Palmetto Conservation Names Interim To Succeed N. C. Britt

Natalie and Benjamin Britt hike across the Palmetto Trail’s Broad River Trestle. Photo by Carl W. Heyward, Jr./CHQ Productions, LLC.

Palmetto Conservation Names Interim To Succeed N. C. Britt

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Palmetto Conservation Foundation (PCF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Roe as interim executive director to follow in the boot prints of 11-year veteran Executive Director Natalie Cappuccio Britt who leaves July 31 for a position in North Carolina.

With a lean and dedicated staff that included Roe as director of Programs and Development, Britt oversaw planning and construction of more than 100 miles of the Palmetto Trail during her tenure. Major projects included reclaiming the Broad River Trestle in a rails-to-trail conversion that created the Peak to Prosperity Passage in Newberry County; elevating Wateree Passage 15 feet in the air for almost a mile across historic swamplands in Sumter County; and steering comprehensive plans and construction of Stumphouse Passage and Walhalla’s Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park in Oconee County.

Britt believes strongly in the power of partnerships and worked tirelessly to pull together partners from government, corporations, nonprofits and education to support and fund the Palmetto Trail. Stretching across 14 counties from mountains to sea, the Trail is South Carolina’s longest public hiking-biking trail and largest trail construction project. As a champion of public access via trails and greenways, Britt was at the helm to inaugurate the Palmetto Conservation Corps as a PCF program that is improving the state’s public recreation infrastructure. The Corps is South Carolina’s only trail-based AmeriCorps service and job-training program for young adults.

“The Palmetto Trail is free and accessible to everyone, it showcases everything that’s good about South Carolina, and it will impact generations to come,” Britt said during a farewell luncheon.

Britt is leaving PCF to become executive director of the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association in Pisgah Forest, N.C. According to Stuart Ames, a former PCF Board chairperson who interviewed Britt and a Duke Energy retiree, “Cradle of Forestry does not know how lucky they are.” Others echoed his sentiment, including Walhalla City Administrator Brent Taylor who presented Britt with a City Council resolution of thanks.

About the Palmetto Trail
The Palmetto Trail inspires active, healthy living as it showcases the state’s diverse natural beauty, fascinating history, and rich cultural heritage. When finished, the Trail will stretch 500-miles across 14 counties from Walhalla in Oconee County to Awendaw in Charleston County. PCF has constructed 29 passages and 400 miles of public hiking-biking trail. The Palmetto Trail is South Carolina’s premier hiking and biking trail, and is built to protect wildlife habitats while providing public access for active, nonmotorized outdoor recreation. For more information, visit www.palmettoconservation.org.

About Palmetto Conservation Foundation
The mission of Palmetto Conservation Foundation (PCF) is to conserve South Carolina's natural and cultural resources, preserve historic landmarks, and promote active outdoor recreation on trails and greenways. Founded in 1989, PCF is a statewide nonprofit organization with headquarters in Columbia. PCF’s largest and best-known project is building and maintaining the mountains-to-sea Palmetto Trail. In 2016, PCF inaugurated the Palmetto Conservation Corps to help interested young adults in South Carolina learn skills in trail maintenance and construction, assist FEMA and state agencies with disaster recovery, and develop as the next generation of conservation stewards and leaders. To learn more about Palmetto Conservation, the Palmetto Trail and the Palmetto Conservation Corps, visit www.palmettoconservation.org and Facebook/palmettoconservation, or call 803-771-0870.


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