Celebrating 20 Years of Conservation

There are plenty of smart and creative ideas in the world, but it takes dedication and perseverance to transform an idea into a reality. It was just such determination, along with a spirit of generosity and community mindedness, that moved the St. Simons Land Trust from concept to the successful non-profit conservation organization it is today. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Land Trust’s founding. It has grown steadily over the past two decades since receiving one of its first donated tracts of land, 40 acres contributed in 2002 by the late Dorothy Gilbert in memory of her husband John. 

During her lifetime, Mrs. Gilbert was known to express the same desire shared by many island natives who wanted to close the gate on St. Simons once they crossed the causeway. Their dream was that the island would remain as it had always been, with unpaved streets and canopy thick enough to climb from branch to branch from one part of the island to another. A place where summer vacationers cleared out and the sidewalks were rolled up during the winter and where traffic lights could be counted on one hand with fingers to spare. Despite that commonly held wish, the island’s number of mailboxes and stretches of tarmac have grown exponentially, but so has the amount of land protected by the Land Trust. They have successfully conserved 1,024 acres across the island — more than 25 times that initial gift from Mrs. Gilbert.

The Land Trust will be celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout the year, beginning on January 18 with the annual oyster roast. One of the most anticipated and popular community events in any year, the oyster roast tradition also began in 2000, when approximately 70 guests gathered at Village Creek Landing to mark the organization’s founding. St. Simons Island native Catherine Main, who was part-time executive director of the Land Trust at the time, thought that the signature event should reflect island culture and be a casual, outdoor occasion that brought people together. Thus, an oyster roast was held and the tradition commenced.

The roughly 70 people who attended that first oyster roast at Village Creek Landing was a crowd far larger than the Land Trust expected. To accommodate increased attendance, the event was moved to Fort Frederica, a venue that added its own history and ambience. When the number of guests reached 600, the event moved once more to Gascoigne Bluff Park along the Frederica River. As attendance grew, so did the quantities of food and drink. “I’ve always been so impressed by the local restaurants,” says Frances McCrary, co-founder and former board chair of the Land Trust. “The oyster roast has always grown beyond us and keeping up with the amount of food wasn’t easy. Duane Harris, a chairman of the board at one time, and his wife Carol did a big shrimp boil back in the early days.” This year, 50+ restaurants and others will be providing everything from the bushels and bushels of oyster and shrimp-laden Low Country boil, to fried chicken, barbeque, and other Southern fare, including soups, plentiful sides like mac-and-cheese, and delicious desserts.

Now, as then, the oyster roast remains a community effort, with each requiring more than 100 volunteers. Many work with SSLT staff throughout the year to manage all the details of an event that last year hosted more than 1,200 people. “There are many great traditions around the Golden Isles, but my absolute favorite is the Land Trust Oyster Roast,” says Patrick Parker, President of Parker’s Company, the Premier Sponsor of the Land Trust’s 20th anniversary event. “It’s for a wonderful cause, of course, but the thing that sets it apart is how big it is and how many people come together to do the work necessary to make it a success. We’re very happy to be part of such a great event.”

It’s not only the locals who love the Land Trust Oyster Roast. It was named one of the Top 20 Events in 2020 by the Southeast Tourism Society and this year’s 20th annual event promises to be the biggest and best one yet. According to Marty Moody, who has worked on the event intermittently since 2011 and served as its coordinator over the past few years, there is more community support for this year’s oyster roast than ever. This includes not only the many tasting booths and providers of food for the buffet, but numerous service sponsors who do everything from stringing the thousands of lights in the great live oaks at Gascoigne Bluff to providing recycling services. “Music has always been a part of it, too,” according to Frances McCrary. This year’s live entertainment will be provided by popular Golden Isles musician Michael Hulett. Michael is a top-rated and award-winning eclectic solo performer best known for his talent on the saxophone, but is skilled at playing ten different instruments.

When asked about favorite oyster roasts of years past, Frances McCrary replies, “Each one is unique, especially because of the weather. But I really love Gascoigne Bluff as a venue, with the lights twinkling in the trees, it’s just so lovely.” Marty Moody agrees, saying that often during the night, she’ll stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and see how magical it all looks with the lights, the decorated tables, the cheerful volunteers in their red aprons, and the hundreds of guests. “It’s a time when the entire community comes together. It’s like nothing else.”

There’s also no other organization like the St. Simons Land Trust. This community institution has been raising awareness about land conservation for 20 years and has acquired and protected more than 1,000 acres across St. Simons on nearly 30 properties. As one longtime supporter said recently, “If we didn’t have the Land Trust, who else would be preserving this island?” We’re all hoping for another 20 years!

The 20th Annual St. Simons Land Trust Oyster Roast:

Date & Time: Saturday, January 18, 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Location: Gascoigne Bluff Park, St. Simons Island

Features: Oysters - Low Country Boil – BBQ - Fried Chicken - Southern fare from more than 50 local restaurants and vendors - Beer - Wine - Live Music

Tickets: $60 Land Trust members; $85 non-members. Call 912.638.9109 or order online at sslt.org.