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Scenic Rivers Land Trust Newsletter, June 2019

Protecting Anne Arundel County's Land and Water for 30 Years!

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Scenic Rivers Achieves 3,000+ Acres Conserved Milestone with Two New Easements

Scenic Rivers, working with funding from Anne Arundel County’s Forestry and Forested Land Protection Grant Program which is administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust , has permanently protected an additional 174 acres of forested land in Anne Arundel County by working with two separate landowners to place conservation easements on their properties in Crownsville, forever protecting the ecologically valuable land from development. The two easements include a 93-acre property in the Severn River watershed owned by a local homeowner’s association and landowner Inge Cauldwell’s (pictured above) 81-acre property in the South River watershed. Both properties are designated by Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources as Targeted Ecological Areas, a designation given to areas that are a high priority for conservation. “Our ability to conserve more land faster is amplified by this innovative grant program,” said Scenic Rivers’ executive director Rick Leader. “We are thankful for the County’s commitment to protecting our forested lands and for the landowners who partner with us to ensure that we pass on a thriving, healthy community to the next generation.” Scenic Rivers now holds 68 conservation easements in Anne Arundel County for a total of 3,057 acres.

Join Us for Our MOD Pizza Fundraiser on Thursday, June 27, 2019 Pizza + preservation = a perfect combination! Pop by MOD Pizza in Annapolis for lunch or dinner on Thursday, June 27, 2019 , to support Scenic Rivers Land Trust. Mention Scenic Rivers when you place your order and 20% of your bill will be donated to help us conserve the precious green spaces that make our community a happy, healthy place to live. Please RSVP (optional): https://www.groupraise.com/events/98955-scenic-rivers-land-trust-at-mod-pizza We hope to see you there!

RSVP

Spread the Word: Two Landowner Workshops Coming Up this Summer

Have you or someone you know thought about conserving your land, but aren't quite sure what that entails? Join Scenic Rivers staff at a free workshop to learn about how protecting your land can help you save on your taxes, and in some cases, earn income. Learn how conserving your land can: Make you eligible for payments and/or tax deductions without selling your land Protect your property from residential or commercial development in perpetuity Retain property ownership for future generations Topics will include eligibility criteria, financial benefits, standard conservation easement terms, programs, processes and timelines. Workshops will be offered on two dates: Land Conservation 101 for Landowners Date: Thursday, July 18, 2019 Time: 2 pm to 3 pm Location: Edgewater Community Library, 25 Stepneys Ln, Edgewater, MD 21037 Land Conservation 101 for Landowners Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2019  Time: 6 pm to 7 pm Location: Crofton Community Library, 1681 Riedel Rd, Crofton, MD 21114 The workshops are FREE, but registration is required. Learn more and register at the link below.

Register

Welcome to Our Newest Board Member! Scenic Rivers is pleased to welcome Victoria Sanchez as the newest member of our Board of Directors. Victoria is a recent graduate of University of New England earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a focus on avian migration and sustainable business practices. During her last semester of school, she was a student volunteer for the Town of Wells Conservation Commission to support her belief in citizen science and what it can do for sustaining the environment. Citizen science has the ability to bring different stakeholder groups together to help create a biocentric world between people and the environment. Victoria believes that land trusts are a great way of bringing different views and opinions on certain matters together to reach a common goal. During her time at school, Victoria served as a Student Fieldworker, Research Assistant, and Student Researcher. In addition, Victoria served as an Intern for the UNE Department of Health and Sustainability where she assisted the faculty and staff in developing sustainability initiatives and practices. Victoria works at Charm City Run in Annapolis as a manager and running coach. She lives in Laurel, Maryland.

And Thank You to Two Outgoing Board Members! Scenic Rivers extends a huge thank you to outgoing Board members Scott MacMullan and Dan Murphy for their years of service and dedication to our mission. We look forward to their continued friendship and support!

Save the Date! Scenic Rivers will host a "Conservation Celebration!" in October

Scenic Rivers is excited to announce that we will conclude our 30th anniversary year with a "Conservation Celebration!"—our first-ever fundraising gala—on Thursday, October 10, 2019, from 6 pm to 9 pm at The Bistro at South River in Edgewater, Maryland . Sponsorship opportunities are available now (follow link below). Email Sarah Knebel ( sarah@srlt.org ) with questions. Tickets will be available for sale in July. Keep an eye out on our website and social media for more details!

Sponsorship Opportunities

In the News Half of all land must be kept in a natural state to protect earth. This article from National Geographic explains recent scientific studies that tell us land conservation must double by 2030 to prevent dangerous warming and unravelling of ecosystems. To restore a degraded stream, a Maryland project took a creative, low-carbon approach. Listen to this brief podcast from Yale Climate Connections to learn more about the Bacon Ridge stream restoration project. It's National Pollinator Week! Maryland Department of Natural Resources recommends celebrating by visiting a state forest. In early spring, tree pollen is an important first source of food for pollinators. Find a state forest here or stay close to home and visit the Bacon Ridge Natural Area. 14th Walk for the Woods explores the natural world. We were excited to see this write up on our April event in a recent edition of The Capital. GreenGive partners collectively raised $75,297 for the greener good in Anne Arundel County. Read more about last month's fundraising event on the GreenGive website. Thanks to all who participated!

Thank you to our 2019 Walk for the Woods Sponsors!

Osprey Sponsors

Paul & Maxine Frohring Foundation

Great Horned Owl Sponsors

Wood Duck Sponsors

Phyllis Saroff • Jennifer Troy

Carolina Chickadee Sponsors

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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