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May 2024 | Land Trust eNews
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Maryland Environmental Trust Spotlight |
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 Register for The State of Maryland’s Conservation Programs Workshop on May 30
Join Maryland Environmental Trust and Forever Maryland on May 30, 2024 for a free “State of the State of Maryland’s Conservation Programs” in-person workshop.
This free event, made possible with support from the Rural Maryland Council and the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-ecology, will include an overview of Maryland’s key conservation programs, a report on the outcomes of the 2024 state legislative session, a brief facilitated discussion on challenges that threaten the work of land conservation (including invasive species and solar energy development), and a catered lunch.
The goal of this event is to get more conservationists to understand how each program is working towards a common goal and how each is confronting entrenched environmental/conservation challenges in different ways. Seating is limited.
Registration for this free event is required and must be done by COB on May 23, 2024.
 Governor Moore Announces Maryland Meets 30% of State Land Conservation Goal Six Years Ahead of Schedule
Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland has achieved a milestone goal for land conservation required by state legislation six years ahead of schedule. The Maryland Department of Planning, in the latest update of the Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard, reports that Maryland has already met the 30% mark with more than 1.85 million acres of land conserved as of February.
“From the forests of Mountain Maryland to the coastal plains of the Eastern Shore, Maryland's natural beauty must be protected. Land conservation isn't optional—it's a prerequisite for success,” said Gov. Moore. “By moving in partnership, we are meeting our goals ahead of schedule. But we know there’s more left to do. I will work closely with state and local leaders to find as many opportunities as we can to add to the state’s growing portfolio of public and protected lands, so we can reach our 40% conservation goal by 2040.”
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 Early Bird Registration for the 2024 Maryland Land Conservation Conference is Now Open!
Join Forever Maryland at 31st Annual Maryland Land Conservation Conference on September 4th and 5th, in Annapolis, MD. This year’s theme - “Gaining Ground: Plan. Connect. Communicate.” - examines how planning, stronger partnerships, and better communications can lead to change that benefits all. This event will include multiple education tracks, a networking reception, special group meetings, facilitated discussions, demonstrations, more than 50 local, regional and national speakers, and more. To register or learn more visit the event web page.
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Changing Hydrology, Changing Landscapes: A Rooted in Research Webinar Series
Multiple dates | Free
In this four-part webinar series, we dive into the latest research and management solutions from the Northern Research Station, the USDA Climate Hubs, and collaborators on issues related to extreme rain and flooding in forests, cities, and agricultural lands. Each webinar will feature research investigating the hydrological shifts brought about by climate change, its impacts on a focal landscape, and management challenges and solutions. Learn more.
Promoting Ecosystem Resiliency Through Native Plant Collection and Cultivation
June 3 | Free
Environmental and conservation partners in Pennsylvania are implementing many methods to promote climate resiliency and protect the quality of streams and waterways. This webinar will discuss several programs throughout the commonwealth which utilize native plant material collection and cultivation. You will hear from experts about Chesapeake Conservancy’s overall stream restoration strategy, how native seed collection is a part of that, how it is being utilized by other partners and how you can implement similar strategies in your location of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Learn more.
2024 MACo Summer Conference: Turning the Tide
August 14-17 | Registration Fee
The 2024 Summer Conference will examine ways counties can, with an eye on the future, foster and fund county priorities like planning for sustainable growth, modernizing mental health and public safety services, and advancing our education system, among others. Presenters will discuss new avenues for resources and partnerships. Bridging all levels of government and the private sector, counties are looking to turn the tide with innovative solutions for today’s challenges to ensure tomorrow’s success. Learn more.
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Tools, Tech and Tutorials |
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 Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard
The Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard is designed to let you assess the current status of Maryland's land conservation efforts and to access the tabular data that informs the dashboard as well as available land preservation GIS data.
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 Maryland Coastal Atlas
The Maryland Coastal Atlas is a tool that allows state and local decision-makers to visually analyze and explore coastal and ocean data layers for project and planning purposes. Using the built-in tools, the user can query, map, and analyze spatial data to better understand marine resources.
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 Anne Arundel County State of the Forest Dashboard
The Anne Arundel County State of the Forest Summary is intended to compile datasets from across the County and consolidate them in a way that increases the transparency of forest and tree impacts in the County for the public.
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Share Your News
If you would like to share relevant conservation news, success stories, announcements or events with Maryland's land trusts and conservation partners through this publication, please contact Michelle Grafton by the first of each month at michelle.grafton@maryland.gov.
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