At the Chattooga Conservancy, we value your trust. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have. If you ever have questions, please contact us.
Last updated: 12/10/2025
What Information We Collect
We collect information that you choose to give us—things like your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and (when needed) payment details for donations or merchandise purchases.
You might share this information when you:
- Sign up for our newsletter
- Register as a volunteer
- Make a donation
- Buy merchandise
- Become a member
- Contact us directly
How We Use Your Information
We use the information you provide so we can keep you informed and engaged with our mission. This includes:
- Sending newsletters and updates
- Alerting you about volunteer opportunities
- Contacting you about membership status or renewal
- Following up about donations or purchases
- Sharing important organizational news or event information
Third-Party Services We Use
We don’t sell or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes.
However, like most organizations, we do use trusted third-party services to help us operate:
- Little Green Light – We use LGL to manage donor and supporter records and to process donations securely.
- WooCommerce – We use WooCommerce to process payments for merchandise. Payment details are handled through their secure payment processors, not stored directly on our website.
- WordPress (Website Hosting Platform) – Our website is hosted on WordPress, which may collect certain basic technical information and may use cookies related to site functionality and performance.
- reCAPTCHA – We use the Google reCAPTCHA v2 “I’m not a robot” checkbox on certain pages of our website where we need to prevent spam and automated abuse (such as forms or submission pages). reCAPTCHA evaluates user interactions to determine whether the activity is performed by a human. This may involve the collection of device and application data, such as IP address, cookie data, mouse movements, and other behavioral information needed for reCAPTCHA’s security analysis. reCAPTCHA is provided by Google, and its operation is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service. By interacting with pages that include the reCAPTCHA widget, you acknowledge that reCAPTCHA may process data about you in accordance with these policies. We do not sell personal information collected through reCAPTCHA. The data is used solely for security purposes and may be shared with Google as a service provider.
These services only get the information needed to perform their functions and are expected to protect it.
How We Protect Your Information
We work hard to keep your personal information safe and confidential. Only authorized people on our team can access your data, and only for legitimate nonprofit purposes.
How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy or to comply with legal and tax obligations (e.g., donation records).
Your Choices
You’re always in control of your information. You can:
- Unsubscribe from emails at any time
- Ask us what information we have about you
- Request corrections
- Ask us to delete your information (as long as we’re not legally required to keep it, such as donation records for tax purposes)
Cookies and Website
Because our website operates on WordPress, it uses cookies—small data files stored in your browser—to support basic site functionality. We also use Google reCAPTCHA on specific pages, which sets its own cookies to help distinguish real users from automated bots. Here is a brief overview:
What Cookies We Use
- Essential cookies
These support basic site operations, such as security, load balancing, and core functionality required for the website to work properly. - Cookies from embedded content
Embedded media (videos, maps, or social media posts) from other sites may set cookies as if the user visited the third-party site directly. These cookies are controlled by the third party, not by us. - reCAPTCHA cookies (security-related)
On pages where the Google reCAPTCHA v2 checkbox is used, Google may set cookies that help detect suspicious or automated activity and support spam prevention. They may track limited technical and behavioral information—such as your browser type, IP address, or how you interact with the page—but are used solely for security purposes.
What We Do Not Use
- We do not use cookies for advertising or third-party marketing.
- We do not use cookies to track visitors across websites.
- We do not use reCAPTCHA cookies for profiling or marketing; they serve only to protect our forms from abuse.
Controlling Cookies
You may adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Please note that:
- Blocking essential cookies may cause parts of the website not to function correctly.
- If you block reCAPTCHA cookies, certain forms or pages protected by reCAPTCHA may not work.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this policy periodically. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact:
Chattooga Conservancy
Email: info@chattoogariver.org
Phone: (864) 647-9849
Mailing Address: 867 Chattooga Ridge Rd, Mountain Rest, SC 29664