eastern shore maryland farmland conservation

July 2012

July 19, 2012

Lynch Preserve Now Open to Public

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy’s (ESLC) Lynch Preserve trails are open to the public and ready to use, thanks to the work of 20 Chesapeake Conservation Corps Members and staff members from ESLC, who gathered Wednesday, July 18, for a work day at the Lynch Preserve. ESLC won $1,500 from “All Hands on Deck,” a contest run by Chesapeake Bay Trust, for the materials. The day was a great success, and the Conservancy is thankful for the funding that was provided by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and educational materials from the Chestory Virtual Archive and associated Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteers. Also, the Baltimore Tool Bank was an excellent resource for the project, as ESLC was able to rent the necessary tools at three percent of the retail cost. Wayne Gilchrest, former U.S. Congressman and current ESLC Program Director for the Sassafras Environmental Education Center at Turner’s Creek, Kent County, kicked off the day with an inspiring talk. “Never forget why you are doing the work you do,” he told the Chesapeake Conservation Corps volunteers, who engage in environmental education and restoration work during their one-year terms. Volunteers then worked in groups to clear trails, build a kiosk, and install benches and trail signage. The Lynch Preserve is a 206-acre natural area donated to the Conservancy in 1999 by Mary Lynch in loving memory of her husband Jim Lynch Sr. The Preserve contains three trails that wind through a forested canopy along the Choptank River and Robins Creek. ESLC invites the public to visit the Lynch Preserve. Limited parking is available where the trails begin, at the end of Robins Creek Road, Preston. Since its inception in 1990, ESLC has helped landowners to protect more than 53,000 acres of farmland and important habitat on 283 Eastern Shore properties.

Read More

July 15, 2012

ESLC Hopes to Establish Eastern Shore Conservation Center

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, at the Talbot County Historical Society Auditorium in Easton, to discuss plans to purchase the McCord Building on Washington Street. In the coming year ESLC hopes to transform this vacant Easton warehouse into a charismatic green building that brings new vitality to both the neighborhood and the town. Called the Eastern Shore Conservation Center, this facility will create a working home for our employees and for other organizations and businesses. This hub of activity will spark collaboration and innovation around conservation at a new scale for the Eastern Shore. At the meeting, staff members will give an introduction to Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and a description of the McCord Building site, and will ask community members to express what they would like to see on the site. The Conservancy also invites the public to attend an Open House from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, July 26, at the McCord Building.

Read More

June 19, 2012

McKnight on the Fourth Economy

In his keynote address, Stephen McKnight, Vice President of Community and Market Assessments for Fourth Economy Consulting advised Annual Planning Conference participants to consider the nature of our evolving economy in planning growth for Eastern Shore communities. National issues that determine local economic development include global financial uncertainty, political divides, federal transportation funding and revenue generation, including taxes, incentives, and global competition. Fourth Economy Consulting examines historical economic development to determine characteristics of a successful economic development model today. The first three economies in the United States were agricultural, manufacturing, and technology. Today’s economy has the following characteristics: • Constant innovation • Collaborative approaches • Enabled and accelerated by the rise of social media • Smaller size of companies • Grow by being buying companies or being bought by other companies • Corporate image is important • Place based, happening in both urban and rural settings Trends that impact the fourth economy: • Technology: accelerating change; shifts in occupations, products and workplace environment; leveling locational advantages • Energy: rising prices leading to rethinking lifestyles, and the housing blimp is refocusing priorities on real cost of housing • Commurbanism (community urbanism): people again prefer to know their neighbors, people want amenities without traffic congestion or other undesirables, desire to give back, organize through social media. Places that have a high ranking on the fourth economy index, like Clarke, Georgia and Woods, Ohio, have a university and are leveraging that opportunity by retain graduates with a diversified economy. They have quality K-12 education, blend rural with urban amenities through town centers and recreation, provide quality, reasonably priced options for housing, and are driven by educational and medical institutions. There are working relationships with the local college/university, partnerships with banks and VCs to offer small business credit and loans, and offer high value business support initiatives.

Read More

June 8, 2012

Change is inevitable, progress a choice

“Change is inevitable, but progress is a choice.” This is a small selection of the words of wisdom that Ed McMahon imparted on the audience during his keynote address. As the world pushes forward through the 21st century, the pace at which technology and the economy change seems to accelerate at an exponential rate. However, society must be conscious that the actions made today have great implications in the future. The jobs we create and the communities we develop are all interconnected. Just as important as the quantity of jobs created is the quality of jobs created. What kinds of jobs do we hope our children will have? How do we preserve the quality of life for the future generation while nurturing economic growth? These are questions that residents of rural areas and small towns must ask themselves when they plan for the future. Keep in mind that progress does not need to be sacrificed for the sake of conservation. The environment often can be a boon for job growth. Parks and trails increase traffic in local businesses. They also can provide a source of ecotourism. The Eastern Shore with its vast expanses of agricultural and natural lands has assets that many other regions lack. It is important to consider these amenities when deciding the next steps.

Read More

June 8, 2012

Good morning, rural Maryland

The Tidewater Inn’s Crystal Room at 6 a.m. is stark contrast to the expected bustle of activity three hours later. As the sun barely peeks above the horizon and filters through the windows, a room full of empty chairs and a sole podium sit in quiet anticipation of the arriving day. At 9 a.m. the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy’s thirteenth Annual Planning Conference kicks off. This year, the theme and title of the conference is “Rural Jobs Summit: Vibrant Towns + Working Landscapes.” Today a collection of elected officials, organization heads, local business representatives, community planners, and others will meet to discuss the economic future of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A number of notable speakers will be in attendance, including Deputy Secretary Dominick Murray of Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Ed McMahon of the Urban Land Institute, and Stephen McKnight of Fourth Economy Consulting. From this conference, attendees hope to develop an image of the Eastern Shore that they would like to come to fruition. Even in the face of national economic stagnation, the region has an optimistic outlook. Outside, the sun continues to rise higher in the sky spraying rays of light onto the ground below, unhindered by clouds. It looks to be another beautiful June day, undoubtedly a fortuitous sign of the future of the Eastern Shore.

Read More

July 2012

Lynch Preserve Now Open to Public

ESLC Hopes to Establish Eastern Shore Conservation Center

McKnight on the Fourth Economy

Change is inevitable, progress a choice

Good morning, rural Maryland

Recent Posts

Site Directory