Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls

Transcription

1 Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls National Wildlife Visitor Center Laurel, Maryland September 20th, 2012

2 The Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Project Welcome! The Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Project, Maryland Environmental Trust, and the Scenic Rivers Land Trust are happy you are here today to recognize and celebrate those who have contributed to preserving lands in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We are also here to witness the registering of pearls in the Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Register. The register will be in permanent public view in the circuit courthouse on Church Circle in Annapolis in recognition of those who have acted to preserve land and protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The string connecting pearls are corridors of land, water, wildlife and people unified in harmony to maintain the health of the Chesapeake Bay region. Individual Pearls -- land preserved forever-- form the framework for the corridors to hold the landscape together. Pearls everywhere is the goal of this project. Besides those we are honoring today it is the Scenic Rivers Land Trust and the Maryland Environmental Trust and their staffs who deserve special credit. They are doing the difficult job: saving the Chesapeake Bay one property at a time. Together the two land trusts have nominated six of the properties and hold the easements on them. The seven pearl creators honored today preserved land in watersheds of Anne Arundel County; one property is in Howard County. Each property is different and each has its own story as to why it was protected. The commonality between these land owners is that they came forward and acted. Their action protects the Bay to the benefit of all of us. Dick Lahn, Director

3 C E R E M O N Y Welcome: Brad Knudsen, Manager, Patuxent Research Refuge Introduction: Robert Duckworth, Clerk, Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County, CBSOP Board Member Purpose of The String of Pearls Project: Dick Lahn, Director Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Project Remarks: Anne Arundel County Councilmen Chris Trumbauer and Jerry Walker Introduction of Honorees & Remarks on Individual Pearls: Rick Leader, Executive Director, Scenic Rivers Land Trust; John Hutson, Maryland Environmental Trust Presentation of Citations, Signing of Register: Robert Duckworth Final Words: Dick Lahn Reception follows immediately Thank You to the following supporters for providing food and drink for the reception: Beverages, Chesapeake Exxon, Annapolis; Cheese Platter, Galway Bay, Annapolis; Cookies, A Cook s Cafe, Annapolis

4 Bacon Ridge Natural Area (BRNA) Anne Arundel County & The South River Federation Easement held by the Scenic Rivers Land Trust & the Maryland Environmental Trust The Bacon Ridge Natural Area (BRNA) is any conservation land owned by Anne Arundel County in the Bacon Ridge Branch of the South River. This includes the 83 acres of the original Bacon Ridge Natural Area (which the County has owned since the 1920s), the 547 acres of the Crownsville Hospital Grounds west of I-97 (which the County took ownership of in December of 2010), and any additional land purchased by the County for conservation in the area (as of February 2011, over 200 acres).

5 The BRNA is a true natural gem, with expansive marshes, mature forests, and at the center, its namesake creek. The central 630 acres is protected by a conservation easement with SRLT and the Maryland Environmental Trust to preserve these natural features. The terms of the easement do allow for the land to be open to the public as a park for what is called passive recreation, primarily hiking and nature study. The delicate balance of preservation and public enjoyment is overseen by the BRNA Stewardship Committee, which makes recommendations to the County on how the parkland is managed. The South River Federation has spent years protecting the South River Greenway and supporting property acquisitions. acres of potential forest interior dwelling bird species habitat; a designated Important Bird Area. The BRNA is important habitat for reptiles and amphibians and contains historical spawning area for yellow perch and river herring. The BRNA contains three archeological sites.

6 Brewer Pond Anne Arundel County & William Moulden Easement held by the Scenic Rivers Land Trust & the Maryland Environmental Trust Brewer Pond, a 22 acre tidal pond, surrounded by 50 acres of riparian forest, to include one mile of living shoreline with globally listed threatened species, is considered the most important and last intact natural riparian feature remaining on the Severn River. The property remains the current site of numerous spawning ally renowned as a breeding area of Bald Eagles, colonial waders such as great and lesser herons, as well as locally loved and reclusive forest interior dweller birds such as the Baltimore Oriole.

7 The Pond is almost completely sealed by a sand spit which supports a variety of wetland vegetation including smooth cordgrass, cattail, arrow arum, and rose mallow. The intact and complete environmental complex dates back to the last Ice Age. The preserved area includes multiple and expansive Native American sites dating back more than 8,000 years, along with a primordial fossil record spanning 25 million years. The property is now owed by Anne Arundel County; William Moulden on behalf of Sherwood Forest residents was the driving force behind the acquisition and easement.

8 Melville Property Patricia V. Melville Easement held by the Scenic Rivers Land Trust & the Maryland Environmental Trust The property includes 3,000 feet of scenic road frontage on Mallard Lane in Lothian and 600 feet of scenic view from Lyons Creek, a tributary of the Patuxent that is designated by MDE as a High Quality Tier II Watershed. The property is alive with birds -- including hawks that soar above and warblers in the woods -- along with skunks, foxes and raccoons, lots of deer, and turtles splashing into the water. The property contains seven acres of tidal march, 18 acres of tillable cropland, and a total of 50 acres within the Critical Area. (this is just south of Jug Bay off of Lower Pindell Road). A milestone for the Scenic Rivers Land Trust which celebrates with this protection the 50th property they ve preserved.

9 I was interested in preserving the property as it is, said Patricia Melville, a retired archivist who bands small birds under a federal program and tracks how many return to her property year after year. Map of Pearls - Sept. 2012

10 Ogleton Woods Annapolis Roads Property Owners Association (ARPOA) Easement held by the Maryland Environmental Trust The community of Annapolis Roads is home to Ogleton Woods, one of the few remaining large woodlands on the Annapolis Neck Peninsula. This 33- acre tract of mature, upland forest is dominated by large Yellow Poplar and Chestnut Oak trees, with areas of Virginia Pine, and understory trees and shrubs including American Holly and Mountain Laurel. The forest includes areas of steep and moderate slopes, wetland and streams that feed Lake Ogleton and the Severn River. It is home to fox dens and an eagle s nest. And springtime

11 In 2005 the property was in imminent danger of being developed for residential single-family homes. The Annapolis Roads Property Owners Association and Bay Land Trust partnered to save the forest through a mul- land on behalf of the community by Bay Land Trust in a bargain sale. During the three years the property was owned by the Trust, the residents of Annapolis Roads contributed over two and a half million dollars in donations and committed themselves to the use of their est loan that will complete the $4 million acquisition. Now the residents of Annapolis Roads own and manage their Ogleton Woods, managing it for passive recreation, habitat and water quality protection, and it is preserved forever by a conservation easement held by Maryland Environmental Trust.

12 Bay Ridge Woods Bay Ridge Civic Association & Bay Land Trust Easement held by Bay Land Trust & Maryland Environmental Trust In 2002 the residents of Bay Ridge rescued 100 acres of forest in their community from imminent development. Through a unique collaboration between the Bay Ridge Civic Association and the Bay Land Trust (then known as Bay Ridge Trust) the community undertook an innovative protect it from development. Residents donated $1.1 million to Bay Land Trust toward the purchase of the Conservation Easement to protect the forest. County Conservation Fund and State Open Space grants, the sale of just 4 lots, and the continuing use of a Special interest bank loan obtained through Maryland Dept.

13 of Environment, completed the funds needed for the $4.1million acquisition. In addition, it took the time and skills of many committed residents over several years to achieve this success. The Bay Ridge Woods is the second largest forest on Annapolis Neck Peninsula and includes mature riparian forest and palustrine wetlands on Black Walnut Creek. It and is an important waterfowl staging area during migratory periods. Situated on Tolley Point, it plays a critical the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

14 Linthicum Walks Anne Arundel County & Kathryn and Edward Callahan Easement held by the Maryland Historic Trust Linthicum Walks is the name of a lovely 200 year old house and surrounding grounds. Anne Arundel County acquired the property - a 5.19 acre parcel - in 1982 from the AA County Board of Education. The dwelling ture, embodying the distinctive characteristics of the vernacular architecture of rural Tidewater Maryland of the late 18th through mid 19th centuries. For decades Kathryn and Edward Callahan, leaders of Friends of Linthicum Walks, have championed the preservation and protection of the house and grounds.

15 John Logan Due Easement held by the Maryland Environmental Trust In 1985, John Logan Due had the foresight to protect his acre property to safe guard the historic resi- of the few undeveloped stretches of Cricket Creek (a tributary of the Middle Patuxent River) and its wooded vistas along Trotter Road, the central road to Columbia s western-most village, River Hill. John Due and his two dogs Harry and Sam oversee their historic stone house and colonial out buildings. The conservation easement includes a bucolic garden ala Provence surrounded by all set in a beautiful historic, well maintained landscape.

16 String of Pearls Board of Directors Mel Bender - Founder of the Magothy River Land Trust Dr. Mary Cleave - Former astronaut and NASA Associate Administrator for Science Robert Duckworth - Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County Lee Epstein, Esq. - Lands Program Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Lou Ann Hill - President, Lighten Your Load Solutions John Hutson - Maryland Environmental Trust, Southern Region Planner and Easement Program Manager Jim Martin - President, Free State Press Frank Marzucco - Former Director, Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks Department Resources Division, US Department of Justice Arundel Chapter of MD League of Conservation Voters and Anne Arundel Stewardship Academy Dr. Dennis Whigham - Senior Botanist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Staff Dick Lahn - Founder and Director Kathryn Para - Director of Communications Steve Carton - Webmaster Dave Lahn - Program Layout