Governor Ehrlich Announces BPW Approval of more than $1.3 million for Land Conservation, Preservation
Rural Legacy, Program Open Space Funds Will Preserve Land, Encourage Recreation
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Reiterating his commitment to supporting park and conservation projects, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., today announced Board of Public Works approval of more than $1.3 million in land conservation projects.
“Once again, I have the pleasure of endorsing projects in support of conservation and outdoor recreation,” said Governor Ehrlich. “Today’s approvals contribute to improving our quality of life in Maryland by funding the acquisition of 865 acres of parkland and conservation easements.”
The Board is comprised of Governor Ehrlich, Comptroller William Donald Schaefer, and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp. The total funding amount approved today was $1,331,294.
For Harford County, the Board approved $196,811 in Program Open Space funds to acquire an easement through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program on 45 acres of farmland. This acquisition will improve water quality by establishing forested buffers along 2,639 linear feet of Broad Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River.
For St. Mary’s County, the Board approved $656,980 in Program Open Space funds to enable the acquisition of 50 acres on Route 235 in Lexington Park. This allocation supplements other federal, state, and local funds, which cover the bulk of the purchase price. The acquisition will transform a blighted area into additional recreational space, will double the size of the existing John G. Lancaster Park, and will resolve a major concern of the U.S. Navy regarding development encroachment on the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
For Worcester County, a total allocation of $477,503 through the Rural Legacy Program will fund two conservation projects in the Coastal Bays Rural Legacy Area.
The Board approved $340,990 to acquire an easement on 634 acres near Boxiron, Bayview, and Taylor’s Landing Roads to protect forested and agricultural lands. The Board also approved $136,513 to acquire an easement on 136 wooded acres of the Rantz Farm near Olney Road. Each easement provides strategic conservation of significant forest resources and green infrastructure.
Both Worcester County easements are parts of a larger effort to link blocks of protected land that stretch from Pocomoke State Forest to the E. A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area on Chincoteague Bay.
Posted June 23, 2004