New leader of SPACE: Spartanburg County development causing land encroachment issues

Sam Parrott developed a love for the outdoors here in his hometown and that makes him a good fit to lead SPACE.

Parrott became the executive director of Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE) on Aug. 1. The Spartanburg native served as an intern for SPACE in 2016 and recently talked about his new job while standing on the Cottonwood Trail.

"My buddies and I would ride our bikes down here [Cottonwood Trail]," Parrott said. "My love for the outdoors happened right here in Spartanburg County. Starting with growing up and playing on the Cottonwood, then I became an Eagle Scout.

"For years, I'd go across South Carolina and North Carolina and go camping and hiking. It's something I'm passionate about and something that I love."

Parrott said he will emphasize protecting natural areas amid Spartanburg County's development boom. 

"Coming back home, I've seen a lot of development," Parrott said. "One of the biggest things I've seen was encroachment. In terms of development, it's pushing away from urban centers. If you're within an hour radius of a major city, people want to live there but there are only so many places a person can live. In Spartanburg County, you drive by a farm field and it's now being turned into a subdivision."

Conservation Corner: Take time to enjoy nature in Spartanburg County but leave no trace

Conservation Corner: Goals of Spartanburg Soil and Water Conservation District reflect pioneers

Being back in Spartanburg and working with land conservation is what Parrott is most looking forward to in his new position.

"I grew up here and the opportunity to protect natural areas and do conservation work was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Parrott said. "It's my home."

SPACE is a nonprofit organization that focuses on land conservation, parks management and environmental outreach. The organization works with private land owners and other partnered agencies that protect more than 5,000 acres of land in Spartanburg.

SPACE also manages publicly accessible land and trail systems like the Cottonwood Trail.

Laura Ringo is the executive director of Play, Advocate and Live Well (PAL). The nonprofit's vision is to encourage residents to use local natural resources, gardens, markets, trails and parks. . Ringo said PAL and SPACE have a strong working relationship.

"SPACE’s Cottonwood Trail is a critical segment of the Daniel Morgan Trail System,"  Ringo said in an email. "Because of this and our shared interest in a strong quality of life and place in Spartanburg, PAL and SPACE have been strong collaborators, especially recently. PAL looks forward to a continued partnership with SPACE as Sam steps in as their executive director."

Getting to know Sam Parrott

Parrott said he has spent most of his life venturing the Cottonwood Trail and exploring the outdoors. He is a graduate of Spartanburg Day School and Wofford College, where he received an environmental studies degree.

OPINION: Conservation Corner: Take time to enjoy nature in Spartanburg County but leave no trace

"It was helpful to start and get the degree," Parrott said. "I didn't know where to go and what career path to take. After graduating, I had a mentor named Dr. John Simmons who was also a professor of mine. He got me an internship at Borderlands Restoration in Arizona. It was the first time I ever moved away from home."

That summer of interning sparked Parrott's passion for land conservation.

Previously: Conservation Corner: Protect your Spartanburg County land before you sell

Conservation Corner: With simple steps, you can create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat

"I spent time as an intern at SPACE in 2016 to build some experience," Parrott said. "I then found a job at what was then Land Trust for Central North Carolina and worked there for a little under six years. When the job opportunity to work at SPACE (came up) ... I jumped on it."

Parrott, who received his Eagle Scout from Troop 1 in Spartanburg, said his degree in environmental studies offers a wide variety of careers.

"You think game warden or park ranger (for an environmental studies major)," Parrott said. "There are a lot of job opportunities out there, and land trusts do a lot of work that people don't realize. Not only does it protect greenspace for cities, but it protects wildlife habitats, protecting and buffering our rivers and natural areas. With Spartanburg County getting the development that it's getting, now is the time to act for sure."

SPACE board member Laura Stille said Parrott wants to get the community engaged in the outdoors.

“We want people to not only realize the importance of preserving land, but we want people to enjoy that land," Stille said. "In the future, we want to provide some opportunities for people to get out and go hiking, pedaling and just getting back into nature. If you can do those kinds of things, which Sam is really passionate about, then it makes people willing to support preservation of land, which is our ultimate goal.”

Joanna Johnson covers education and community news for the Herald-Journal. Reach her via email at jjohnson@shj.com.  

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg Area Conservancy: Spartanburg man named executive director