Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

(AP) -- ANDERSON, S.C. (AP) -- A 1,000-acre plot in a South Carolina county has been added to a state list of protected properties.

The Independent-Mail of Anderson reported that the plot in Abbeville County is the first piece of land in the county to be protected by Upstate Forever. In 2008 Abbeville became the 10th and latest county to join the Greenville-based conservation group. was recently added to Upstate Forever's list of protected properties.

High Meadows is in Piedmont. The organization says the land has pasture currently used for grazing cattle and is now the largest single piece of land that has been partnered with Upstate Forever.

The conservation agreement protects the High Meadows property from industrial, commercial, retail, subdivision, parking lot, billboard and mining uses. The property can also not be split up.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)