FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2004 Sherman Family Donates Tract to Land Trust Lancaster, S. C. - Mr. D. Lindsay Pettus, President of the Katawba Valley Land Trust, announced today that Kathleen and Lee Sherman of Lancaster County recently donated a tract of land in eastern Lancaster County to the land trust. The land, including two parcels, totals 28.386 acres and lies on Jasper Branch, a tributary of the Lynches River. The land has access from U. S. 601 near Taxahaw Road. The tract provides unique geological, botanical, and scenic qualities which make it worthy of preservation. It contains a ravine with massive boulders and outcrops of granite rock which provide natural overviews of the ravine below. The rock is representative of the Pageland pluton (approximately 400 million years old) which also occurs in the nearby Flat Creek Heritage Preserve. The upper slopes are dominated by mostly mature forest, including trees such as chestnut oak, loblolly pine, post oak, red cedar, sourwood, and black gum. The lower slopes have trees such as American beech, hickories, umbrella magnolia, hackberry, red maple, and sugar maple. Jasper Creek winds its way through the tract, cascading over rock outcrops. The creek provides habitat for a number of small fish and amphibians. Also on the tract is the Stagecoach Graveyard, an old cemetery with unmarked graves. In making the gift of land, Kathleen Sherman stated: "Protection of this tract will help provide habitat for wildlife and preserve a green space for future generations to enjoy. We also think that the property provides educational benefits, and university geology classes have already visited the site." Pettus expressed appreciation for the foresight of the Shermans: "The land trust is certainly fortunate to receive this beautiful and valuable piece of land. We appreciate the trust that Kathleen and Lee Sherman have placed in us and we will prepare a management plan for the property which will ensure that the unique natural resources will be protected forever." The Katawba Valley Land Trust is a private, non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection of the natural resources, open lands, historic resources, and vistas of aesthetic value in the Catawba Valley and surrounding areas of South Carolina. For additional information, please call Lindsay Pettus (803) 285-9455 or Mark Grier (803) 286-6275

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