BPW Approves Conservation Reserve Enhancement Easements On 130 Acres In Frederick County

Annapolis, Md. (November 3, 2010) — Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works (BPW) approval of CREP easements on 130 acres of streamside forests, natural areas and wetlands in Frederick County.

“I commend these Maryland landowners for making conservation practices on their properties permanent,” said Governor O’Malley. “Working together, in partnership with the federal government and landowners, CREP is helping us provide our future generations with safe, clean drinking water, control pollution and protect important wildlife habitat.”

Two of these CREP easements, consisting of 83 acres located on property owned by the Stull family, will permanently protect water quality through streamside buffers along more than 5,800 feet of a creek that is a tributary of Cabbage Run. Cabbage Run is a valuable recreational trout stream and public water supply.

“The Stulls are delighted with the 83-acre permanent CREP easement that will serve to protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat,” said Anne Bradley with Frederick County. “This conservation easement provides buffers on over 5,800 feet of first, second and third order streams, and protects the waterways from adjacent agricultural runoff.”

The other CREP easement is approximately 47 acres located on property owned by the Zimmerman family. This CREP easement will permanently protect water quality through streamside buffers along 2,160 feet of Linganore Creek, also an important recreational trout stream and public water supply.

“A 47-acre permanent CREP Easement on the Zimmerman property provides an important buffer for Linganore Creek in the Upper Linganore Creek watershed in Frederick County. This property is located within a Priority Preservation Area (PPA), an area Frederick county has designated as a high priority for land preservation,” Bradley said.

These CREP easements will be co-held by Frederick County and DNR.

Maryland’s CREP easement option is administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and funded through Program Open Space. In 2009, the State of Maryland entered into a continuation of an agreement with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide funds to landowners who make permanent the conservation practices established through 10- or 15- year CREP contracts.

CREP provides for the establishment of stream buffers, the planting of grass, shrubs and trees, and the retirement of highly erodible land. In addition to providing important habitat for wildlife, all of these practices work to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by reducing soil runoff, increasing groundwater absorption, and reducing stream sedimentation and nutrient loading into Maryland’s waterways. The State is on track to process easements on approximately 1,250 acres of additional land by the end of the year.

The three-member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor O’Malley (chair), Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. The BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultation contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement transactions.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 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