Fall - Winter 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust

Easements Key to RestoringAmerican Chestnut Trees in Maryland

Land MarksFall/Winter 2011

B arbara Knapp ofGermantown has rare

large surviving Americanchestnut trees growing onher property. e trees, in-cluding the MontgomeryCounty champion, are nowprotected by a conservationeasement held by MET.

Although her propertyhas been the subject of aForest Conservation andManagement Agreementwith the state for manyyears, that program, while

very helpful, does not last in perpetuity. Barbara saw aconservation easement donation to MET as a way to accomplishseveral goals including: the preservation of chestnut trees,to make it impossible for more houses to be built on theproperty, and to save on estate taxes for my children (andsome current taxes for me).” Her children and grandchildren,she says, are “totally in agreement. We are all happy to thinkthat this little piece of land, at least, will be protected forever.”

Barbara is the secretary and a founding member of theMaryland Chapter of e American Chestnut Foundation(TACF). e goal of the Maryland Chapter (MDTACF) isto restore the American chestnut tree to its former place inMaryland forests. In pursuit of this goal, MDTACF maintainsfifteen chestnut orchards in Maryland that contain almost sixthousand trees, with more orchards and trees planned. Mostof the trees in the orchards are part of the breeding programto produce blight-resistant American chestnut trees that areacclimated to Maryland environments; the rest, progeny oflarge surviving trees, are being grown for future breeding.

According to Gary Carver, the president of the Chapter,who is beginning the process of donating an easement on hisproperty in Frederick County, the ultimate success of restorationis strengthened by “educating the public to understand andembrace this ambitious project and by keeping as many nativeAmerican chestnut trees alive as possible so that we can havea diverse genetic base for future breeding and reintroductionof blight-resistant chestnut trees.” Barbara’s trees are a part ofthis genetic base. A visiting prominent chestnut researcher wrote:“I think that Barbara’s property is a gold mine for your chapter…it is a truly natural ecosystem, and the chestnut trees are native.”

MDTACF is beginning the testing process for restorationby planting the new potentially blight-resistant nuts in“restoration orchards” in Maryland. Gary stresses that “this isa multi-generational project and public education, especiallyeducation of school children, is critical. It will be many yearsbefore anyone will see a fully grown, blight-resistant Americanchestnut tree.”

Placing conservation easements on land where chestnut treescan grow is a direct benefit to the survival of the tree. Further,landowners who have donated conservation easements to METcan play an even more important role in chestnut restorationby planting American chestnut trees. Landowners may alsowant to explore planting a restoration orchard on theirconserved land.

To spread knowledge of chestnut trees and to encouragetheir planting, members of MDTACF offer help in identifying,growing and protecting American chestnut trees.

• Identifying different species of chestnut trees. Landownerswho find trees that may be American chestnuts can have anMDTACF member visit the trees, or can send samples fromthe trees for identification.

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Maryland is home to a rich variety of cultural and historicalresources. ose representing the places where the Civil War

was fought are considered among some of the State’s most treasured,but unfortunately, are often endangered by sprawl and encroachingdevelopment. For the last two decades, MET has made the protection ofCivil War battlefields one of its priorities and has devoted significant stafftime and resources to their permanent protection. Conservation easementson properties surrounding Civil War battlefields offer an effectiveway to preserve their view sheds and prohibit development that mightotherwise destroy the integrity of the site’s historic landscapes.In partnership with other conservation organizations, MET has

successfully protected numerous view sheds associated near the Antietam, Monocacy and SouthMountain battlefields. MET holds more than 82 perpetual conservation easements in Frederickand Washington Counties that protect adjacent landscapes and provide a buffer to the Nationaland State parks that protect and interpret the battlefields. Easements restrict development onapproximately 8660 acres and maintain the land in farms and forests. Sixteen easements (1040acres) were donated, (six in Washington County, 410 acres and 10 in Frederick County, 630 acres)while 66 were purchased (7614 acres) using Federal and State funds provided by the FederalHighway ISTEA-Battlefield Protection, National Park Service, and Maryland Rural Legacy andProgram Open Space programs.

South Mountain is often overlooked by those less familiar with Civil War battlefields, over-shadowed by the slaughter of Antietam, which took place three days later and resulted in a loss of23,000 men. Approximately $4 million has been spent to protect approximately 1,313 acres of thehistoric battlefield at South Mountain – through Program Open Space. Much of this acreage hasbeen preserved through easements rather than outright purchase, enabling the State to accomplishmore for its dollar.

Antietam might be the most significant Civil War site in the nation and was the bloodiestsingle day in American history. Listed on the National Trust for Historic Places “America’s 11 MostEndangered List” for several years, Antietam was once threatened by sprawl and incompatibledevelopment but is now a more bucolic setting with its historic approaches to the battlefieldprotected. MET easements include the Grove Farm where President Lincoln met with U.S.generals after the battle and the 200-acre Roulette/Callas farm, just outside the National

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJames R. O’Connell

ChairJames W. Constable

Vice ChairHonorable S. Jay Plager

TreasurerAnn H. Jones

SecretaryDoris Blazek-White

Donald N. BriggsK. King Burnett

Susan Duke Hance-WellsConstance LiederJames B. MorrisSteven Quarles

AREA REPRESENTATIVESSteve Bunker

Charles CountyGoodloe E. (Geb) Byron, Jr.

Frederick CountyBill Crouch

Anne Arundel CountyV. David Grayson

Carroll CountyDavid Greene

Baltimore CountyPhilip R. Hager

Allegany CountyCharlotte Staelin, Ph.D.

Kent County

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSSenator Roy Dyson

Delegate Dana SteinTom McCarthy

(Governor’s Representative)

TRUSTEES EMERITUSAjax Eastman

John C. MurphyEllen Kelly

Dr. Henry A. Virts

STAFFElizabeth Buxton

DirectorKevin Bull

Easement MonitorJon Chapman

Stewardship Program ManagerAnn Gutierrez CarlsonEastern Region Planner

Catherine FordProgram Assistant/

Keep Maryland Beautiful CoordinatorLisa Holmes

Administrative AssistantJohn Hutson

Easement Program Manager/Southern Region Planner

Michelle JohnsonVolunteer Program Coordinator

Joan R. LallyStewardship Program Coordinator

Carol HollandBookkeeper

Megan SinesCentral and Western Region Planner

by Elizabeth Buxton,MET DirectorDirector’sNote

On September 18, MET held a special event to celebrate four decades of private land conservation. e DanielSheffer Farm in Middletown served as the perfect venue to celebrate MET’s success in the western region.Owned by MET Area Representative, Geb Byron and his wife, the property served as a temporary hospital forwounded soldiers during the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862. is significant historic home andfarm complex is protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement held by MET and the Maryland HistoricalTrust and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Battlefield, the site of the Confederate advance on the morning ofthe battle and the southern line at the end of the day. While beingprotected for their historic significance, these battlefields have nowbecome a haven for wildlife and offer habitat for more than 30rare and endangered plants and animals.

e battle of Monocacy helped save the nation’s capital fromConfederate invasion. After the battle the Union Army used theomas farm—part of the Monocacy National Battlefield site—to rest and reorganize. e adjacent 178-acre Mathias Farm wasprotected in 2002 through an easement purchased from theConservation Fund and held by MET. Located to the south of the

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Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference

On Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th, the MarylandEnvironmental Trust hosted the annual Maryland Land

Trust Alliance Conference, the only state-wide land conservationconference and training workshop for land trusts. e two dayevent was held at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt inTowson. Nearly one hundred attendees from state, regional andnational conservation organizations gathered to share informationand learn.

“e conference provides training on best practices in landtrust management, land transactions and stewardship,” said METDirector Elizabeth Buxton. “It offers a forum for learning aboutthe most pressing issues facing land conservation today.”

Nick Dilks, Treasurer for the Chesapeake Conservancy, wasthe keynote speaker and spoke to the role of the Conservancy inexpanding conservation funding through ecosystem mitigation

and trading, advocacy for federal funding around the Chesapeakeand bringing payments to landowners.

is year’s annual conference offered a variety of sessions on:emerging trends in climate change, restoration opportunities forland owners, bridging land conservation and historic preservation,and new partnerships in land conservation and accreditation ofland trusts. A featured workshop was the Soulful Landscape –Creative Ways to Connect People, Place and Community by EricaWheeler. Erica, a Maryland native, is nationally recognized forusing her landscape memories to tell stories of place and belonging.Erica’s work helps kindle passion for inspiring and engaging othersthrough writing and arts to care about the places land trusts protect.

e Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference was co-sponsoredby e Abell Foundation, e National Park Service, e ConservationFund, and e Trust for Public Land.

battlefield, it served as headquarters and an encampment area. eeasement protects the viewshed of the battlefield and Baker ValleyRoad, as well as the Monacacy River watershed, important habitatfor interior forest dwelling birds.

MET continues to work with its partners to protect these hallowedgrounds, including the Maryland Historical Trust, the ConservationFund, Frederick County, Save Historic Antietam, Central MarylandHeritage League, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, theMaryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, the Civil WarPreservation Trust (CWT), the National Park Service and others. Todate, over 10,000 acres have been preserved through preservationeasements and fee acquisition, but there is still more conservationwork to be done!

is year marks the beginning of a four year Sesquicentennialcommemoration of the Civil War. In this period of heightened interest,we hope to increase the number of acres protected by easements nearbattlefields. MET together with CWT, the largest preservation groupdedicated to the preservation of Civil War battlefields, has applied forTransportation Enhancement Funds to combine efforts and preserveadditional acreage near Maryland’s battlefields.

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Several Maryland land trusts are gaining skills in understandingthe local impacts of climate change and incorporating this

into their decision making for land preservation. Due to itsgeography and geology, the Chesapeake Bay region is rankedthe third most vulnerable to sea level rise, behind Louisianaand Southern Florida. Maryland's people, wildlife, land andpublic investments are at risk due to expected consequences ofclimate change including sea level rise, increased storm intensity,extreme drought and heat waves, and intensified wind andrainfall events. In addition to protecting forests and farmland,scenic open space and valued habitats, land trusts also helppreserve the ecosystem services counted on by coastal communities.To help land trusts figure out what to do to meet this challenge,the MET Land Trust Assistance Program has provided severaleducational opportunities for land trusts to participate inaddressing and engaging their communities in this criticalissue in the context of habitat conservation.

A workshop entitled “Building Our Own Vision of ClimateChange Adaptation: An interactive workshop to define howland trusts will protect their habitat conservation priorities”was offered at the Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference,on May 13th . Judy Boshoven and Natalie Dubois of theDefenders of Wildlife Living Lands Program and Kate Pattonof the Lower Shore Land Trust led this participatory workshop

which helped the participants to define their own vision forhelping their communities adapt in the face of climate change.e workshop participants produced their own “situationanalysis”, which is a process that helps a group build a commonunderstanding – including the biological environment and thesocial, economic, political, and institutional systems – thataffect their conservation priorities.

On June 30th, the Defenders of Wildlife, MarylandEnvironmental Trust and Maryland Department of NaturalResources hosted the Coastal Land Conservation training.

Participants learned about sea level rise data and how toincorporate Blue Infrastructure and climate change intoproject decisions. e workshop offered information on usingDNR modeling data and an overview of research by MET onconservation easement language for properties impacted byclimate change. Data can be utilized to research how theproperty will be impacted when determining the conservationvalues and therefore the restrictions on the property.

e Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) with assistance fromDefenders of Wildlife and the National Park Service Rivers,Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, hosted a three-day workshop to identify their land conservation prioritieswithin their service area (Wicomico, Somerset, and WorcesterCounties). rough refining their conservation priorities,LSLT recognized that sea level rise will impact their servicearea, including important migratory waterfowl and shorebirdhabitats along the Atlantic coast. Developing a land protectionstrategy early in the process is essential to the preservation ofnot only the habitat of threatened species, but to the economicboost that bird watching and tourism dollars bring to theLower Shore.

One of the focus areas identified during the workshop is thecoastal wetlands in the Somerset-Wicomico Important BirdArea (IBA) from the National Audubon Society. e SomersetIBA is a distinctive habitat that occupies the tidal transitionzone inland from the open water of the Chesapeake Bay. ewetlands provide a range of “ecosystem services” of economicand social benefit to the community, including: buffers againststorm surges, nursery grounds for commercial fisheries,tourism and recreation, filters for nutrients and pollutants,wildfowl and furbearer hunting areas. ese wetlands are alsocritical for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, and are hometo a unique flora and fauna, including two birds, SeasideSparrow and the Salt marsh Sparrow, that evolved in this

Maryland LandTrustsAddress Sea LevelRise in Strategic Conservation Planning

^tidal environment and are found only in these salt marsh habitatsalong the US Atlantic Coasts.

Local evidence shows that sea levels are rising at a rate ofapproximately 3 mm a year along the coastline. Maryland is thefourth most vulnerable state in the U.S. to sea level rise, with 6.1%of its land area below 1.5 m in elevation. Scientists predict thatthe majority of Maryland’s coastal wetlands will be submerged bysea level rise by 2100. In regions, such as the Chesapeake Bay,where coastal wetlands are not growing vertically at a sufficientrate to keep pace with sea level rise, this ecosystem will remainviable only if allowed to migrate inland. e Salt marsh Sparrow,dependent on salt marsh habitats could be threatened withextinction. Adjacent uplands that can act as “migration corridors”must remain free of barriers such as development and hardenedshoreline protection.

e partnership formed by LSLT will raise awareness of thecombined impacts of sea level rise on the social, economic, andnatural resource values of the wetlands. e information will helplandowners interested in protecting their land to understand thebenefits from protecting the natural wetlands and marshes fromdevelopment. Recommended actions will be implemented toensure that ecologically significant coastal wetlands in the SomersetIBA can persist and remain viable habitat for Maryland State species

of greatest conservation concern. Hopefully, these local actionswill contribute to key state-wide strategies for responding topredicted impacts of climate change. e Maryland Commissionfor Climate Change made recommendations in its ComprehensiveStrategy for Reducing Maryland’s Vulnerability to Climate Changeand include identifying high priority natural resource protectionareas and strategically and cost-effectively direct protection andrestoration actions – work that LSLT has now started.

Land trusts in other areas of Maryland are also using analysisof spatial data in refining and understanding their conservationpriorities. Catoctin Land Trust and Patuxent Tidewater LandTrust with assistance from Defenders of Wildlife and the NationalPark Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Programand MET’s Land Trust Assistance Program are using availabledata to help understand conservation attributes that add to theresilience of ecosystems such as: climate change vulnerable specieshabitat, marsh migration corridors, soft shorelines, groundwater recharge areas, and enhanced role for the vegetative bufferalong waterways.

If you are interested in finding out more about availableclimate change data, please contact MET or Chelsie Papiez,Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 410-260-8726or email at [email protected].

$26,000 in Annual Grants Awarded by MET

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The Board of Trustees of MET announce this years recipientsof the Margaret Rosch Jones Award and the Bill James

Environmental Grants which are part of the Keep MarylandBeautiful Program.

Eleven community groups and schools were awarded grantstotaling $26,000 to restore streamside habitats, create communitygardens and educate citizens on the environment across the state.ese annual grants are made to nonprofit groups or communitiesthat advance environmental issues and/or address environmentalproblems. e Keep Maryland Beautiful Program is funded inpart by the Maryland State Highway Administration, a divisionof the Maryland Department of Transportation.

THEMARGARET ROSCH JONES AWARD is awarded to anongoing project or activity that has demonstrated success insolving an environmental issue, whether local or statewide. eMargaret Rosch Jones Award is named in memory of MargaretJones, the former executive director of the Keep Maryland BeautifulProgram. e Margaret Rosch Jones Award recognizes organizationsthat have been actively educating people in their communityabout litter prevention, community beautification and local orstatewide environmental issue(s) and have been successful ineliminating or reducing the causes of a local environmental problem.

e 2011 recipients of the Margaret Rosch Jones are AntietamCreek Watershed Association, Braddock Run WatershedAssociation, C.A.R.E Community Association, Friends ofPataspco, Maryland Public Television, Marley MiddleSchool, the National Aquarium, and St. Mary’s River WatershedAssociation. Projects include community gardens, invasiveplant removal, stream clean-ups, rain gardens, and conservationeducation programs.

THE BILL JAMES ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS are awardedto nonprofit youth groups for new environmental educationprojects in their community. e Bill James EnvironmentalGrants are given in memory of Senator William S. James whodrafted legislation in 1976 to create the Maryland EnvironmentalTrust, incorporating the activities of the Governor’s Committeeto Keep Maryland Beautiful.

is years Bill James Grants are awarded to Dwight D. EisenhowerMiddle School Green Club, the Maryland Department of JuvenileServices, Red Wiggler Community Farm and Manchester ValleyHigh School Science Research. Projects include reducing streamerosion, native tree nursery and planting programs, blue crab andwater salinity science projects and on-farm learning opportunitiesin educational programs.

“MET is pleased to be able to provide funding to other organizationsto help advance our shared goals and mission.” says ElizabethBuxton, Director the MET. “ese grants encourage organizationsto promote environmental education and demonstrative projectsthat help keep Maryland beautiful.”

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Thanks to Andrew Bradley 136 acres of important farmlandon Pomona Road in Kent County is protected forever. In July

of 2011 the Andrew C. Bradley and Associates, LLC generouslydonated a conservation easement to MET and the Eastern ShoreLand Conservancy (ESLC). Mr. Bradley wanted to ensure that thefarm would remain a farm and would never be destroyed bydevelopment. A conservation easement was a good fit for Mr.Bradley because of his strong connection to farming the property.

MET was particularly interested in protecting this beautifulfarm because of its importance to the agricultural and sceniclandscape. e soils of the property qualify as prime farmland.Kent County identified the farm as a priority for agriculturalpreservation and it is in close proximity to more than 2,000 acres offarmland and forestland also protected by conservation easements.is farm is an integral part of the pastoral setting of the areaproviding views of open fields and rolling hills from PomonaRoad. e farm’s marsh and woodlands along the East Fork ofLangford Creek helps maintain water quality of the creek andprovides wildlife habitat. e woodland area is mixed hardwood;species include tulip poplar, American beech, American basswood,sweet gum and black cherry. Further residential development ofthe farm would have damaged the rural character of the landscape.e placement of the conservation easement on the farm meansthat the agricultural soils will always be available for productionand open space. e farm will continue to provide scenic enjoymentto those traveling Pomona Road.

While MET and ESLC were working with Mr. Bradley onthe conservation easement, it became clear to Mr. Bradley thatfarming the property on his own was no longer feasible due to hisextensive international travel schedule. At the same time youngfarmer Marshall Owings was looking to purchase a farm. Mr.Owings shared Mr. Bradley’s vision and love for this farm. Mr.Bradley and Mr. Owings worked closely to come up with a solutionthat would allow Mr. Owings to acquire the property after theconservation easement was in place. MET is thrilled to havehelped Mr. Bradley protect this farm and to see it transferred toa new landowner committed to conservation and farming.

Landowner Spotlight: Andrew Bradleye land conservation profession often revolves around statistics—number of acres protected, miles of shorelinepreserved, value of development rights extinguished. At MET we try not to lose sight of the fact that behindevery one of our easement properties is a landowner—and each landowner has a story to tell. LandownerSpotlight is a series that captures and shares those inspiring stories.

The Board of Trustees of the MET presented the 2011Conservation Awards at the recent Annual Statewide Land

Conservation Conference held in Baltimore and at a meeting inCrownsville. In selecting the winners, the Board considers avariety of factors including the protection of conservation values,the impact on the environment and best management practices.“ese individuals and projects represent the best in conservation,environmental education and volunteerism in Maryland,” saidJim O’Connell, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “Each awardhighlights important conservation projects and the importantand powerful ways that individuals can significantly impact theenvironment and help protect the valuable scenic, historic andnatural resources in Maryland.”

Jerry and Bobette Harris were honored with the DillonAward for their work in preserving the unique landscape of theEastern Shore by donating three conservation easements to METand purchasing an easement property from the Biophilia Foundation.e easements combined protect more than 800 acres in DorchesterCounty and include water quality buffers and scenic views on theHonga River, Spicer Creek, Wallace Creek, Punch Island Creek,Dunnock Slough, the Chicomacomico River and the ChesapeakeBay. is large area is an integral part of preserving the scenic andrural landscape of Dorchester County and protects nearly 300acres of productive agricultural land. e Forest ManagementPlan further protects critical forest habitats for delmarva foxsquirrels and bald eagles.

e Dillon Award, inaugurated in 2002, is presented annuallyin honor of Alverta and Louise Dillon of Garrett County. esisters donated a conservation easement and then left theirentire property to MET in 1984. e goals of MET’s conservationeasement program complement those of the Dillon Award;

promotion of land protection, environmental education andinspirational achievements are considered as much as the numberand acreage of donations.

e MET Board of Trustees presented the Aileen HughesAward to Joanne Flynn, president of the Black Swamp CreekLand Trust for her success over the last decade in promotingland conservation and small-scale sustainable farming in the ruraltier of Prince George’s County. Originally formed as a localchapter of the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust, the Black SwampCreek Trust was later organized as an independent non-profittax exempt land trust.

Flynn, together with the Black Swamp Creek Land Trust, haspursued land conservation options with private landowners usinggovernment programs and soliciting donations of conservationeasements in exchange for tax benefits. She has been instrumentalin promoting Maryland's Rural Legacy Program between CroomRoad and the Patuxent River, and later advocating for its expansion.

In addition, Flynn and her husband Nick Newlin, purchased a120-acre farm on Milltown Landing Road preventing its sale forsubdivision and development. ey have since put approximatelyhalf of the farm under a permanent conservation easement throughthe county's forest conservation program, and will conserve theremainder through other programs. e Aileen Hughes Award isgiven annually to an individual representing a Maryland landtrust for leadership, partnership and innovation in a conservationproject. e award is named in honor of the late Aileen Hughes, atrue leader in the conservation movement. Hughes was presidentof the American Chestnut Land Trust and a supporter of women’sand civil rights, as well as the protection of our State’s natural andcultural resources.

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Liz Buxton, MET Director and Jim O’Connell, MET Chair, present the Dillon Award to Jerry and Bobette Harris.

Annual Conservation Awards Presented

In September, MET bid farewell to Rebecca Howey whoreturned to her homeland, England, after working for five

and a half years for MET. Beki was first hired as MET’s VolunteerCoordinator and then served as the Land Trust AssistanceCoordinator and provided technical assistance and educationalevents for the land trusts in Maryland.

Beki has assisted MET in countless ways and she will be sorelymissed by all. MET board, staff and members of the land trustcommunity gathered for a special reception on September 12 tosay goodbye and recognize Beki’s many contributions to METand the land conservation movement in Maryland! MET extendsmany thanks to Beki for her many outstanding efforts and wishesher success in her next endeavor.

Senator Dyson presents Beki Howey with the Governor’s Citation onSeptember 12, 2011, during the September Board of Trustees Meeting.

CATHYFORD joined MET in Julyand is assisting with the LandTrust Assistance, Stewardshipand Easement Programs. She isfocusing her efforts on outreachand monitoring, and will helpadminister the Keep MarylandBeautiful grant program. Cathyformerly worked for MarylandDepartment of Health andMental Hygiene and has a BSdegree from Campbell University

in Social Services and MSW degree from the University ofMaryland School of Social Work. Cathy lives in Arnold withher family and enjoys freelance photography and spendingtime outdoors.

CAROL HOLLAND washired in August as the part-time book keeper. Beforemoving to Maryland, sheserved as the business managerof an architectural firm inNorth Carolina. She previouslyserved as the business managerfor Preservation Maryland fortwo years. Carol resides inLutherville with her husband.

KEVIN BULL joined MET in August as a seasonal employee andwill assist the Stewardship Program staff with monitoring METeasement properties among other things. Previously, Kevinworked as a forester for PEPCO in Prince Georges County. Hereceived his BS in Environmental Science from the University ofMaryland, Baltimore County. Kevin lives in North Laurel with hiswife and pets. He enjoys birds, trees, wildlife and all other thingsoutdoors as well as aquariums and technology.

Staff Updates

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M ET recently appointed twonew Area Representatives to

the Board of Trustees. Bill Crouch willserve as a representative for AnneArundel County and David Greenereturns to MET as area representativefor Baltimore County.

BILL CROUCH is the MarylandDirector for e Conservation Fund(TCF), a national 501(c)(3) non profitland trust. Working in partnershipwith private and governmental

organizations, TCF has protected over 145,000 acres in theState of Maryland and over 6,500,000 acres nationwide. Billcompleted his undergraduate work at James Madison Universityin Harrisonburg, Virginia and studied law at the University ofBaltimore where he earned a Juris Doctorate. Bill is a member ofthe Maryland State Bar. Bill’s appreciation of the outdoors stemsfrom his years of summers spent working on his grandparentscattle farm in Hillsboro, Texas; hiking on the Appalachian Trail;and hunting on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

We are pleased to haveDAVIDGREENEreturn to MET as an Area Representative.David previously served on the boardfrom 1999 to 2009. David has been activein the agriculture and preservationcommunities for many years. Beforeretiring, he worked for many years withthe Maryland Cooperative Extensionin Carroll County, first as an ExtensionAgent and then as Director. He is afounding member of the Carroll CountyLand Trust and the Maryland Sheepand Wool Festival. David and his wife

Nancy operate a 100 ewe flock sheep farm in northern BaltimoreCounty. e one hundred acre farm has been in David’s familysince 1786.

Bill and David each bring valuable experience from the landpreservation community and we look forward to working withthem both.If you are interested in serving as an area representative,please contact Liz Buxton at 410-514-7903 or email [email protected].

NewArea Representatives Named to theMET Board

W orking at MET this summer was a great experience. Notonly did I use my previous knowledge and skills to help

with numerous MET projects, I also gained valuable experiencesand new skills that will help me throughout my college years andbeyond. I was fortunate to work on several projects that will beused in the future such as creating aerial inspection and change/alteration request forms, the land trust interactive online map,exporting MET easements from GIS to Google Earth, aerialmonitoring, the soil conservation and water quality plan and totalresource management plan study, and editing the MET easementGIS layer.

I was able to go on monitoring visits to a number of properties,prepare monitoring reports for these visits, and experience theeasements and landowners first hand. is was a great experiencefor me and I hope that what I have accomplished will be able tohelp MET in the future.

My Summer Adventure at MET by Holly Bowen, Summer Intern

Holly Bowen is currently ajunior at the University ofMaryland, College Parkmajoring in EnvironmentalScience and technology witha GIS minor. She was selectedas a Governor’s SummerIntern and worked for 10weeks at MET over thesummer. Holly helped witha variety of GIS tasks andassisted with monitoringeasement properties.

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Ann Burchard is retired from the Department of Defense andlives part-time in Eastport and part-time in Catonsville with

Bob, her husband of 43 years. Ann and Bob have two children,Robert and Rachel, and four grandchildren, Gracie, Simone, Ben,and Alex, who all live in the metro DC area. Ann was born inChicago and moved to Minnesota when she was a teenager.Ann attended the University of Minnesota where she earneddegree in medical technology and in 1982 she earned a degreein computer science from University of Maryland, BaltimoreCounty. Besides volunteering for MET, Ann prepares tax returnsfor low income and elderly people under the AARP program.

Q: How long have you been a volunteer monitor with MET?I have been volunteering with MET as a Volunteer EasementMonitor since at least June 2003.

Q: What motivates you to volunteer?I am concerned about uncontrolled development and urbansprawl. e conservation easements overseen by MET are anessential for preserving habitat and watersheds. It is such a joyto drive past developments and see an oasis that is a conservationeasement. Walking on an easement property brings a sense ofpeace and hope.

Q: What is your most memorable monitoring visit?I visited a farm in northern Baltimore County. e elderly gentlemanwho owned the property took me on a tour of the easement onhis old tractor. I was hanging on for dear life, bouncing overruts while trying to take notes and yelling “stop” into his hard-of-hearing ears when I wanted to take a picture. He was raising somegorgeous heritage turkeys. It was amazing to stand in the middleof the flock while they gobbled around me.

Q: What is your favorite outdoor activity?I enjoy kayaking in the creeks near Annapolis and in ChesapeakeBay. I particularly like to poke around the natural areas and watchthe birds.

Volunteers are a vital part of MET’s Monitoring and StewardshipProgram. We thank Ann for her commitment and hard work.Ann is one of 30 active volunteers who have been trained tomonitor easement properties. For more information on how tobecome a volunteer at MET, please contact Michelle Johnsonat 410-514-7908 or email at [email protected].

• Providing nuts and seedlings of American chestnut trees.MDTACF members have limited quantities of nuts andseedlings of American chestnut trees that are available for free.(ese are pure American chestnut trees and are susceptible tothe blight fungus. ey will all eventually get infected and manywill die, although they may resprout from their root systems.ey can be beautiful and can bear seeds for decades.)

• Advice on planting and maintaining chestnut trees.Chestnut trees prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil. ey dowell on northern facing slopes. When they are young, theyprefer full sunlight. Often, a simple visual inspection can ruleout unsuitable sites and, for potentially suitable sites, a soil testcan be used to determine whether a site is suitable as is orrequires soil amendments. Members of MDTACF can identify

good chestnut growing sites, can recommend ways to keeptrees healthy and, when the trees do become infected with theblight, can suggest methods to help the trees defend themselvesagainst the fungus.

To have your trees identified, send samples, obtain seedsand/or seedlings, or obtain advice on growing chestnut trees andkeeping them healthy, contact MDTACF by sending an e-mailmessage to [email protected] or a letter to Barbara Knapp,Secretary, 21900 Davis Mill Road, Germantown, MD 20876.For more information, visit the Chapter’s website www.mdtacf.org.To learn more about the American chestnut tree and the blight,as well as the backcross breeding program of e AmericanChestnut Foundation, visit TACF’s website www.acf.org.

Focus on Volunteers: Ann Burchard

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Restoring American Chestnut Trees in Maryland(continued from page 1)

One of the obvious perks of this line of work is seeing amazingproperties across the state. Another perk is working with

the landowners and partner organizations who are interested inprotecting these properties. On a recent mid-summer morning,I had the pleasure of combining the two in a monitoring visit withAllegheny Highlands Conservancy and landowner, Roy Weitzellto a co-held easement property in Garrett County known as “BearCreek Ranch”. Monitoring easement properties is part of fulfillingour obligation to ensure that the terms of the easement are beingupheld and while very important…it can also be a lot of fun!

To complete the task of monitoring this 745 acre property, weset out for a day’s worth of hiking. We walked hills, woods roads,and stream corridors to see property lines and corners. We walkedthrough dew coated spider webs and saw evidence of black bears.We took a break for lunch along Bear Creek in the shade of hemlocks.Along the way we took monitoring photos and made notes aboutproperty conditions as they related to the terms of the easement.

As we made our way back to our cars we crisscrossed BearCreek and passed many native wildflowers along the way. One ofthe highlights of the day for me was happening upon a meadow ofnative bee balm and Turk’s cap lilies which stood above our heads!

e day highlighted to me the reason that we work together inthe name of land conservation. is property is a true gem whichsupports habitat for globally rare species. e easement will standto protect this special place, long past the lifetimes of those of uswho walked the property that day.

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Notes from the FieldbyMegan Sines, Central andWestern Regional Planner

is newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper using soy-based inks.

100 Community PlaceFirst Floor

Crownsville, MD 21032-2023PHONE 410.514.7900

TOLL FREE 877.514.7900FAx 410.514.7919

www.dnr.state.md.us/met

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PAIDLutherville, MDPermit No. 171

Make a contributionto MET today!

To date, MET has protected over 127,000 acres of more than 1,000 easementsacross the state. MET has the long term responsibility for monitoring and

stewardship these properties in perpetuity. Regular monitoring requires considerableresources and MET established the Stewardship Fund to help offset expensesrelated to monitoring our easement properties. You generous contribution to theStewardship Fund will ensure that the conservation easements will be upheld intothe future.

Thank You to Our Contributors:Ann and Kenny BraitmanGeb and Jane ByronAmanda A. Gibson and John W. ButlerCharles E. Conklin, Jr.Robert and Julia DefordRobert James EtgenRuann Newcomer GeorgeJulia Jitkoff and Stanislaw Maliszewski,

L’Aiglon Foundation

James R. O’ConnellLauren and Rick PollinWilliam L. Susene Abell Foundatione Conservation Funde Land Trust Alliancee National Park Servicee Trust for Public LandBud and Nancy Virts

MINERAL RIGHTSGUIDE AVAILABLE

The status of a property’s mineralrights can affect the ability to

protect the property through aconservation easement. MET hasrecently prepared a guide, MineralRights and Conservation Easements–A Guide for Landowners, for thosewho may be interested in donating aconservation easement to MET buthave questions about the mineralrights status of their properties.e new guide can be found on ourwebsite under “Resources & Links.”