Scenic Rivers Land Trust Newsletter, August 2019
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Protecting Anne Arundel County's Land and Water for 30 Years!
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ICYMI: Scenic Rivers Has Achieved National Accreditation
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Distinction Awarded for Strong Commitment to Public Trust and Conservation Excellence
This honor places us among a national network of land trusts that have collectively conserved more than 20 million acres of land and demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.
“We are proud to be one of only five accredited local land trusts in Maryland,” said Scenic Rivers’ Executive Director Rick Leader. "Our conservation director, Sarah Knebel, led a team of board volunteers through the rigorous two-year review process to ensure that we are well-positioned to serve Anne Arundel County long into the future."
“Accreditation demonstrates Scenic Rivers’ commitment to the highest practices and ethics of permanent land conservation,” said Knebel. “We could not have achieved this distinction without the commitment of critical donors and supporters who ensure our ability to grow. In particular, the Paul and Maxine Frohring Foundation is a significant investor in increasing Scenic Rivers’ capacity to protect land.”
Follow the link below to read the official press release.
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Tickets Now Available for Scenic Rivers'
Conservation Celebration
Fundraising Gala
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Scenic Rivers invites you to join us in celebrating our 30th anniversary and our recent distinction as a nationally accredited land trust at our first-ever
Conservation Celebration
fundraising gala on
Thursday, October 10, 2019, from 6 pm to 9 pm at The Bistro at South River in Edgewater, Maryland
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Guests will enjoy:
- delicious food and drink;
- the cozy and festive fall atmosphere of The Bistro at South River’s stunning Adirondack Room;
- fantastic finds at the raffle and silent auction, from weekend getaways and unique experiences to local art and more;
- the delightful tunes of classical guitarist Grayson Zuber; and
- a special presentation on agroforestry from landscape designer Lincoln Smith, whose Forested, LLC, is known for its food forest feasts.
Follow our website and social media for more details, including sneak previews of raffle and silent auction items!
Thank you to these generous sponsors for supporting our Conservation Celebration!
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Make Your Voice Heard: Attend the Forest Conservation Town Hall on Tuesday, August 20
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County Executive Steuart Pittman is seeking public input on forthcoming forest conservation legislation at a Forest Conservation Town Hall on Tuesday, August 20, 2019.
According to the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program, Anne Arundel County has lost more forest than any other Maryland county since 2010.
On September 3rd, Pittman will request that the County Council introduce a bill to fix our deforestation problem. But before he does, he wants to hear from you.
Please attend the Forest Conservation Town Hall at
South River High School at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20, 2019
, and speak out in favor of expanded forest conservation efforts in Anne Arundel County.
In the last grant cycle, available funding dropped dramatically from $1 million to only $250,000, significantly hindering our ability to protect larger swaths of forested land. At this time, future funding levels are still uncertain.
Take this opportunity to encourage County Executive Pittman to fully fund this vital, economically-efficient program and expand other innovative solutions to stop deforestation in our county.
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Join Us Next Month: Annual Breakfast Briefing for Tax, Legal and Real Estate Professionals
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Professional services providers are invited to join us for a breakfast buffet and overview of the legal and tax framework of conservation easements. Attendees will learn about significant income, property and estate tax benefits that might be available to clients. Program highlights include updates to a local grant program that provides a per-acre cash incentive for landowners who protect forests and/or plant trees on qualified land. All professional service providers are welcome, though the content of the presentation is geared toward lawyers, realtors and tax and financial advisors.
Speakers Include:
- Nina Fisher, Scenic Rivers Land Trust, Board President
- Ben Wechsler, Linowes and Blocher, Partner
- Kristen Maneval, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Senior Transactions Counsel
- Dick Davies, CohnReznick, Partner
- David Ballard, Champion Financial Planning Group, President
- Sarah Knebel, Scenic Rivers Land Trust, Conservation Director
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Time: Doors open at 8:30 am; Program is from 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Location: Federal House Bar & Grille, 22 Market Space, Annapolis, MD 21401
The event is FREE, but registration is required. Learn more and register at the link below.
This event is generously supported by
BGE, an Exelon Company, Keep Maryland Beautiful, Maryland Environmental Trust, Maryland Department of Transportation and the Paul and Maxine Frohring Foundation.
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Congratulations to Melanie Parker, 2019 Recipient of the Jan Hollmann Environmental Education Award!
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The Jan Hollmann Environmental Education Award, established in 1994, is given annually to a person or organization in Anne Arundel County that has made a notable achievement in environmental education.
Jan Hollmann exemplified citizen leadership of local land trusts in Maryland. She cofounded Scenic Rivers Land Trust, then known as the Severn River Land Trust, and the Arundel Conservation Trust, and served on the Severn River Commission—just a few of her many impressive achievements and contributions to the environmental community in Maryland. The fiscal services for the award are donated by Scenic Rivers.
This year’s winner, Melanie Parker, Coordinator of Environmental Literacy and Outdoor Education for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, exemplifies the spirit of this award through her passion and dedication to ensuring that children of all age levels receive quality environmental experiences in Anne Arundel County.
Congratulations, Melanie! Read more about Melanie and the Jan Hollmann Environmental Education Award via the link below.
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- Why Carrying Your Own Fork and Spoon Helps Solve the Plastic Crisis. We throw away billions of utensils every year, and many of them end up in the environment. The BYO cutlery movement could make a dent, according to this article from National Geographic.
- Anne Arundel Wants to Identify More Bogs to Inform 20-Year Development Plan. One of Scenic Rivers most recent conservation easements protects land that supports a unique bog in the Severn watershed, so we were pleased to see this article in The Capital about the county's plans to protect more of these important ecosystems.
- How Much Nature Should America Keep? This article from American Progress posits an answer to this question, which is evermore urgent as every 30 seconds, a football field worth of America’s natural areas disappears to roads, houses, pipelines, and other development.
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Thank you to our 2019 Walk for the Woods Sponsors!
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Paul & Maxine
Frohring Foundation
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Great Horned Owl Sponsors
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Phyllis Saroff • Jennifer Troy
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Carolina Chickadee Sponsors
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Annapolitan Assisted Living • Arundel Rivers Federation • Champion Financial Planning Group • Gary Schneider, Long & Foster Real Estate • Renner & Renner LLC • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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