Spring 2025 Newsletter • Friends of Bald Rock

If you missed the Annual Meeting on April 26, we had a great group of 15 members and volunteers at the TR Fire Department. We were joined by DNR Law Enforcement Game Wardens Zach Tatum and Nick Moskos.

Sara Lamacraft, Treasurer, presented the Treasurer’s Report to say we have a current cash balance of $3000. Here is a recap of the presentation by President, Susan Jordan, the group discussion, and updates.

We celebrated our progress on the restoration of the Preserve, a task no one else considered doing in 20 years of DNR’s ownership prior to 2021. Where others saw only the results of 50 years of vandalism, we got excited about the challenge of restoration and showed up to do the work.

Since October 2021, we have…

contributed over 4000 volunteer hours
collected over 6 TONS of litter
initiated a year-long study of the Preserve with DNR and Clemson University Landscape Architecture Department to develop a master restoration plan.
received a grant from SC Humanities to research the history of Bald Rock on collaboration with the Furman University History Department
pressure washing graffiti off the rock and tested a variety of sustainable graffiti mitigation methods, including planting, damming, and applying organic patina
cleared and blazed a trail before and after a hurricane
partnered with eight community and conservation organizations that brought volunteers and resources to the project

As a result, the Preserve is cleaner and safer, and we are about to complete our Master Plan.

Here are the updates:

The parking lot on Persimmon Ridge Road was completed on May 6, after delays caused by rain, forest fires, and issues related to drilling through rock.

DNR installed the information kiosk (info panels still to come) and improved the trailhead with gravel and a culvert. They have also set posts for a gate that will block 4-wheelers, etc. from the trail.

The scheduled May 5 DOT installation of guardrails was postponed to the week of May 12. Also, DNR and a local contractor will be setting rocks close to the road to block the pullouts on the week of May 12.

The State Naturalist and Education office is working on educational signage for the parking lot, and several locations in the Preserve.

The Preserve’s E-911 address on Geer Highway has been deleted and the new E-911 address for the new parking lot and trailhead is 280 Persimmon Ridge Road, Cleveland, SC 29635. The location and directions will be updated on our website.

Advisory: We strongly recommend that volunteers and visitors access the new parking lot via the north end of Persimmon Ridge Road.

Directions: Drive North on Hwy 276, past the old entrance to the Preserve, about a half mile to Persimmon Ridge Road, first road on the right. This is a steep, gravel road. Drive slowly .4 mile to the parking lot on your left. The trailhead is across the street. You’ll see a culvert and a gate. The trail is .5 mile to the viewing area on the outcrop.

DNR will tell you that the restoration of Bald Rock is unprecedented for a heritage preserve and could not have been done without Friends of Bald Rock Heritage Preserve. You are amazing!

Sustainable Support

As we near completion of our mission, the Board recommends the members consider alternative sustainable ways to protect Bald Rock Heritage Preserve without the work and expense of operating a nonprofit organization. We want to talk with you over the next few months about options to transition to an informal community group in 2026. We want to do this in a thoughtful and responsible way to continue our presence at the Preserve.

At the Annual Meeting the members discussed three ideas:

DNR Initiative: Austen Attaway, DNR Manager, could let us know when she has a project, like spring planting, trail maintenance, or a new graffiti mitigation plan.
Individual Initiative: Any one of us could propose a project to DNR. You would complete a DNR “application” and submit it to Austen for approval. There is a one-time application and an annual application. Litter bags, pickup sticks, and gloves are available from Litter Ends Here.
Collaborative Initiative: The partners could collaborate to maintain a presence at the preserve. We could offer tours, educational programs, greet visitors at the trailhead, and work on DNR initiated projects.

Each partner organization could designate a member to be the communicator for the collaborative effort. Each organization could schedule volunteer workdays or events at BRHP as they wish, potentially attracting additional participants for “open” events; or, holding “closed” events for their members only. Partners could share their scheduled events, activities, and information about the preserve with the group. By providing ongoing feedback to DNR, each partner organization could continue to advocate for the Preserve.

The Board thinks this approach has potential for offering educational programs like plant, tree, nature, and bird walks, history, and geological walks, etc. If we can consistently offer these events over time we may begin to re-define the purpose, culture, and reputation of the preserve. This is really what heritage preserves are all about.

With a collaborative plan in place, Friends of Bald Rock could transition to an informal community group without membership dues and the responsibilities of a non-profit. Our still-committed volunteer friends could gather periodically to greet visitors, give tours, pick up litter, and work on future as yet unknown DNR projects. We would be part of the collaborative, too.

As you consider these options you may have some additional ideas, questions, and comments. Please share them with us at friendsofbaldrock@gmail.com. Together over the next few months, we will be able to observe and evaluate the impact of the new entrance, and work with Austen, Zach Tatum, and Nick Moskos. That information will guide us on how we may maintain a presence at the Preserve in 2026.

1 UMNA, USCNPS, Bald Rock HOA, former Friends of Bald Rock volunteers who want to stay engaged, Sigma Nu fraternity at Furman, etc.

2 Our partners are Upstate Master Naturalist Association, Upstate Native Plant Society, Sigma Nu fraternity at Furman, Little Bald Rock HOA, Keep Greenville County Beautiful, and Litter Ends Here.

News and Events

The First Bird Walk!!

We had a good inaugural bird walk at Bald Rock Heritage Preserve on May 1st. Spring migrants and residents were quite vocal! With the leaves close to fully out, many birds were hard to see, so we did a lot of birding by ear, which is loads of fun. Some of the birds among the twenty species we saw or heard were: Raven, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, two kinds of Vireo, Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Black and White Warbler. A fun morning. Join me for future Bird Walks to be posted on the Events + News page at firendsofbaldrock.com.

By Ernie Glenn

Thank you, Ernie, for sharing your time and expertise with us. Participants had enthusiastic praise for Ernie’s knowledge of bird calls, and tips to separate and identify distinct birdsongs. Ernie also shared some bird apps with photos and info that added to the experience. Whether you are a novice or expert birder, the forest at Bald Rock Heritage Preserve has a lot to offer.

Forest Fires

Although you will see evidence of the fires driving down Persimmon Ridge Road, Bald Rock Heritage Preserve was not impacted. We were very lucky. Eighty percent of Ashmore Heritage Preserve, further down the road, was destroyed by fire. We are extremely grateful to DNR staff, and state and federal first responders who fought and contained the fires without loss of life or property.

Register on the Events page at friendsofbaldrock.com

Litter Pickup/Walk in the Woods

Tuesday, May 20, 9-11a

See additional info on the Events page.

Litter Pickup/Walk in the Woods

Tuesday, June 17, 9-11a

See additional info on the Events page.

Check the Events Page for Bird Walks! We will resume Bird Walks after the construction on Hwy 276 is completed.

Announcements

Outreach mavens, Lisa Hunter and Cathy Proner, will represent us at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market on June 7, 2025, 8:30a-12p. Stop by to say hello!
Lisa Hunter is coordinating the OLLI@Furman event at Bald Rock Heritage Preserve on October 24. Let us know if you’d like to help out that day at friendsofbaldrock@gmail.com
Your membership dues for the remainder of 2025 are important. They support our operational expenses. That said, you always have the option to close your account if you do not want to automatically renew. We are very grateful for the financial support of our members that has funded the restoration. Any remaining funds in our account at the end of 2025 will be donated to Conservation Voters of South Carolina, as we stipulated when we registered as a SC Charity in 2021. “CVSC fights for our air, land, water, and energy through political action and advocacy.” This is an outstanding organization. Learn more about their mission online at cvsc.org.
Did you know that you can now access three heritage preserves on Persimmon Ridge Road? Bald Rock (165 acres), Eva Russell Chandler (253 acres) and Ashmore (1,125 acres) Heritage Preserves.