to strive for excellence through responsible governance, sound finances, ethical conduct and lasting stewardship.
Now is the time that families across the Pee Dee are striving to make the right decisions for their land that will preserve and enhance the quality of life for this and future generations! Please reach out to our experienced local staff to learn more about conservation options that may be right for your property.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
PDLT’s staff and board defines our success based on accomplishments of our strategic plan’s goals and objectives. Every five years the staff and board dedicate time to reflect on past efforts and look to the future of the organization. The results of these efforts are a detailed 5-year strategic plan that are made up of five key goals: Protecting Land, Ensuring Organizational Excellence, Building Financial Stability, Growing our Conservation Community and Expanding Community Relevance. Each of these five key goals are broken down into specific goals and objectives, which drive all of our staff’s efforts.
PDLT is currently exactly half-way through the current 5-year Strategic Plan, July 2023- June 2028. Originally our land protection goal was to protect 2,500 new acres per year for a total of 12,500 new acres over the five years. However, we recently surpassed this goal as we have permanently protected 27 new properties totaling 13,189 new acres. We are not slowing down as there is much to do; based on a strong pipeline of new conservation easement projects we now anticipate more than doubling the original acreage goal by the end of the 5-year plan.
Additionally, PDLT has set longer term land protection goals to mirror some of the state land protection goals. Governor Henry McMaster challenged all land conservation entities in the state to double the amount of protected land by 20250 (a 27 year timeframe). At the time, in 2023, PDLT had protected 40,000 acres, so the Board included the goal to protect an additional 40,000 acres by 2050, with a stretch goal to protect 100,000 new acres. With the addition of 13,189 new acres, PDLT has 27,162 acres to go to reach the goal to double acres protected and 47,162 acres to reach the stretch goal of 100,000 acres. PDLT staff and Board are confident with the continued support of our funders, we will surpass both of these goals!
Our landowners that have worked with us to place voluntary conservation easements on their own land are often our best spokespeople to get their neighbors, friends and family members interested in land conservation. We feel truly blessed 15 landowners have entrusted us to partner with them on two or more conservation easements (total of 38 out of our total 122 conservation easements). This tells us these landowners were happy with their conservation easements and their relationship with PDLT, which is truly a success for us both!
Pricing:
- One-year Membership starts at just $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://peedeelandtrust.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peedeelandtrust/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pdlandtrust/
- Twitter: https://x.com/pdlandtrust
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx3ZhGYYuwHsZTmuo5u3aDQ
