Winston Johnson was worried about the future of his family’s land.
More than a century ago, his great-grandfather purchased a hundred-acre parcel in Beaufort County, S.C. Encircled by tidal creeks and salt marshes, it was called Halfmoon Island. Mr. Johnson and his siblings spent their childhood summers there. They would arrive on an Amtrak train from their home in New York City, trading concrete and lights for fields, forests and stars.
Over the decades, the property had always been passed down informally from one generation to the next. But as the family grew, it became unclear exactly who had a stake in it. Mr. Johnson had heard stories of families losing land because of tax delinquency or an outsider with a claim forcing a sale.
50 States, 50 Fixes is a series about local solutions to environmental problems. A few more to come this year.
“We wanted to find a way to protect the property,” Mr. Johnson said. “We wanted to continually pass it down to future generations.”
By realizing those aspirations, heirs like Mr. Johnson can preserve their family’s legacy and build generational wealth. And often, there is an added bonus: They are conserving the land at the same time.
