ESLC & Tall Timbers Awarded 2025 Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Grant

ESLC and partner Tall Timbers are honored to receive a 2025 grant from the Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative which will be used to promote and accelerate the use of prescribed fire to enhance bird habitat. 83% of grassland birds experienced significant population declines from 1966 to 2022, with Northern bobwhite quail suffering the largest population loss over the last 50 years, upwards of more than 90% decline in Maryland alone.

Over the course of the next year, ESLC and Tall Timbers will bring back the historical use of fire to provide more habitat for these birds—hosting a 2026 “learn and burn” demo, creating grassland habitat management plans that utilize prescribed burning for conservation easement landowners, and compiling and distributing resources for landowners to manage their habitat with prescribed fire.

To learn more about ESLC's prescribed burn initiative, please reach out to Larisa Prezioso at lprezioso@eslc.org.

To learn more about Tall Timbers or about the brand new Eastern Shore Prescribed Burn Association, please reach out to Kyle Magdziuk at kmagdziuk@talltimbers.org.

Learn More | Join the ESLC Newsletter for Updates

The Nature Conservancy Release Sediment Resource

The Nature Conservancy recently published "Sediment Strategies: Considerations and Case Studies for Beneficial Use," an accessible and engaging resource that highlights best practices for beneficial use of dredged material for wetland conservation. Sediment Strategies is a synthesis of practitioner know-how from across our region and the US and includes insights from dredgers, restoration project teams, regulators, and other key stakeholders. This resource is meant to support project teams in advancing projects that are win-wins for nature, community resilience, and maritime commerce through the beneficial reuse of dredged material.

Sediment Strategies and TNC project team contact information can be found HERE.

ESLC Delmarva Drinking Water Educational Videos

ESLC is excited to share two new short explainer videos that educate our Delmarva community on where our drinking water comes from and where our water goes! Through engaging animation, these videos explain how aquifers and wastewater treatment centers work, illustrating the important role of land conservation in maintaining clean, abundant water sources for our community and our environment. 

These videos are a great resource for universities, nonprofits, local decision makers, and all visitors and residents on Delmarva. 

Aquifer Video

Wastewater Video 

Eastern Shore MD Native Plant Society Growth

The Maryland Native Plant Society is building real momentum on our Eastern Shore. Since January 2025 the Eastern Shore (ES) Chapter has seen a 77% increase in membership in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. 

"Hosting events across the Eastern Shore has helped us build stronger connections and inspire meaningful engagement - something Jill and I are seeing in the number of returning field trip attendees." - Cristina Niciporciukas, Eastern Shore Chapter Chair and Board Member



"Our overarching mission remains focused on showcasing the natural habitats and supporting conservation efforts that make this part of Maryland so unique. We are also contributing with documenting Maryland's flora via iNaturalist and the Maryland Biodiversity Project. Our Annual Conference helped us share our goals. We’re excited to continue growing and making an impact across the Shore."

DNREC Community Water Quality Project Grant

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control encourages nonprofit groups, conservation districts, community organizations and homeowners’ associations to submit project proposals to be considered for matching grant funds from DNREC’s Community Water Quality Improvement Grants program.

Eligible projects may include:



• Enhancement or restoration of water quality within an impaired watershed
• Community stormwater management improvements in existing developments in partnership with municipalities
• Non‐regulatory or voluntary plans involving pollution control strategies, watershed-based restoration plans, whole basin management preliminary assessments, or community‐based stormwater permits.

Submit Proposals by Oct. 29th, 2025

Learn More

CBT Watershed Assistance Grant Program

The Watershed Assistance Grant Program is a partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust), the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and the West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP).

This program provides support for watershed restoration project designs and permitting and for watershed planning and programmatic development. The ultimate goal of the projects funded through this opportunity will be to improve water quality in:

• The entire State of Maryland
• The West Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed
• The State of Pennsylvania (within the Octoraro Creek and Conowingo Creek watersheds in the Chester and Lancaster Counties)

Proposals must be received by 4:00 p.m., Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.

Learn More

Delaware's Piping Plover Population Experiences Slight Increase but Diminished Breeding Success

Beach-nesting piping plovers – a federally-listed threatened species and Delaware state-listed endangered species – experienced mixed results in Delaware in 2025.

Read Here

Turn Off the Mower, Keep it Scrubby: Can You Delay the Urge to Tidy Up the Edges

All caterpillars are vulnerable to predators, and they rely on messy habitat for supporting their chrysalides for survival. Unmowed areas provide crucial territory for many of our migrating species including from songbirds, insects, monarchs, moths and more

Read Here