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Scenic Rivers Land Trust Newsletter, March 2019
Protecting Anne Arundel County's Land and Water for 30 Years!
Another 111 Acres Permanently Protected!
This month, Scenic Rivers Land Trust, in partnership with the Maryland Environmental Trust , placed 111 acres of mostly forested land along the Little Patuxent River under permanent protection from development. By placing a conservation easement on her property, this landowner was able to protect land that has been in her family for more than 100 years, while conserving vital forested land and green space in Anne Arundel County.
 
Funding for the conservation easement was provided by the  Anne Arundel County Forestry and Forested Land Protection Grant Program , a grant program administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust with funds from Anne Arundel County’s fee-in-lieu funds generated from the Forest Conservation Act.   
 
“Protecting our ecologically valuable lands is vital to protecting our waterways and quality of life in Anne Arundel County,” said Scenic Rivers' executive director Rick Leader. “With this grant program, the County is a leader in the state of Maryland, demonstrating how to effectively and efficiently preserve green spaces for the benefit of County residents, landowners and our environment.”
Wood Rocks in Maryland Stream Restoration
As the first stream restoration project in Maryland to only use wood harvested on site, Bacon Ridge is somewhat of a marvel in the Chesapeake area.

Scenic Rivers is thrilled to congratulate Arundel Rivers Federation and Biohabitats , along with their partners, on the success of their stream restoration project on Bacon Ridge Branch! The Bacon Ridge Natural Area, the 900+ acre area of ecological and historical importance under conservation easement with Scenic Rivers Land Trust and Maryland Environmental Trust, will surely benefit from this collaborative effort to restore our waters and improve our lands!

Read more about this innovative project, which uses wood harvested on site, at the link below.
Maryland Day History Hike Registration Is Full
We are pleased to once again join in celebrating Maryland Day weekend by hosting a history-focused guided hike at the beautiful Bacon Ridge Natural Area.

Registration for this free event filled up quickly!

If you are registered for this event, but can no longer attend, please email Sarah Knebel (sarah@srlt.org) so that we can open up spaces for others to join.

Follow us on Facebook to learn about our events as soon as they’re announced.
Save the Date! Walk for the Woods is Saturday, April 27, 2019
We're excited to once again partner with Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks to host a day of guided hikes and public access to the  Bacon Ridge Natural Area .

We hope you can join us for a wonderful, relaxing day of enjoying our local woods! As in years past, we will have a variety of guided hikes, including bird watching, amphibian searches, and naturalist hikes scheduled throughout the day. 

Admission is free, but registration is recommended. The list of guided hikes and a link to registration will be posted to our website and announced via Facebook and Twitter in early April.

Learn more about this event celebrating families exploring the outdoors, the beautiful Bacon Ridge Natural Area, and the value of land protection at the link below.
Welcome to Our New Communications Coordinator
Erin Valentine joined the Scenic Rivers team in February as our new Communications Coordinator. Erin assists in executing Scenic Rivers' annual public outreach plan, helping to build wide-spread awareness of the conservation and preservation programs. Prior to joining Scenic Rivers, Erin was the Development and Communications Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
 
Originally from beautiful western Maryland, Erin has always loved the woods and is thrilled to play a role in helping to preserve the scenic and natural lands of Anne Arundel County.
In the News
  • State Study of Crownsville Wrapped into Broader Review of Public Buildings. The proximity of the Bacon Ridge Natural Area to the Crownsville Hospital property means that we are deeply invested in future plans for this property. Read our latest position paper on the property here, and learn about the latest developments in plans for the property in this article and this article from The Capital Gazette.
  • President Signs Bill to Permanently Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We were thrilled to see the permanent reauthorization of the LWCF and now eagerly await the announcement of appropriate funding for this vital program to protect our lands and waters. Read about the reauthorization in this press release from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition.
  • The Growing Evidence that Living Near Green Spaces Helps Kids Grow Up to Be Happier. We’ve been conserving green spaces in Anne Arundel County for 30 years, so we’re excited to see the mounting evidence that access to green spaces is essential to happy, healthy quality of life. Read more about the latest study in this article from Quartz.
  • Roots for Growth: Why Protecting and Restoring Forests is One of the Best Things Any Government Can Do for its People. This week we’re celebrating International Forests Day and World Water Day. Read more about the vital connection between these two natural resources in this article from The Nature Conservancy.