spring - summer 2011 land marks newsletter, maryland environmental trust

8/3/2019 Spring - Summer 2011 Land Marks Newsletter, Maryland Environmental Trust

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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



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



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MET bade farewell to central region planner Adam Block in

January. Adam left MET after five years to complete hislaw degree at the University of Maryland and to pursue new

opportunities in the legal sector. During his time at MET Adam

contributed valuable input to the development of the Conservation

Easement and Stewardship Programs. Adam came to MET in

2005 as a Governor’s Policy Fellow and became a Regional

Easement Planner in 2006. During his tenure at MET, Adam

worked with 47 landowners to permanently protect 3,530 acres,

as well as providing assistance indirectly to countless others,

including many local land trusts. In addition, he provided service

to the state through his work as a policy analyst, a legislative liaison

in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources, a co-drafter of the 2009 MET model conservation easement. He also

worked on publications, and fundraising for the Stewardship

Fund. We wish him all the best in future endeavors.

MET also said goodbye to Carole

Simon, who served as a seasonal

Easement Monitor for MET for 13

months in 2009 and 2010. During

two successive monitoring seasons,

Carol visited a total of 111 easement

properties, verifying conditions on

10,978 acres of conserved land. is

is almost 9% of the land MET protectswith easements throughout Maryland.

Carol came to MET after completing a

Masters of Science degree in Geoenvironmental Studies at

Shippensburg University. She is an active birder and frequent

volunteer with the South Mountain Chapter of Pennsylvania

Audubon. A Pennsylvania resident, she commuted three hours

each day in order to serve MET and its conservation easement

landowners. MET thanks Carole for her exemplary service, and

wishes her the best in her current pursuits.

Recent MET Staff Departures

Adam Block (left) with fellow Easement Planners, Megan Sines, AnnGutierrezCarlson, and John Hutson.

Carole Simon identifying wildlife on a monitoring visit

Enhanced Easement Incentive Renewedrough 2011

Generous landowners who donate voluntary conservation

easements to MET are inspired by many things: they love

their region of the State, they feel connected to their land, and

they wish to leave a legacy for future generations. is inspiration

is central to our work to permanently protect valuable natural

resources. But for almost all of our donors, donating a conservationeasement is a major financial decision, and the federal income

tax deduction that comes with a donation helps make easements

possible for landowners in our community.

Congress recently renewed a 2006 incentive that enables family

farmers, ranchers, and other moderate-income landowners to get

a significant tax benefit for donating a conservation easement on

their land. e legislation allows easement donors to:

• Deduct up to 50% of their adjusted gross income in any year

(up from 30%);

• Deduct up to 100% of their adjusted gross income if the majority

of that income came from farming, ranching or forestry; and

• Continue to take deductions for as long as 16 years (previously

six years).

As an example, under the prior law, an agricultural landowner

earning $50,000 a year who donated a conservation easement

worth $1 million could take a

total of no more than $90,000

in tax deductions. Under the

new law, that landowner can

take as much as $800,000 in

tax deductions – still less thanthe full value of their donation

but a significant increase.

is invaluable conservation

tool has helped MET work

with willing landowners to

protect nearly 17,000 acres

since it was first enacted in

2006. Landowners who act

quickly to conserve their land

can now enjoy these benefits, but they’re currently set to expire

December 31, 2011.

All landowners who are interested in a conservation easementare encouraged to work with MET and/or your local land trust

to complete projects in 2011. is is a great year to consider a

conservation easement donation! For more information, please

call MET at 410-514-7900.



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H ow many land trusts can lay claim to sharks’ teeth

and beetles as important items on their protected land?

e sharks’ teeth and 16-million-year-old fossils are found in

"Scientists Cliffs” – a property owned and managed by the

American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT). Also known as Calvert

Cliffs, the property is a dramatic gateway to nearby Parkers

Creek, a small tributary to the Chesapeake, and one of the lastpristine creeks on Maryland's Western Shore.

e creek and much of the surrounding land are protected by

a dedicated group of local residents and one of the oldest and

most active land trusts in Maryland. In 10 years, the land trust

has preserved almost 800 acres of land at a cost of more than

$2.2 million. e land trust also manages a 350-acre state-owned

tract known as Warrior's Rest. In addition to the land trust, area

landowners have independently protected almost 850 acres in the

Parkers Creek and Governors Run watersheds. More than half of

the 7,000-acre watershed is now protected.

ACLT turned 25 this year and is facing the future in a strong

position, financially and with community support through volunteer and membership programs. Karen H. Edgecombe,

Executive Director says that “American Chestnut Land Trust is

celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! In 1986 when we were

established, there were only about 450 land trusts throughout

the United States. Most were located in California and the

Northeast. ACLT was the first local land trust in Maryland. In

its originating documents, ACLT’s founders said ‘we hope that

our model will encourage other concerned citizens elsewhere

in this state and Virginia to similarly protect environmentally

sensitive areas in the Washington environs.’ We are delighted

to see that has come to pass!”

Accomplishments in 2010

include laying the foundation

for the future progression of

ACLT as an organization. Telling

the story of Parkers Creek is

important; a master plan is

under way for helping visitorsunderstand the connection

between land conservation and

water quality. e land trust

hopes to become a destination

on a new trail from Prince

Frederick to the Bay Overlook,

encouraging visitors to hike to

the property as well as on it.

ACLT runs Community Supported Agriculture at their Double

Oak Farm property, providing local produce to members of the

share program. Steady progress is underway towards accreditation

with the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. e Land TrustAccreditation Commission is an independent program of the

Land Trust Alliance – the national organization for land trusts

and land conservation. Land trusts must demonstrate ethical

and legal standards for the long-term protection of land in the

public interest.

e beetles are found on the Bay’s shoreline cliffs which are

critical habitat for the endangered northeastern tiger beetle and

the puritan tiger beetle, found on the Warriors Rest property.

e land trust manages limited public access to a reserve that is

left as undisturbed as possible to allow the natural systems to

function and flourish.

Meet Our LandTrust Partners:e American Chestnut Land Trust

e endangered Puritan Tiger Beetle (Photo by MW Nelson)



Maryland LandTrust AllianceLandConservationConference 2011

May 13 and 14, 2011Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt, Towson

Expanded and spread over two days, the Land Conservation Conference 2011 will provide sessions on emerging trends of

climate change and new restoration opportunities, new partnerships in land conservation and strengthening your land trust .

Visit www.conservemd.org for registration and details.

On October 18th MET held an educational course that covered

legal and financial aspects of conservation easement donation.

More than 80 professionals including attorneys, appraisers and

CPA’s, participated in this event held at the MET office in

Crownsville. Attendees learned standard conservation easementterms; property, income and estate tax benefits of conservation

easement donation; and basics of conservation easement appraisals.

Continuing education credits were available for professionals who

participated in this training.

James Constable, Esq. of Wright, Constable and Skeen, L.L.P.

presented the intricacies of the tax benefits available to conservation

easement donors. Don Briggs, MAI, SRA, of Briggs and Associates,

Inc. Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants, provided an overview

of IRS requirements for conservation easement appraisals. Kristen

O. Maneval, Esq. of the State of Maryland Office of the Attorney

General, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and counsel

to the MET, reviewed what a Deed of Conservation Easement

entails. MET Easement Program Manager John Hutson and MET

Easement Program Planner Adam Block outlined the MET

Conservation Easement Program requirements and processes.is three-hour training was well attended and MET plans to

host similar seminars in the future.

THE SOULFUL L ANDSCAPEUncover stories of place and belonging with creative ways to

connect people, place and community. Friday morning with Erica

Wheeler. Rekindle your passion for inspiring and engaging others

in our work through writing and arts.

FIRST ANNUAL BOARD MEMBER CONGRESS

Join us on Saturday for an extended opportunity to meet with

other board members, share experiences and our Keynote

Speaker, Nick Dilks of the Chesapeake Conservancy. e

recent report between the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the

Chesapeake Conservancy, Conserving Chesapeake Landscapes,set out to promote and accelerate the progress being made to

preserve the Bay’s lands.

LAND CONSERVATION CELEBRATION, AWARDS

AND LUNCHEON

Bring your family members on Saturday for an informal celebration

of land conservation success on a journey through the American

landscape with music and song, celebrate land conservation

achievements and enjoy an informal luncheon. Join us regardless

if you attend the conference.

MET Hosts Professional Course on Conservation Easements

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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.



S teve Bunker recently joined MET

as our newest Area Representative.

Steve is the Director of Conservation

Programs at e Nature Conservancy

and serves on the Planning Commission

of Charles County. Steve brings awealth of expertise and background

in the conservation community.

We look forward to working with

Steve to protect important landscapes in Charles County.

Area Representatives offer advice on matters of interest to

MET involving their respective areas, especially in the solicitation

of easements and outreach. Up to six Area Representatives may

serve on the MET Board of Trustees and help to ensure that

there is broad representation from all areas of the state. Area

Representatives work directly with the board and staff and share

all board duties and privileges except the right to vote.

OTHER MET AREA REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDE:Goodloe E. (Geb) Byron, Jr. , Frederick County

V. David Grayson, Carroll County

Philip R. Hager, Allegany County

Charlotte D. Staelin, Kent County

If you are interested in serving as a MET Area Representative,

contact Liz Buxton at [email protected] or 410-514-7903.

NewArea Representative Appointed to Board

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DR. WILLIAM B. ICENHOWER, a

graduate of Princeton University and

Columbia University College of Physicians

and Surgeons, accepted the position as

Health Officer of St. Mary’s County in

September, 2001. Prior to entering

public health, Dr. Icenhower specialized

for thirty years in emergency medicine

in Maryland, California, and such diverseforeign locations as Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Antarctica.

He serves on the Governor’s Bay Restoration Committee in

addition to numerous public health related commissions. He

resides in Leonardtown.

JIM MORRIS is Principal and Senior

Ecologist of Ecotone, Inc., an environmental

consulting firm specializing in wetland,

forest, stream and natural resource

assessment, restoration and regulatory

guidance. He has over 17 years of

professional experience, is a recognizedexpert, a Certified Wetland Delineator

and Certified Professional Wetland

MET Welcomes New Board Memberse MET Board of Trustees named William B. Icenhower and Jim Morris as new board members in 2010. Tom McCarthy was

appointed in January 2011 as the Governor’s Representative.

Scientist. In his work and community activities, he has advocated

conservation easements and frequently promoted MET and

other land conservation programs. Mr. Morris has a B.S. from

James Madison and a M.S. from Indiana University and is from

Harford County.

TOM MCCARTHY replaces Meredith

Lathbury as the Governor’s Representative

on the MET Board of Trustees. Mr.McCarthy is Program Manager of

Program Open Space and the Rural

Legacy Program for the Department of

Natural Resources. In this position, he

has worked extensively in negotiating

land acquisitions over the past five years.

Mr. McCarthy lives in Annapolis and is an avid sailor.

Dr. Icenhower, Mr. Morris and Mr. McCarthy bring an abundance

of talent and experience to the Board. We look forward to working

with them to further our mission throughout Maryland.



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

Arthur A. Birney, Jr.

Doris Blazek-White

John and Marjorie Blodgett

Donald N. Briggs

J. Dorsey Brown, III

Marney Bruce

Bruce S. Campbell, III

James W. Constable

Wilson and Nancy Leigh Coudon

Nessly and Susan Craig

William and Sara D'Alonzo

Robert and Julia Deford

Delaware Community Foundation

Lousia C. Duemling

Senator Roy Dyson

James Eacker

Ecotone, Inc.

Charles Emery

ExxonMobil Foundation

Jack and Ruann George

Amanda Gibson and John W. Butler

V. David and Deanna Grayson

Gregory and Donna Greisman

Ron Hamlen and Sue Fuhrmann

Royce and Mary Hanson

eodore and Joan Hoffman-

Hoffman Terryberry Gift Fund-

National Philanthropic Trust

Harriet Iglehart

omas Jeffers

Charles Jolly

Ann H. Jones

James Kaper

Ellen Harvey Kelly

William and Phyllis Kilby

Constance Lieder

Jim Morris

James R. O’Connell

Leslie Harwood Passano

S. Jay Plager

Steven Quarles

Walter Ramberg

Michael Richards

Dale Schumacher and Barbara Parker

Diane Sparagana

Charlotte Staelin

William L. Susen

Adena W. Testa

Cathy Tipper

Robert and Mary Van Fossan

Ward White

Washington Brick and

Terra Cotta Company

Douglas Zittle

IN MEMORY OFBRICE MCADOO CLAGETT,

Diana Sinkler Clagett in Memo

spring - summer 2011 land marks newsletter, maryland environmental trust

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