For more than a decade, the Spy has invited the president of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to provide an annual analysis of conservation efforts on the Mid-Shore. And once again, Steve Kline kindly agreed to swing by our studio for an in-depth conversation about the state of land protection in the region.
In our chat, Steve discusses ESLC’s successes and frustrations with lawmakers in Annapolis, the threats to Eastern Shore farmland from solar farm expansion, and his organization’s priorities as our communities face the daunting challenges of rising sea levels in the decades ahead.
This video is approximately ten minutes in length.
Joan Murray says
Steve,I know you and I disagree about solar installations on farmland, but I am glad we are able to have discussions on both the positives and the negatives.
I have to admit, however, that I have seen many fields of corn and soybeans and it is actually rare to see farmers in the field once a crop is planted. You made solar farms sound like prisons with their “chain link fences” and stated that “they’re generally void of people, they don’t want people out there.” Eastern Shore farmers are very friendly people, but I bet that the majority of them don’t want strange people wandering around out there on their farms either, and would probably not give the trespassers a warm, sunny welcome.