Little Eastatoee / Winchester Tract

Over the last 10 years, Naturaland Trust has worked diligently to protect properties that have frontage and connective qualities along Scenic Highway 11. With the mission to preserve this scenic drive for our residents and those visiting the state, we have set our focus, time and funding on this region. We have protected several miles along this stretch of highway including, the Nine Times Forest, one of our signature properties.

Little Eastatoee Creek adjoins Naturaland Trust’s Nine Times Forest. The property will be managed similarly, allowing for hunting and fishing under the Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) program, and passive recreation, including hiking, birdwatching, and photography.

The Winchester Tract, with over 1.6 miles of frontage on Highway 11 will build on this multi-year conservation effort. It is keystone, because if protected, it will connect the 1,650-acre Nine Times Forest, TNC’s Nine Times Preserve, and our Mill Shoals Community Forest with SCDNR’s Jocassee Gorges. From a wildlife and habitat connectivity standpoint, this is remarkable and the benefits are not just for large land mammals like bears and deer. The Winchester Tract contains over a mile along Little Eastatoee Creek. Little Eastatoee is a trout stream that flows into Lake Keowee and although it is degraded in this area, we will be able to do restoration work to improve the stream once we take over ownership.

Over time, Naturaland Trust will seek to restore portions of Little Eastatoee Creek to prevent erosion. The 190-acre Winchester Tract on Scenic Highway 11 has been a top priority for the conservation community and SCDNR for many years. The property is an important tract that will help protect the scenic values of Highway 11, expand the wildlife corridors of Jocassee Gorges and Nine Times Forest, and protect and restore a mile of Little Eastatoee Creek.