M ET is pleased to announce that on January 7, 2011 it conveyed 547 acres of woodlands in Crownsville to Anne Arundel County for use as a passive recreation park. Immediately following the conveyance Anne Arundel Countygranted a conservation easement to MET and to the Scenic Rivers Land Trust (SRLT) on 630 acres which includes the 547 acres formerly owned by MET and 83 adjoining County acres known as the Bacon Ridge Natural Area. e conservation easement protects the property’s natural forest and wetland habitats. ese two transactions complete a long process resulting in the conservation and public access to this natural landscape. “e future use of this property is now dedicated to passive recreation and environmental stew ardship, ” CountyExecutive Leopold said. “During my first term we moved to preserve 3,000 acres of land, and we hope to build on this record of land preservation as State Program Open Space funds become available. ” is process began in December of 2002 when the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DHMH”) conveyed to MET 560 acres of the former Crownsville Hospital Center including an historic cemetery. In 2007 the Board of Public Works approved the conveyance of 547 acres to Anne Arundel County—with conditions that there would be an easement to MET, a Cooperative Wildlife Management Plan and hunting agreement with the Department of Natural Resources—and conveyance of the 13-acre historic cemeteryback to DHMH. e property is bounded on the east by I-97, on the south by Chesterfield Road and Hawkins Road, on the west by Bacon Ridge Branch, and on the north by Bacon Ridge Road. It is predominantly forested with extensive areas of open tidal and non-tidal water, non-tidal wetlands and steep slopes. e majority of the land is populated with mature second-growth forest, with dominant species including oak, hickory, beech, poplar, and maple. e property contains 533 acres of potential forest interior dwelling bird species habitat and is identified by Maryland/DC Audubon as an Important Bird Area. e U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service report on biodiversity in the mid-Atlantic region identified the area as important habitat for reptiles and amphibians. It contains historical spawning area for yellow perch and river herring, and a fish survey completed on the property in June 2009 found twelve species of fish, including American eel and blue-spotted sunfish. MET, SRLT , and Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks worked diligently to craft a conservation easement that protects the unique and treasured ecological features of the property and that allows the citizens of Maryland opportunityto enjoy them. Anne Arundel County established a Stewardship Committee of stakeholders assigned to provide guidance and recommendations for the management and use of the land. Crownsville W oo ds: Protected and Open to the Public for Passive Recreation!Spring/Summer 2011 Left to right: Mettie Smith of the Office of Law, John Hutson of the Maryland Environmental Trust, Dorsey Hile Jr., County Executive John R. Leopold, Alyssa Domzal of the Scenic Rivers Land Trust andKr isten O. Man eva l of the Offic e of Att orn ey Gen era l. L and Mark s
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Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust
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8/3/2019 Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust
MET is pleased to announce that on January 7, 2011
it conveyed 547 acres of woodlands in Crownsville to
Anne Arundel County for use as a passive recreation park.
Immediately following the conveyance Anne Arundel County
granted a conservation easement to MET and to the Scenic
Rivers Land Trust (SRLT) on 630 acres which includes
the 547 acres formerly owned by MET and 83 adjoining
County acres known as the Bacon Ridge Natural Area. e
conservation easement protects the property’s natural forest
and wetland habitats. ese two transactions complete a long
process resulting in the conservation and public access to this
natural landscape.
“e future use of this property is now dedicated to
passive recreation and environmental stewardship,” County
Executive Leopold said. “During my first term we moved to
preserve 3,000 acres of land, and we hope to build on this
record of land preservation as State Program Open Space
funds become available.”
is process began in December of 2002 when theDepartment of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DHMH”)
conveyed to MET 560 acres of the former Crownsville
Hospital Center including an historic cemetery. In 2007 the
Board of Public Works approved the conveyance of 547 acres
to Anne Arundel County—with conditions that there would
be an easement to MET, a Cooperative Wildlife Management
Plan and hunting agreement with the Department of Natural
Resources—and conveyance of the 13-acre historic cemetery
back to DHMH.
e property is bounded on the east by I-97, on the south
by Chesterfield Road and Hawkins Road, on the west by Bacon
Ridge Branch, and on the north by Bacon Ridge Road. It ispredominantly forested with extensive areas of open tidal
and non-tidal water, non-tidal wetlands and steep slopes. e
majority of the land is populated with mature second-growth
forest, with dominant species including oak, hickory, beech,
poplar, and maple. e property contains 533 acres of potential
forest interior dwelling bird species habitat and is identified
by Maryland/DC Audubon as an Important Bird Area. e
U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
report on biodiversity in the mid-Atlantic region identified
the area as important habitat for reptiles and amphibians. It
contains historical spawning area for yellow perch and river
herring, and a fish survey completed on the property in June
2009 found twelve species of fish, including American eel and
blue-spotted sunfish.
MET, SRLT, and Anne Arundel County Recreation and
Parks worked diligently to craft a conservation easement that
protects the unique and treasured ecological features of the
property and that allows the citizens of Maryland opportunity
to enjoy them. Anne Arundel County established a Stewardship
Committee of stakeholders assigned to provide guidance and
recommendations for the management and use of the land.
Crownsville Woods: Protected and Open to the Public for Passive Recreation!
Spring/Summer 2011
Left to right: Mettie Smith of the Office of Law, John Hutson of the Maryland Environmental Trust, Dorsey Hile Jr., County Executive John R. Leopold, Alyssa Domzal of the Scenic Rivers Land Trust and Kristen O. Maneval of the Office of Attorney General.
Land Marks
8/3/2019 Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust
Recently the Board of Trustees participated in a long range
planning retreat and identified goals and priorities for the
next three to five years. Among the priorities identified, the Board
made a commitment to seek accreditation from the Land TrustAccreditation Commission. With assistance from the Land Trust
Alliance, the national organization of over 1,700 land trusts and the
help of a generous grant from the Marpat Foundation, MET will
begin the path toward accreditation this year. We will take the first
step by comparing our policies and procedures with the Alliance’s
recommended best practices ethical and technical guidelines for
the responsible operation of a land trust. e assessment process
helps a land trust evaluate its performance, determine its conformance to land trust standards and
practices, and identify areas needing improvement to qualify for accreditation. e assessment
will provide a road map for MET to become accredited. e process will take at least three years,
allowing us to refine our policies and procedures to conform to the recommended standards
and practices.
So what is accreditation? Accreditation is a process by which an impartial and knowledgeable
organization reviews another organization’s operations to determine if they are conducting
business in a manner consistent with accepted professional standards. As it relates to land trusts,
the public with an assurance that a land trust meet high standards for quality and that their
conservation work will endure into the future. e Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an
independent program of the Alliance, evaluates land trusts by comparing their operations with
selected “indicator practices,” from the recommended practices. is provides an overview of a
land trust’s operations to determine whether or not it operates in an ethical, legal and technically
sound manner in order to ensure the long-term protection of land in the public interest.
MET’s accreditation will demonstrate that the organization is accountable and will reassure
landowners and the public that our organization is a responsible and trustworthy permanentsteward for Maryland’s scenic, historic and natural resources for which it has been entrusted.
At our last Board meeting, Rand Wentworth, President of the Alliance, applauded MET’s
leadership and reiterated the importance of land trusts being accredited. He said that
“accreditation is the signature of excellence for land trusts. It shows public officials, landowners
and donors that you are operating at the highest professional standards and worthy of public
trust.” Accreditation for MET will be a significant milestone and will prove that we have what
it takes to earn the public’s trust, as well as the confidence of Congress and the IRS, who have
granted land conservation special tax incentives.
Since the fall of 2008, 130 land trusts have been awarded accreditation including one
Maryland land trust, the Potomac Conservancy. MET hopes to lead the way for other land
trusts to be accredited and, with the support of the Alliance, is providing cost-share grants
and assistance to Catoctin Land Trust and the Scenic Rivers Land trust for organizationalassessments as their first step towards accreditation.
We are proud of the work we have done and are doing, and look forward to the eventual
recognition of our efforts by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. Accreditation is a
worthwhile goal for MET and other land trusts in Maryland.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
James R. O’ConnellChair
James W. ConstableVice Chair
Honorable S. Jay PlagerTreasurer
Ann H. JonesSecretary
Doris Blazek-White
Donald N. BriggsK. King Burnett
William B. Icenhower, MD
Susan Duke Hance-WellsConstance LiederJames B. Morris
Steven Quarles
AREA REPRESENTATIVES
Steve BunkerCharles County
Goodloe E. (Geb) Byron, Jr. Frederick County
V. David Gr aysonCarroll County
Philip R. Hager Allegany County
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Senator Roy DysonDelegate Dana Stein
Tom McCarthy Land Acquisition and Planning,
Department of Natural Resources(Governor’s Representative)
TRUSTEES EMERITUS
Ajax EastmanJohn C. Murphy
Ellen Kelly Dr. Henry A. Virts
STAFF
Elizabeth Buxton Director
Jon ChapmanStewardship Program Manager
Ann Gutierrez Carlson Eastern Region Planner
Lisa Holmes Administrative Assistant
Rebekah Howey Land Trust Assistance Coordinator/
Keep Maryland Beautiful Coordinator
John Hutson Easement Program Manager/
Southern Region Planner
Michelle JohnsonVolunteer Program Coordinator
Joan R. Lally Stewardship Program Coordinator
Betsy Massanek Bookkeeper
Megan SinesWestern Region Planner
by Elizabeth Buxton MET Director Director’sNote
8/3/2019 Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust
Janet Brown had been searching for an option to protect her
portion of the historic Mathias-Smeach Farm outside of
Westminster. She had approached other programs but couldn’t
find an appropriate fit. at was until Jeff Everett with the Carroll
County Agricultural Preservation Program directed her to MET.
Like many landowners who initially find MET, Janet was
interested in seeing her property remain undeveloped and was
also interested in the tax benefits of the donation. MET partnered
with the Carroll County Land Trust (CLT) and worked with Brown
to protect her property.
MET and CLT were interested in protecting the scenic
agricultural land that has frontage along two roads. e historic
property is surrounded on three sides by land protected under
agricultural easements, making it attractive to add to a block of
larger preserved area of over 600 acres. When we began researching
the property, we found that it harbored important bog turtle
habitat. Recognizing the importance of protecting the threatened
species, Janet agreed to add a provision to the easement to protect
the turtle’s habitat by requiring a habitat stewardship plan.
e bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is listed by the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources as threatened and
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened throughout
its range in North America. Its range in Maryland is restricted to
four counties, and it is found in fewer than 100 wetland systems in
those counties. Over the past 20-30 years, the number of historical
wetlands that still contain bog turtles has been reduced by nearly
50 percent, according to Lynn Davidson, MD Department of
Natural Resources. e conservation easement helps to permanently
protect this important habitat as well as the scenic and agricultural
resources on the property.
Janet spoke of her commitment to preserving her property by
saying, “While I did not grow up on a farm, my childhood occurred
in an area of Prince George’s County that was agricultural at the
time, and I believe that's where my love of the land took root. I
believe that it is important for those of us who are blessed with
excess land, to preserve it for future generations. MET makes it
easy to donate land, and by doing so, I feel fully equipped to
continue the stewardship of preserving my land not only for its
beauty and functionality, but to encourage the flora and fauna on
my property to prosper in perpetuity.”
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Landowner Spotlight: Janet Brown
e land conservation profession often revolves around statistics—number of acres protected, miles of shoreline
preserved, value of development rights extinguished. At MET we try not to lose sight of the fact that behind every one
of our easement properties is a landowner—and each landowner has a story to tell. Landowner Spotlight is a series thatcaptures and shares those inspiring stories.
e historic Mathias-Smeach Farm is located in Carroll County. Janet Brown with a few of the animals on her farm.
8/3/2019 Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust
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
Make a contribution to MET today! To date, MET has protected over 127,000 acres of more than 1,000 easements across state. MET has the long term responsibility for
monitoring and stewardship these properties in perpetuity. Regular monitoring requires considerable resources and MET established
the Stewardship Fund to help offset expenses related to monitoring our easement properties. You generous contribution to the Stewardship
Fund will ensure that the conservation easements will be upheld into the future.
PLEASE MAIL YOUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. THANK YOU!
Thank You to Our Contributors:Scott and Carol Bartram