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Governor O’Malley Commends Maryland Landowners for 2008 Conservation Easements
Nearly 3,500 Acres Preserved
Annapolis, MD  — Maryland landowners protected 3,464 acres of private farmland, woodland and scenic open space in 2008 by donating perpetual conservation easements to the Maryland Environmental Trust. The donations ensure that these significant properties will remain forever preserved and protected from residential and commercial development.

“It is inspiring to see so many Marylanders preserving natural resources in current economic times, as it exemplifies our citizens’ strong commitment to a State that is Smart, Green & Growing,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “These easements ensure that our precious historical, cultural, scenic and environmentally sensitive land resources that we enjoy today can be shared with our children and theirs.”

The 579-acre Contee Farm parcel, lying at the edge of rapidly expanding development in Anne Arundel County, was the largest easement of 2008 and forms a contiguous watershed landscape that A photo of the Contee property in Anne Arundel County.extends across four miles of fields, forests and wetlands to the Chesapeake Bay. In Cecil County, a 532-acre horse farm, called Riveredge, previously intended to become a 58-lot residential area will be converted to a premier sporthorse operation and protected from future development. Kent County’s Wilmerding family protected 181 acres of farmland and forest, as well as nearly one mile of frontage along both the East Fork of Langford Creek and Broad Neck Road.
“While there is still much work to be done, Maryland’s landowners can take pride in knowing that they have the power to protect our land resources from sprawl and development,” said Liz Buxton, Director of MET. “With supportive agencies and non-profits to help, property owners can earn tax incentives, natural resources are preserved and the cost savings from gift easements means that government programs need not use taxpayer dollars to purchase land.”

The new easements, many held jointly with MET’s local land trust partners, include:

Introduced by Governor Martin O’Malley in October 2008, Maryland’s Smart, Green & Growing initiative was created to strengthen the state’s leadership role in fostering smarter, more sustainable growth and inspire action among all Marylanders to achieve a more sustainable future. The Initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses and citizens to create more livable communities, improve transportation options, reduce the state’s carbon footprint, support resource based industry, invest in green technologies, preserve valuable resource lands and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

The Maryland Environmental Trust was established in 1967 by the Maryland General Assembly to preserve privately owned farm, forest and other significant lands and has since protected over 119,500 acres statewide. MET is one of the oldest and most successful land trusts in the country, and is authorized by law to accept private donations of interests in real estate, money or other property; such gifts are tax deductible. In giving conservation easements, landowners donate the development rights on their property while retaining all other rights of ownership. Public access is not a requirement. For more information, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/met and www.conservemd.org.

January 26, 2009

Contact: Kara Turner
410-260-8021 office
katurner@dnr.state.md.us

Introduced by Governor Martin O’Malley in October 2008, Maryland’s Smart, Green & Growing initiative was created to strengthen the state’s leadership role in fostering smarter, more sustainable growth and inspire action among all Marylanders to achieve a more sustainable future. The Initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses and citizens to create more livable communities, improve transportation options, reduce the state’s carbon footprint, support resource based industry, invest in green technologies, preserve valuable resource lands and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.