Thanks to a generous benefactor, the Central Savannah River Land Trust will transform 344 acres of prime Evans real estate into a nature and wildlife preserve.
The land, called “Laverlea,” is off Blanchard Road and was once a cattle farm owned by Laverne Dorn.
According to CSRLT Director Emeritus Hazel Cook, Dorn lived on the land for 50 years and watched as Columbia County went from a rural farming community to the suburb that it is today. As land values soared, Dorn could have sold the property and became a very wealthy woman, but she never intended that.
Cook says that Dorn probably believed Columbia County had plenty of golf courses and strip malls, and she wanted her little slice of the county to remain pristine.
“She didn’t want the land parceled out. She loved this place and wanted future generations to enjoy its beauty, so she bequeathed the land to the trust in her will,” Cook said.
Dorn passed away in 2022.
The land trust has partnered with Birds Georgia, the Audubon Society and the Georgia Native Plant Society, and together they applied for and received a $25,000 grant from Cornell University to begin transforming the land into a true wildlife preserve.
However, Cook says that the grant will only give them the resources to begin work on 11 acres of the property as there are many non-native plant species that must be removed by hand and replaced with native species that will attract native birds.
“It is incredibly expensive to transform areas like this into a high-quality habitat, and we can’t just go in and willy-nilly spray pesticide everywhere. It has to be done meticulously. Our last project cost $50,000 to transform about 25 to 30 acres,” Cook said.
Plants that cattle might like to graze on do not attract birds and other pollinators, says Heather Levy, stewardship coordinator for Birds Georgia.
“We are going to bring it back to its natural state and then let nature do its thing,” Levy said.
According to Levy, the groups plan to follow the Georgia Department of Natural Resources action plan to create a habit for Grassland swallows, Southeastern American kestrels, Vesper sparrows and other native birds that are on decline due to human encroachment on their habitat. The habitat restoration will also hopefully attract insect pollinators such as butterflies and bumble bees.
After about a year, the groups plan to survey the 11-acre starting point to assess the size of the wildlife populations that have moved in and begun to call Laverlea their home.
For now, according to Levy, the area is not open to the public, but will be open for bird watchers and nature lovers to enjoy in the future. Dorn’s former residence will be used as an event space.
“We are all for smart development, but there needs to be a balance. We are just thankful for Ms. Dorn’s foresight to save this land in perpetuity,” Levy said.
The organizations are asking for volunteers to help in accomplishing the goal and anyone wishing to volunteer or donate money can click here to sign up at the Central Savannah River Land Trust’s website.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
