(Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Thomson200)
The board of directors of TreesUpstate has selected Verdae Development as the recipient of the 2024 Emerald Award for their work on the Legacy Connector Project.
The Emerald Award recognizes outstanding developers, individuals, and municipalities that demonstrate innovative approaches to planting, promoting, and protecting trees. Honorees go above and beyond by saving existing trees, protecting critical root zones during construction, and making environmentally conscious decisions before site disturbance begins. Special recognition is given to projects that involve an ISA-certified arborist from start to finish.
“We believe developers and the conservation community can find common ground, even when a project requires removing some trees,” said Aaron Davis, executive director of TreesUpstate.
“Our region’s tree canopy is one of the main reasons people choose to live and work here. Verdae Development has set a powerful example of how thoughtful planning and collaboration can minimize environmental impact while enhancing quality of life.”
The Legacy Connector Project is a pedestrian trail through a heavily forested area that links the city of Greenville’s Legacy Park to Greenville County’s Greenline portion of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.
The project was planned with significant input from TreesUpstate, Upstate Forever, Friends of the Reedy River, Legacy Park Friends, the City of Greenville Planning Department, Greenville County Parks and Recreation, and neighboring homeowners, all working together to minimize environmental disturbance.
The construction team followed an established deer trail to reduce grading, involved a third-party ISA-certified arborist throughout the project to preserve as many trees as possible, and installed protective fencing to safeguard critical root zones.
They replanted both deciduous and evergreen trees, collaborated with TreesUpstate to determine appropriate species selections, and reduced the width of the trail to between eight and 10 feet to limit erosion and disturbance.
The award will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Legacy Connector Bridge.
Nominations for the 2025 Emerald Award are open through Dec. 31, 2025. To learn more or submit a nomination, visit TreesUpstate.org/who-we-are/emeraldaward.
Pulliam Restoration, a large-scale commercial recovery servicer, officially opens its Greenville, South Carolina office at 3445 Pelham Rd. Read More »
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here