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December 18, 2024

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Ecosystem Eco Notes

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Hosts U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen at Dorchester County Conservation Easement

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On Thursday August 17, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) and Skip and Barbara Watson hosted U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen for a tour of Waterloo Farm in East New Market, Maryland. Several bay conservation partners also attended, including representatives from Choose Clean Water Coalition, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Waterloo Farm’s conservation and wetland protection efforts (including impoundments, native plantings, protected woodlands, and vegetative buffers) will be replicated across Dorchester County by ESLC and essential partners through Chesapeake WILD funding, which includes $500,000 in federal funding that the Senator fought to secure to protect habitat migration corridors between Blackwater and the Nanticoke River Watershed. 

Through strategic landowner outreach, ESLC and the Chesapeake WILD project will permanently protect 300 acres, benefiting the long-term resilience of wildlife populations and critical ecosystems throughout Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore.

“What this shows is that this requires a team effort,” said Senator Van Hollen. “It does require everybody working in the same direction. If we’re going to address all the issues and if we’re going to protect the Chesapeake Bay, which is a global treasure, we have to make sure here in the bay, which is an extra sensitive area ecologically, that we have a program specifically targeted on the Bay and that’s what Chesapeake WILD is all about.”

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Eastern Shore Regional Trail Network Receives National Park Service Grant

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Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network steering committee

The Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network has been selected by National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA) as a 2023 “community assistance project.” The designation means that this recently-formed, Shore-wide consortium of partners, led by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, will receive support for one year in the form of invaluable, one-on-one expertise and technical support from knowledgeable National Park Service staff.

“The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA) is excited to partner with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) and community partners to create a connected network for active transportation across Maryland’s Eastern Shore that supports safe places for people to walk, ride, roll, and explore nature,” stated Natalia Sanchez Hernandez, the NPS-RTCA expert supporting the initiative. “NPS-RTCA recognizes the need and strong community support to enhance multimodal transportation to encourage healthy living, provide safe access to close-to-home recreation and community amenities, and increase tourism and economic development for communities in Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”

The Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network partnership is a newly-formed group of community organizations working to connect with stakeholders, initiate the first new trails across the region, and build a regional trails coalition to serve as an advocating body for trail resources. This Wednesday, June 14th, ESLC will kick off the first planning meeting between the steering committee and National Parks Staff at the Eastern Shore Conservation Center. The meeting will include:

  • Patti Stevens, Eastern Shore Representative for Maryland Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and co-founder of Worcester Bike and Pedestrian Coalition
  • Sue Simmons, former Director of Caroline County Recreation and Parks
  • Kat Stork, Owner of Shore Strategies
  • Jim Bogden, Chair of Chestertown Recreation Commission
  • Joe Kelley, Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
  • Josh Hastings, Wicomico County Council
  • Bob Zillig, Chair of Queen Anne’s County Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
  • Margaret Enloe-North, Interim Director Talbot Thrive

Owen Bailey, Chair of the Steering Committee for this project and Director of Land Use and Policy for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, is thrilled about the future saying, “We are so grateful and excited for this new project to raise awareness and engage people across the Shore. And we can’t wait to hit the trail!”

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Celebrates a ‘Returning to Roots’ at Annual Party to Preserve

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Supporters and friends of Eastern Shore Land Conservancy gathered at Duvall Farm and Lodge on Saturday, September 17, 2022, for the organization’s annual premier fundraising event, the Party to Preserve. The evening included wagon tours of the spectacular wildlife habitat on Duvall Farm, performances from renowned jazz performer Lena Seikaly, and a live auction of singular experiences.

“This is an evening meant to feature some of the most iconic and beautiful farms the Eastern Shore of Maryland has to offer, as well as to highlight the important work of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. On behalf of the entire ESLC board of directors and staff, thanks to Chip and Sally Akridge for opening Duvall Farm and Lodge for this year’s Party to Preserve and to Al and Marty Sikes for chairing the event, it was a fantastic and successful night,” said ESLC Board Chair William D’Alonzo.

“ESLC’s mission has never been more important than it is today, with the future of a rural Eastern Shore facing enormous pressure from all sides. The contributions from our Party to Preserve ensure we can continue our critical work, both around the kitchen tables of our partner landowners and in the meeting rooms where public policy decisions get made. Thanks to all of our supporters; we simply could not do our work without them,” added ESLC President Steven Kline.

ESLC is also pleased to announce that the 2023 Party to Preserve will return to Kent County. To stay up-to-date on all of our events, sponsorship opportunities, and news related to ESLC, join our mailing list and get updates via email.

About Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization
committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands
and waters that connect them. For more information, please visit www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Announces Addition of Local Community Leaders to Board of Directors

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to the organization’s board of directors: Jules Hendrix of Queen Anne’s County and Darius Johnson of Talbot County; the new additions were approved by the current board of directors during their most recent meeting on Monday, June 13, 2022.

Jules Hendrix is the owner of Crow Insurance Agency in Middletown, Delaware, a full-service insurance agency serving clients through the mid-Atlantic region; with a focus on agribusiness, Hendrix and the Crow Insurance team specialize in the insurance needs of businesses and families, including farm, crop, business, home, auto, and life insurance. Hendrix has spent years working in and with the ranch and farming community, and has authored a book on crop risk management for insurance professionals. She has a Master of Science degree in Horticulture and Agronomy from the University of California-Davis and holds the Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS) and Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) designations.

Darius Johnson, a proud Kent County, Maryland native, is the Regional Director of the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program of America. Additionally, Johnson is a Senior Fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program and a Community Curation Fellow with Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project at Washington College, Johnson’s alma mater. He also serves on various boards of other local nonprofit organizations, including Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area, Rural Maryland Council, and the Alumni Board at Washington College. Additionally, Johnson previously worked with ESLC as a member of its staff: first as the Community Revitalization Project Manager, then as the Communications Manager.

“Jules and Darius are fantastic additions to our board of directors, with a clear and active commitment to our mission of protecting and enhancing the rural character of the Eastern Shore. I look forward to working with both of them for years to come,” said ESLC President Steven Kline.

ESLC Board Chair Bill D’Alonzo added, “Jules and Darius bring meaningful and relevant professional experience to the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy board of directors, from agriculture and business, to non-profit leadership and community engagement. Their addition to our board will clearly benefit the future of this organization and its critically important work.”

For more information, contact ESLC’s Communication Coordinator, Bethany Straus at [email protected], or visit www.eslc.org.

About Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization
committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and
waters that connect them. For more information, please visit www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Cornell Grant Partners Two Conservation-Based Non-Profits on MD Eastern Shore

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) will be collaborating with Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) on an initiative through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Cornell Lab)’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Small Grant Program. The $5,000 award will be utilized to develop a six part bird conservation series to be held from January to August of 2022 that will highlight various bird conservation and restoration practices across the Delmarva Peninsula; the series will also promote opportunities for engaging new and existing volunteers in meaningful stewardship of conservation lands through the lens of bird conservation.

The Delmarva Peninsula hosts a variety of critical ecosystem habitat and supports a plethora of habitats from forest interior, grasslands, wetlands, and saltmarsh habitat. However, the peninsula is a vulnerable area, with the Chesapeake Bay to the west and Coastal Bays and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; habitat loss from sea level rise and development, along with large-scale changes in farming practices have contributed to the declines in a variety of bird species once plentiful on the coastal landscape, such as saltmarsh sparrow, seaside sparrow, black rail, and bobwhite quail.

This upcoming conservation series will highlight regional restoration efforts being implemented by conservation partners through discussions of restoration practices and trainings geared toward land trust members and volunteers, as well as interested members of our community. Through these focused programs, which include bird banding demonstrations and birding walks, partners aim to increase awareness of the challenges to bird populations and of the actions being implemented to counter these declines.

Existing conservation easement landowners will gain insight and knowledge as to how their land plays a role in the larger picture of restoration efforts, and whether their property might have potential to be enrolled in the highlighted restoration projects. Individuals of our communities can become more involved with local land trusts and will have the opportunity to learn how to become more involved with our conserved lands.

ESLC and LSLT sincerely appreciate Cornell Lab for this opportunity to work with local conservation groups and for the ability to increase our community support of bird conservation. For questions about this upcoming series, please contact ESLC’s Restoration Specialist, Larisa Prezioso, at [email protected] or LSLT’s Executive director, Kate Patton, [email protected]

About the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. For more information please visit www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

American Farmland Trust Awards ESLC with Soil Health Stewards Program Grant

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American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national agricultural conservation organization that promotes environmentally sound farming practices and protection of agricultural land, has awarded Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) with a $10,000 grant through their Soil Health Stewards Program. The grant, along with associated trainings, will enhance ESLC’s ability to promote soil health practices to the landowners and agricultural producers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy is a leading land trust in conservation easement protections. Since 1990, ESLC has protected 306 easements on approximately 52,000 acres across Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Kent, and Lower Cecil County.

The grant, which is funded by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), will allow two staff members to attend a 2.5 day Soil Health Workshop focusing on soil health practices and how to engage the community in the implementation of these practices. The workshop will prepare staff to build a Soil Health Stewards Action Plan on how ESLC will address soil health issues in our community.

“At ESLC, we are dedicated to staying on the cutting edge of conservation practices,” said David Satterfield, Land Program Manager at ESLC. “We are thankful for the support from AFT and NRCS to continue this dedication by building our knowledge around soil health practices and programs. We are excited to work with both groups at the upcoming workshop and through the Soil Health Stewards planning process to bring new resources to communities.”

ESLC’s Restoration Program plans to use the expertise gained through this grant to vastly improve the way it communicates soil health practices to its constituents through improved mailings and educational events. For those interested in assistance in achieving conservation goals for their property through management practice solutions, such as soil health improvements, please contact ESLC’s Restoration Specialist, Larisa Prezioso, at [email protected] or 410-690-4603.

About the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. For more information please visit www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Hires new Policy Manager

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Sara Ramotnik as their new Policy Manager.  Sara replaces Josh Hastings who has gone on to become Program and Policy Director for Forever Maryland.

Sara comes to ESLC from the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership where she worked on policy development and stakeholder input on key conservation legislation. Sara graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy.  Sara also served as an agricultural nonpoint source pollution intern at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office.  

According to ESLC President Rob Etgen, “we are thrilled to have Sara join our team.  She has terrific experience with partners and legislation that are key parts of our future, and brings the energy and enthusiasm needed to take on big challenges like our Delmarva Oasis – an effort to protect half of the peninsula by 2030.”

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Presents Solutions For A Changing Delmarva

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is excited to unveil Solutions for a Changing Delmarva, a four-part virtual workshop series designed to inform and engage the Delmarva community about climate issues that impact the region. The workshops will feature presentations from environmental experts who will provide different views and ideas about community-driven solutions to protect the environment, and the value those solutions create for citizens and the places where they live. The content of the workshops will cover areas that are at the core of ESLC’s Delmarva Oasis initiative which seeks to permanently protect 50% of the Delmarva Peninsula’s landscape from development and natural threats, while increasing public access to open space and waterways, and enhancing the quality of life of people and species across the region.

The purpose of this project is to directly engage public and private audiences in order to build regional public support for climate adaptation solutions. The Eastern Shore of Maryland is the country’s third most vulnerable region to sea level rise, behind south Florida and Louisiana. Because of the threats of increased flooding, the loss of properties, and widespread ecological impacts, ESLC is working with communities to take action on these threats today.

The first workshop, An Introduction to a Changing Delmarva, will inform participants about the importance of protecting the Shore’s venerable environments and provide a high-level overview of the environmental impacts sea level rise will cause in our communities.

The second workshop, Carbon Sequestration on Delmarva, will explore how protecting forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands can improve the land’s ability to store carbon.

The third workshop, Natural Solutions to Protect Our Communities, will discuss how nature-based solutions can protect Delmarva communities while improving local ecosystems.

The final workshop, How You Can Make An Impact In Your Community, will provide Delmarva residents with tools to combat climate change and build resilience in their communities.

Each workshop will be followed by an engagement activity that is designed to establish a personal connection to each topic. Each activity will be broadcasted over social media channels in the hope that ESLC can provide school and college aged students, teachers, and Delmarva residents with fun opportunities to learn how sea level rise and climate change affects their community. ESLC will award prizes to the most unique and well-thought-out projects.

This entire series is free to the public thanks to our partners at the Rauch Foundation.

The workshop series will kick off on January 12th at 6:00 pm. Visit www.eslc.org/events/ to register.

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. More at www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

441 Acres Preserved in Cecil County for Addiction Recovery

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is pleased to announce closing on a new conservation easement! The easement, completed in partnership with the U.S. Army and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR), protects 441 acres of agricultural land and critical species habitat with scenic value, off Back Creek and McGill Creek in Cecil County.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust, which protects a property’s agricultural viability, natural habitat, rural heritage, and/or scenic open space in perpetuity.

Aerial of RCA Building

The newly preserved property is the Bracebridge Hall location for Recovery Centers of America (RCA), whose mission is to save 1 million lives from the disease of addiction using evidence-based practices and clinical expertise to deliver quality patient care tailored to individual patients’ needs. The property is 530 acres in total, with 89 acres of unprotected land to allow for the expansion of Bracebridge Hall’s buildings as necessary for operations.

“We are thrilled to partner with ESLC and want to be good stewards of the natural landscape that makes Recovery Centers of America Bracebridge Hall such a unique environment for treating substance use disorder,” said Michael Ogden, Bracebridge Hall CEO. “Our patients are able to commune with nature right on the property and this ability to step outside and appreciate the beauty of the natural landscape without drugs or alcohol can be an important tool for reeestablishing the benefits of a meaningful life in long term recovery.”

This easement brings ESLC’s total to 303across 65,052acres on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and it is one of the Conservancy’s most unique easements based on its use beyond agriculture.

Over the course of 30 years, ESLC has actively worked with thousands of farms, families and community members to protect and enhance the Eastern Shore’s working agricultural landscape. Cecil County has had several big conservation wins – and this is surely one to celebrate.

“Conservation of Bracebridge Hall has been a huge priority for well over a decade,” said ESLC President Rob Etgen. “When this beautiful property was subdivided into over 100 lots potentially destroying the farm soils and habitat, the community partnered with ESLC to strive for a better future.  With Recovery Centers of America, a positive steward for the land has been found and a permanent conservation easement will ensure that stewardship lasts into perpetuity.  Many thanks to RCA for your commitment to conservation, and congratulations to the community for your long vigilance!”

This project was made possible thanks to financial support from Maryland Department of Resources’ Rural Legacy Program and the U.S. Army’s Compatible Use Buffer Program.

Waterfront View

The Rural Legacy Program was created in 1997 to protect large, contiguous tracts of Maryland’s most precious cultural and natural resource lands (often referred to as “the best of what’s left”) through grants made to local applicants

The U.S. Army’s Compatible Use Buffer Program works with conservation-focused partners to preserve high-value habitat and limit incompatible development in the vicinity of military installations.

ESLC Land Program Manager, David Satterfield said, “Our staff is grateful to DNR and the Army for their dedication to this project. Their support and hard work was instrumental in helping us realize this long-term protection goal. Even more so, we applaud Recovery Centers of America for their dedication to conservation. Our staff looks forward to working with them, in perpetuity, to protect this important resource and hope that it helps guide many of their clients to a healthy future.”

For more information, contact Land Program Manager, David Satterfield, [email protected], or visit www.eslc.org.

About Recovery Centers of America

RCA provides substance use disorder treatment in MD, PA, NJ, MA, and IL. Patients can obtain immediate care by calling 1-800-Recovery.Four Recovery Centers of America treatment facilities, were recently named as 2020 best U.S. treatment facilities that focus on addiction by Newsweek Magazine, including RCA at Bracebridge Hall and RCA Capital Region, both located in Maryland.

About the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them.  For more information please visit www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Releases Report on Climate Change & Severe Rainfall Impacts

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There is a broad trend of heavier, more frequent rainfall across the county with significant impact on communities. Maryland’s Eastern Shore is one of the most vulnerable regions to the impacts of these events, and a study released by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) finds that communities should expect the trend to continue in the coming decades.

The study can be accessed at www.eslc.org/people.

“We are very excited for the release of the extreme precipitation study,” says Jim Bass, ESLC’s Coastal Resilience Program Manager. “The Eastern Shore is going to be living with a lot more water in the future – both from sea level rise and from increased rainfall. This report helps us plan for those future conditions and be informed about the increased risk of flooding.”

Titled “Preparing for Increases in Extreme Precipitation Events in Local Planning and Policy on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” the study assists local governments in planning for the impacts of “extreme precipitation” or abnormally high rainfall on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The study was written on behalf of Eastern Shore Climate Adaptation Partnership (ESCAP) – a regional workgroup of local government staff, partners from the State of Maryland, academic institutions, and nonprofits. The ESCAP assists communities in reducing climate vulnerabilities and risks; collects and shares information among communities and decision makers; and educates members, residents, and elected leaders on risks and adaptation strategies. It also serves to raise the visibility and voice of the Eastern Shore and rural regions in conversations about adaptation and resilience.

Research for this project was conducted by scientists at the University of Maryland. Dr. Kaye Brubaker, director of the Maryland Water Resources Research Center, led a team who analyzed multiple climate projections for our region to develop a detailed look at how more precipitation will fall faster and more regularly in the future. ESLC also developed policy recommendations for local governments to adopt in their planning and legislative processes which will help mitigate flooding and manage increased stormwater volume.

Other golden nuggets from the report include location trends which demonstrate intensifying rainfall most significantly in the southern part of the Eastern Shore region, recommendations on stormwater infrastructure upgrades, and the fact that this report applies to multiple sectors including stormwater, agriculture, transportation, public safety, and environment/water quality.

“The results of this report show that climate change is bringing more rain to the Eastern Shore. We also know that sea levels will be roughly two feet higher by 2050 and six feet higher by 2100. Taken together, increased precipitation plus sea level rise means a significant increase in future flood risk across the region. It is imperative that we take steps today to mitigate and adapt to the flood risks projected for the future,” says Jim Bass.

For speaking opportunities, interviews, copies of the report, or more info about this study, ESCAP or ESLC’s coastal resilience program, please contact ESLC Coastal Resilience Program Manager, Jim Bass at [email protected] or 410.690.4603 x156

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. More at www.eslc.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.