The Maryland Environmental Trust Hosts Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference May 27

Crownsville, MD (May 10, 2010) — The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) will host the annual Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference, the only state-wide land conservation conference and training workshop for land trusts, May 27 at the Pearlstone Retreat and Conference Center in Reisterstown.

Rand Wentworth, President of the Land Trust Alliance, will be the keynote speaker. The Land Trust Alliance promotes voluntary private land conservation to benefit communities and natural systems. It is the national convener, strategist, and representative of more than 1,600 land trusts across America.

Workshops and information sessions will be offered on a variety of topics including fundraising, federal and state policy, land-use planning and conservation, and restoration opportunities. MET will also present its annual land trust awards and grants.

The cost to register is $45, which includes a full day of sessions, lunch and field trips.

Please visit www.conservemd.org for program details and online registration.

This conference was made possible with additional support from The Conservation Fund, The Trust for Public Land, and The Land Trust Alliance.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov