Conservation Easements in South Carolina

According to this article, grants of conservation easements are on the rise in South Carolina:

Conservation easements are voluntary, permanent deed restrictions that a landowner donates to a nonprofit group or government agency. In exchange, the owner can claim a federal income tax deduction.

In South Carolina, more than 200,000 acres have been preserved through conservation easements, including wetlands in the Lowcountry where ospreys, woodpeckers, alligators and other wildlife live, according to the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League.