Stretch your legs and breathe in the fresh air by walking or biking the trails around the Golden Isles. The St. Simons Land Trust properties are a perfect place to start, with miles of wilderness to explore and wildlife to observe. The St. Simons Land Trust has preserved and protected more than 30 island properties since it was founded in 2000, totaling nearly 1,200 acres or roughly 10% of the island. Properties like Cannon’s Point Preserve, Guale Preserve, The Correll Trail at Oatland, the Gateway Property, and the John Gilbert Nature Trail offer picturesque paths to hike and take a leisurely stroll with a canine companion. There are wildlife observation towers, and areas to fish and kayak. We encourage you to visit the Land Trust’s website to see a detailed list of their protected properties and amenities and features of each site at sslt.org.
Benjamin Galland
We’d be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity to share some additional news from the St. Simons Land Trust here. They recently acquired a new 15+ acre property at 440 North Harrington Road, Spears Preserve at Harrington, named after the property’s original owner Elouise Spears, is the last large undeveloped tract of land south of the Lawrence Road-Frederica Road roundabout and contains beautiful mature maritime forest, palmetto thickets, and considerable marsh frontage. It serves as a natural oasis in one of the most densely developed neighborhoods on St. Simons Island. The property is not yet open to the public, but the Land Trust will be leaving the maritime forest inside the Preserve untouched and creating the Elouise Spears Heritage and Nature Trail. Visitors will be able to experience the property via this earthen path that will weave through the property and provide opportunities for birding, hiking, and learning more about a piece of history that is invaluable to the island and the region.
The St. Simons Land Trust is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year and to commemorate the occasion, they released a very special short film documenting their journey and preservation efforts called Seeding for the Future. The subjects on this month’s cover are the dynamic duo who filmed and produced it: Benjamin Galland and Jess Swan. With their gorgeous footage, a beautifully written script by Land Trust Director Emily Ellison that is artfully narrated by Janisse Ray, it is a breathtaking masterpiece that tells the story of the important work and enduring legacy of preservation on our island home. Elegant Island Living is a proud to partner with the Land Trust as a Pennies for Preservation member and sponsor of this project. You can view Seeding for the Future HERE.
