HAMPTON, GA (September 29, 2026) — Development is rapidly transforming Henry County, creating new opportunities while underscoring the importance of preserving the natural spaces that make the region unique. Through a long-term partnership between Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) and QTS Data Centers,  one of the area’s largest remaining undeveloped landscapes is not only being protected, but actively restored. 

The Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) is launching a 10-year forest restoration initiative at the Towaliga Preserve, formerly known as Henderson Farms, a 403-acre SCT-owned and protected property in Henry County. Supported by a 10-year commitment from QTS Data Centers as part of Phase 2 of its Fayetteville data center campus and rooted in its Tree Replacement Program, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to responsible growth, environmental stewardship, and lasting community impact. 

SCT will undertake a long-term forest restoration effort at the property. The project will restore a 77-acre area of degraded, early-successional forest and improve the health of an additional 52 acres of surrounding mature forest through targeted invasive plant species management.

The 132-acre effort will help restore a healthier forest, improve habitat for wildlife, and protect the Towaliga River watershed for generations to come.

Importantly, this is about much more than planting trees. SCT is leading the restoration from planning and implementation through monitoring and long-term stewardship and will continue caring for the property long after the 10-year project is complete. 

“As development continues to reshape our region, opportunities to protect and restore large, connected natural landscapes become increasingly more important,” said Chris Doane, President & CEO of the Southern Conservation Trust. “Towaliga Preserve represents an extraordinary opportunity to protect one of those landscapes while actively improving its ecological health. QTS’s long-term support gives SCT the resources to undertake this work at a meaningful scale and, critically, to remain engaged in the stewardship of this forest for generations to come.” 

A Rare Natural Landscape in a Rapidly Developing Region

Towaliga Preserve is one of the largest remaining undeveloped properties in the area and is owned and protected by SCT. The property contains a remarkable mix of natural habitats, including oak-hickory-pine forests, mesic and bottomland-hardwood forests, wetlands, streams, and approximately 1.5 miles of the upper Towaliga River. 

These forests and waterways provide important habitat for wildlife and form a connected natural landscape as residential and urban development expands throughout the region. 

Together, SCT and QTS are now investing in the health of the land itself. Portions of Towaliga Preserve were historically used for cattle grazing and forestry, and approximately 72 acres of forest were harvested around 2015, before SCT acquired the property. The forest that has since naturally regenerated and is dominated by early-successional species, including native sweetgum and tulip poplar, but overwhelmingly by invasive, non-native plant species like privet, Chinaberry, and Oriental bittersweet. 

The Phase 2 restoration will transform this young, degraded forest into a healthier landscape—one that provides better habitat for wildlife, helps protect nearby waterways, and strengthens the ecological health of Towaliga Preserve for years to come. 

Continuing a Partnership for Conservation 

The Phase 2 restoration builds on the success of the first QTS-supported restoration effort at Towaliga Preserve.

During Phase 1, SCT planted 12,140 native trees representing 21 species across a 23-acre former agricultural field. The original goal was to plant a minimum of 7,000 trees, but SCT and QTS were able to exceed that goal.

That first restoration effort has also created an opportunity for research, collaboration, and learning that is helping shape what comes next. 

In partnership with the University of Georgia, SCT is studying tree survival and growth across four research plots containing 576 trees representing 21 species. Researchers are examining how different tree species and planting approaches perform and how site conditions affect tree health. 

That information is helping SCT understand what works best and use this research to guide the much larger Phase 2 restoration. 

Ten Years of Active Restoration—and a Commitment Beyond

The Phase 2 project will begin with site preparation, including the removal of several thousand feet of old barbed-wire fencing and preparation of the restoration areas. 

Beginning in fall 2026, professional forestry contractors will conduct staged thinning and mulching across approximately 77 acres. Targeted treatment of invasive vegetation will follow within the 77 acres in 2027, with native tree planting planned for winter 2027/2028.

An additional 52 acres of surrounding mature forest will receive targeted invasive species management to improve the health of the existing forest in the fall of 2026. 

Throughout the project, SCT will remain directly involved in the restoration process, overseeing contractors, directing restoration activities, monitoring progress, and adapting management as needed. 

And the work will not end when the 10-year project period concludes.

As the owner and steward of Towaliga Preserve, SCT will continue to carry out its mission by caring for the restoration area and the broader property as part of its ongoing and most fundamental responsibilities.

“We’re not planting trees and walking away,” said Doane. “The restoration may have a 10-year implementation period, but SCT’s commitment to Towaliga Preserve extends well beyond this project. We will continue to monitor, manage, and care for the property as we work to ensure this restored forest thrives for years to come.” 

Restoring More Than Trees

A healthier forest means more than healthier trees.

Restoration at Towaliga Preserve will improve habitat for wildlife, support greater native plant diversity, reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, and help protect the approximately 1.5 miles of the upper Towaliga River that runs through the property. 

As the forest matures, Towaliga Preserve will also provide opportunities for environmental education, ecological research, wildlife observation, nature exploration, and outdoor recreation.

A Partnership Built for the Long Term

QTS’s Phase 2 commitment continues a partnership with SCT that began in 2023 and has supported reforestation, land stewardship, environmental education, and volunteer projects. The first QTS-supported reforestation effort at Towaliga Preserve demonstrated what could be accomplished when QTS’s support was paired with SCT’s conservation expertise. Phase 2 allows SCT to take the next step, from planting trees to undertaking a comprehensive forest restoration effort across a much larger area.

“At QTS, we believe responsible growth includes investing in the long-term health of the environments where we operate,” said Megan Hofemeyer, Sustainability Lead at QTS. “This partnership with Southern Conservation Trust goes beyond planting trees. It is about restoring and strengthening forest ecosystems, improving biodiversity and creating lasting environmental benefits for future generations. We're proud to support a project that will protect and enhance this landscape for decades to come.”

For SCT, the goal is not simply to establish a new stand of trees. It is to protect a special landscape, restore its ecological health, and steward it for generations.

Learn More

The work at Towaliga Preserve is part of Southern Conservation Trust’s broader commitment to protecting and restoring the natural landscapes of our region.

Learn more about SCT’s conservation work and the Flint Rising Initiative at FlintRising.org

About Southern Conservation Trust

Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) is a Georgia-based land trust dedicated to elevating nature through exceptional stewardship. SCT is a 501(c)(3) public charity that impacts and stewards more than 65,000 acres across the Southeast, including five public nature areas and the Fayette Environmental Education Center in Fayette County. Through land conservation, environmental education, and public access to nature, SCT works to ensure protected lands benefit both people and the environment. Learn more at sctlandtrust.org.



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