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Maryland Environmental Trust
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News and Notes
Your insider look at newly protected lands, timely news and key updates from our team
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 New Easement Protects 30 Acres in Queen Anne's County
The new conservation easement on the property known as The Wading Place near Grasonville protects roughly 30 acres of land with 2,000 feet of shoreline along Prospect Bay, which opens into the Chesapeake. Visible from the Kent Narrows Bridge, the property is surrounded on three sides by 250 protected acres of the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center property, and its conservation ensures the natural character of this corner of Queen Anne's County remains intact. The perpetual easement protects two ponds, open meadows, significant pockets of waterfront forest, small hunting infrastructure, and extensive sand and rock beaches. The surrounding area is known for healthy shellfisheries and is a noted Maryland Waterfowl Area. Maryland Environmental Trust solely holds this easement.
 Partnership Protects 16 Acres in Baltimore County
The Maryland Environmental Trust in partnership with NeighborSpace of Baltimore County accepted the donation of a conservation easement on the Stonegate property in Baltimore County. This easement permanently protects 16.5 acres of natural land within a largely suburban setting.
Located a quarter of a mile from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, this pocket of forest and green space will protect 11 acres of woodland, five acres of open land, and 3,200 feet of tributaries to the Patapsco River. The forested areas are noted for their Forest Interior Dwelling Bird Species (FIDS) habitat and the property ranked highly for biodiversity according to the Maryland DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service. This conserved property will provide a balance against the expanding construction and urbanization in the area, helping protect water and air quality for the surrounding community. Click the button below to visit NeighborSpace's website for to learn more about this property's unique history.
Farewell, Dan!
We extend our thanks to Dan Skalos for his service as Maryland Environment Trust's Conservation Easement Program Manager! Dan's dedication, insight and vision has elevated our commitment to protecting natural habitats and conserving local landscapes. We are grateful for his time with us and wish him success in his next chapter.
If you have questions about our Conservation Easement Program please contact MET Easement Planner, Matt Ludington, at Matthew.Ludington@maryland.gov
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Keep Maryland Beautiful Program
Grants that support hands-on projects to protect, repair and steward our local environment
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 Applications are Now Being Accepted Online!
The Keep Maryland Beautiful grants are offered annually to volunteer groups, nonprofit organizations, communities, and land trusts in Maryland to support environmental education projects, community stewardship, and the protection of natural resources in urban and rural areas. This year’s program includes community stewardship grants for volunteer groups, nonprofits, local governments, and schools; assistance, leadership, and capacity building grants for Maryland’s land trusts; and grants for nonprofits to implement forestry projects on agricultural land.
Explore More:
The deadline to apply is December 1, 2025. Continue reading below for details on each grant category.
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 Community Stewardship Grants
These grants support community-led initiatives to enhance Maryland's environment, inspire stewardship, engage residents in hands-on restoration, advance environmental education, and develop innovative solutions to local environmental challenges.
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 Maryland Land Trust Grants
These grants support Maryland land trusts to build organizational capacity, advance the implementation of national Standards and Practices, enhance the long-term stewardship of protected lands, and recognize outstanding leadership in land conservation.
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 Agricultural Tree Planting Grants
These grants support cost-effective tree planting on qualifying Maryland agricultural lands to increase tree canopy and forest habitat, improve soil and water quality, provide livestock shade, and reduce emissions and summer heat.
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Partners Near You
Learn about protected places, explore Maryland spaces or discover something new
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Acquisition Preserves Critical Habitat in Calvert County and Expands Opportunities for Public Access
In June, American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT) acquired and permanently protected one of the largest remaining undeveloped properties in the Parkers Creek Watershed - a beautiful 90-acre tract of land that increases ACLT's preserved lands to more than 3,500 acres.
Located within two miles of the Chesapeake Bay, the property contains a remarkable diversity of habitats, from mature hardwood forests to young pine stands and open meadow habitat beneath a BGE power line. One of the most exciting aspects of this project is ACLT's plan to construct a new 2.5 mile hiking trail across the property. Click here to discover more details about this key property.
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New ESLC Easement Creates 10,000-Acre Kent County Conservation Corridor
Stewarded by his family for three generations, William Troy Baisden II’s Tibbalds Farm is now protected by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) with a 164-acre conservation easement thanks to Maryland DNR’s Rural Legacy program (funded by Program Open Space) and the Army Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. Located in Kent County on Shallcross Neck, the new easement joins a contiguous corridor of more than 10,000 acres of protected and connected land along with other properties protected by ESLC, the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF).
Baisden’s easement conserves 103 acres of prime farmland, considered “prime” not only for its optimal soil characteristics but also due to adequate water supply, low flood risk, and favorable growing conditions. To learn more about this property read the full story online.
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Maryland Native Plants Program
The Maryland Native Plants Program (MNPP) is a partnership between the UMD Extension, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, and the Maryland Native Plant Society. MNPP's mission is to promote the sale and use of plants native to Maryland, and to increase awareness about the importance and benefits of native plants. To learn more, read about the NEW Maryland Native Plant Program or explore the program's home page for details about its resources.
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Environmental News & Resources |
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Learn More About Our Work
How we conserve, steward and support Maryland's open spaces every day
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Protecting Land Forever
From the forested mountain tops of Garrett County to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland boasts an ecological diversity and scenic beauty rivaled by few states in the nation. For 59 years, Maryland Environmental Trust has worked alongside landowners and local land trusts to permanently protect these valuable natural resources with conservation easements. Together, we’ve permanently protected more than 140,000 acres across the state through over 1,100 conservation easements. To learn more about our work visit our website at dnr.maryland.gov/met.
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Support Our Work
Your tax-deductible donation supports our work permanently protecting Maryland’s natural resources and the landscapes that define our state. With your continued support, we can protect more land, invest in more communities, and keep Maryland’s landscapes thriving for current and future generations. You can donate by clicking the button below or through the link on our homepage at dnr.maryland.gov/met.
Contact Us
Do you have questions about your existing easement? Has your contact information has changed? Are you interested in learning more about our conservation easement program? We're here to help.
Submit your questions online at mddnr.info/ContactMET or use our QR code. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Maryland Environmental Trust | Protecting Land Forever |
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