Assuring The Future

Harbison State Forest occupies 2,200 acres of land located along the banks of the Broad River within 2-3 miles from one of the largest shopping malls in Columbia, SC. This is a VERY desirable piece of real estate! If it is to remain a forest, we who use and enjoy its benefits must step forward. You can provide financial support through the Friends of Harbison Forest to assure that Harbison Forest has a future. Some of the ways you can help are:

• Membership as a Student, Friend, Family, Partner or Steward
• Lifetime Membership
• Corporate Sponsorship
• Gifts given as a tribute to a special individual
• Gifts given as a memorial for a loved one
• Donations toward special projects
• General Fund donations
• Leave a legacy in your will

Membership

The parking lot at Harbison is chock full of vehicles most days. People are dog walking, hiking, mountain biking, trail running, wildlife viewing, canoeing/kayaking, photographing nature....if you are one of those people, consider becoming a member of The Friends of Harbison Forest. Becoming a Member will help insure that your favorite features in the Forest can continue to be maintained.
Check to see if the company or institution you work for or own would consider becoming a Corporate Sponsor. The upkeep and enhancement of Harbison Forest is a quality-of-life issue and businesses always benefit when the quality of life in their area is perceived as desirable. Join online or print off the membership application and mail it in with your contribution today!

Gifts as Memorials or Tributes

A gift to Friends of Harbison Forest on the occasion of a birthday, Christmas, or just to say 'thanks' is a wonderful way to honor a friend...especially a friend who enjoys coming to the forest.
We have some ideas for memorial gifts to honor loved ones such as additions to the Memorial Tree Grove, maintenance and improvements on the Historic Tree Trail and the addition of a palmetto tree for the Environmental Education Center.
If you are considering a tribute or memorial gift, contact us for more suggestions.

Donations For Special Projects and General Fund Donations

All projects undertaken by the Friends group are first approved in consultation with the Forest Manager.
Special Project #1 on our list is upgrading the canoe landing on the Broad River. This will be a big project and must necessarily be financed from donations as membership fees will not begin to cover it. Harbison Forest is a put-in/take-out point for the Broad River Canoe Trail/Blueway but in its present condition, the landing's use is problematic.
Special Project #2 is the annual event, Friends of Harbison Days. The educational, recreational and environmental aspects of the forest are highlighted with a myriad of activities for the whole family. We would like to expand and refine this big event from year-to-year and that takes money.

General Fund donations are used to finance tools and materials for trail maintenance and expansion. We can always use more tools, materials and volunteers! The General Fund is also tapped for office supplies including the mailing of welcome letters to new members. We hope soon to provide Friends of Harbison Forest membership cards and decals to members.

Leaving a Legacy in Your Will

When you include The Friends of Harbison Forest in your will, you use "Will Power" to assure the future of a valuable public resource. If you have a will, you can easily add a codicil to provide a bequest to insure that future generations will enjoy the forest as we do.   If you do not have a will, this is the time to prepare one.

The Friends of Harbison Forest is a 501(c)(3) non profit corporation. We have filed with the Internal Revenue Service and the Secretary of State for South Carolina. A bequest to The Friends of Harbison Forest may provide a tax benefit. At your death, your estate receives an estate tax charitable deduction for the amount of the bequest.

Some forms a bequest may take are listed below:

• A general or specific bequest for a certain amount of money or certain property owned by you such as stock;
• A residual bequest which designates a portion of what remains of your estate after all debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been paid;
• A contingent bequest that is fulfilled only under the conditions you specify;
• A bequest may be designated to be used for a specific purpose or totally unrestricted. For instance, it could be designated for an endowment which expends only the income while maintaining the principal in perpetuity.

When you decide to include The Friends of Harbison Forest in your will, please contact us so we may express our appreciation and honor you as a benefactor of Harbison State Forest!

• The information contained on this page does not constitute legal or financial advice. We encourage you to seek professional legal and financial advice before deciding on a course of action.