Working with landowners to protect habitat restored by CWH

The goal of the Landowner Services Program is to find innovative ways to permanently save land for wildlife habitat in partnership with current or future landowners. CWH does this by employing tax-advantaged financing and estate planning. We then design a conservation easement that makes financial sense for landowners while permanently protecting wildlife habitat. To date CWH has permanently protected over 2, 627 acres of land for wildlife.

The highlight of 2005 was the donation of a farm in Talbot County to CWH. The 135 acre Bailey’s Neck Farm, was donated to CWH in October of 2005 by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. We will restore 35 acres of wetlands and preserve 100 acres of mature woodlands. The entire property will be placed into a conservation easement with the Maryland Environmental Trust to prevent development and protect the wildlife habitat. The farm is located one half mile from a 140 acre farm where CWH restored and protected 100 acres of wetlands in 2004.

CWH partnered with the Biophilia Foundation to purchase two farms in 2005. The 384 acre Griffith’s Neck Farm is located in Dorchester County on the Chicamacomico River. The 275 acre Mudford Farm is located in Queen Anne’s County near the town of Sudlersville.

At the Griffith’s Neck Farm, CWH is restoring 30 acres of wetlands, creating 20 acres of warm season grass meadows and planting 20 acres of trees. This restored habitat along with 126 acres of existing woodland, 68 acres of farmland and 120 acres of existing tidal marsh will all be permanently protected by a conservation easement. The Maryland Environmental Trust provided the Biophilia Foundation with a no-interest loan to help raise the funds to purchase this farm. Once the habitat has been restored and the easement recorded, the farm will be resold to a conservation buyer. The farm is located within one mile of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and Fishing Bay State Wildlife Management Area.

At Mudford Farm, CWH will restore 30 acres of wetlands, create 20 acres of warm season grass meadows, and plant 20 acres of trees. This restored habitat along with 115 acres of mature woodland and 90 acres of farmland will be permanently protected by a conservation easement. Like the Griffith’s Neck Farm, the property will be sold to conservation buyer when the habitat has been restored and protected.

The Landowner Services Program evaluated many other farms, and we expect that several of these properties will be protected in 2006. The program has also provided advice and services to other landowners and community groups that are striving to protect locally significant resource lands.

If you are interested in the purchase of land which has been restored for wildlife habitat and placed in a conservation easment, please call Chris at 410-822-5100.