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Mission Statement
Conserve, steward, and advocate for the unique rural landscape of the Eastern Shore.

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Author: ESLC

April 2, 2008

Cecil County Horse Farm Protected Forever

532-acre conservation easement donated near Chesapeake City Queenstown, Maryland – April 2, 2008 – A key property in Cecil County’s horse country has been protected forever, thanks to the generous donation of a 532-acre conservation easement on Riveredge Farm. Owned by John and Leslie Malone, Riveredge Farm is situated just south of Chesapeake City on the east side of the Cayots Corner Preservation Area, which is the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation’s largest block of protected land on the Eastern Shore.  The permanent preservation of Riveredge Farm brings the total acreage of the protected block to over 5,000 acres.  Previously a prestigious thoroughbred horse farm known as Sycamore Hall Farm, Riveredge Farm was on track become a 58-lot residential development before the Malones purchased the property last year.  Now protected forever, the farm will be converted to a premier sporthorse operation to include training, breeding, and events. Scott and Susanne Hassler of Hassler Dressage will oversee the management of all activities at Riveredge.  The Malones are no strangers to land conservation.  A former director of The Nature Conservancy’s national board, Mr. Malone’s holdings top more than 500,000 acres nationwide.  The Riveredge Farm conservation easement, jointly held by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) and the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is the largest donated conservation easement project completed by MET since 2003 and largest by ESLC since 2000. Adam Block from MET managed the project on MET’s behalf. “Protection of Riveredge is a real victory for the community,” said Sandra Edwards, ESLC’s Land Protection Specialist. “Horse farms are an important icon in this area and as we watch the number of working horse farms dwindle, it is very gratifying to see such a beautiful symbol of that industry protected forever from development. “  In 2004, ESLC unsuccessfully attempted to purchase the property to save it from

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February 28, 2008

Fifth County Signs on to Regional Land Use Agreement

  Photo by Ryan Ewing ESLC Staffers John Seward, Kris George, Amy Owsley and Rob Etgen celebrate outside Council Chambers following the 3-2 vote by the Talbot County Council to adopt Eastern Shore 2010.      Talbot County Votes to Adopt Eastern Shore 2010 Agreement Easton, Maryland February 28, 2008 – Talbot County became the fifth county to sign a newly updated regional agreement aimed at strengthening land protection efforts on the Eastern Shore. This agreement, led by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), sets forward four broad conservation goals for the region together to strive toward achieving by 2010.  The Talbot County Commissioners signed the updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement with a 3-2 vote. Last year, representatives from ESLC presented the updated agreement to the six counties of the middle and upper shore , which are Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties. This agreement, originally launched and signed onto by all six counties in 2002, was strengthened last year by ESLC in response to increased growth pressure facing the Shore in the next few decades. Kent, Caroline, Cecil and Queen Anne’s all voted to adopt the revised agreement last spring.  Talbot’s first vote on the issue in 2007 was a 2-2 rejection of the plan. ESLC brought the plan back to Talbot County this week to ask the Council to reconsider.   In discussion prior to the vote, Councilman Thomas Duncan encouraged the county to take a leadership role by supporting Eastern Shore 2010.   “We’ve got to step up to the plate and show leadership to get this plan to move forward,” he said. “There is more need for this agreement now than there was in 2002.”   Councilman Corey Pack echoed a similar sentiment.   “It is heading in the right direction for the Eastern Shore,” Pack said. In addition to Duncan and Pack, Councilman Dierk

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February 26, 2008

ESLC Opens Regional Office in Galena

Open House and Ribbon Cutting held March 4 Galena, Maryland – February 26, 2008 – Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) a private, nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore announced the opening of its second regional office in downtown Galena. Opened late last year, the new office, located at 100 South Main Street, will help staff focus on regional land protection efforts on the Upper Shore. An Open House and official Ribbon Cutting was held on Tuesday, March 4 from 4:30-7 p.m. To see photos from the Open House, please click here. “We are thrilled to finally have a regional presence in our Northern counties and are so grateful to our partners and dedicated members for helping us get to this stage,” said Rob Etgen, ESLC Executive Director. “Having a local office in the counties we serve will really enhance our efforts to more effectively coordinate with towns, counties and local groups to protect and preserve our small towns and farms.” Three full-time staff will work out of the Galena office, including land protection specialist Sandra Edwards, stewardship manager Vikram Krishnamurthy and land use planner Morgan Ellis. Two full-time staffs work out of ESLC’s Southern Office in downtown Cambridge, which was opened in early 2007. The remaining members of ESLC’s 12-person staff will continue to be housed in ESLC’s Queenstown headquarters. For more information about the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy please visit www.eslc.org.

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February 25, 2008

ESLC offers tips to“Love the Land” with a more green lifestyle

Reusable grocery bags a simple first step toward eco-friendly living Queenstown, Maryland – February 25, 2008 – As part of their recently launched “Love the Land” campaign, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), a private, nonprofit land conservation organization, reminds residents to use reusable bags during their next trip to the grocery store. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans use 380 billion plastic bags annually, with only about one to three percent of those recycled. These plastic bags, which are made of polyethylene (HDPE) that  take years to break down – overwhelm our landfills, increase carbon consumption, clutter waterways and landscapes and kill thousands of marine and land animals that mistakenly ingest them when foraging for food. As more Eastern Shore residents are looking for ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, getting started with small steps – such as using reusable grocery bags – is a good way to ease into a more green routine. ESLC urges residents to try becoming a “Bring Your Own Bag” household as a good first step toward becoming a more environmentally responsible citizen. “Every reusable bag you take with you to the store you use has the potential to eliminate hundreds, if not thousands, of plastic bags over its lifetime,” said Kristine George, ESLC’s Director of Communications. “A family that goes to the grocery store once a week can eliminate about 720 plastic bags a year if they adopt reusable bags instead. That’s a pretty easy step to take that can make a pretty incredible impact.” ESLC offers the following easy tips to adjust to life as a BYOBer. Make a pledge to use only reusable bags when you shop and purchase enough to accommodate your usual shopping needs. Urge your friends to do the same and use an inexpensive stylish reusable bag to package the

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February 14, 2008

ESLC to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with “Love the Land” Campaign Kick-Off

Queenstown, Maryland – February 14, 2008 –In conjunction with the Valentine’s Day holiday, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore, will officially kick off its "Love the Land" campaign today. The year-round public awareness program, is aimed at educating local residents about land protection, land use planning and conservation as well as how they can help protect the Eastern Shore landscape that we all know and love.   The first activity on the "Love the Land" Campaign will be held this weekend in Cecil County when ESLC hosts "Grove Farm Family Day." The event will be held February 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Grove Farm, located at 2125 Grove Neck Road in Earleville and will provide the public with a first glimpse at this beautiful farm, which is about to be purchased by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for management as a Wildlife Management Area. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has gained approval from the Board of Public Works to purchase Grove Farm using $14.3 million in Program Open Space funds, which are generated through the real estate transfer tax. Other campaign tour activities will be announced in the coming weeks and will include events throughout the six counties that ESLC serves.   "There is so much love for our Eastern Shore and the way of life we all hold dear and we want to help residents learn ways they can help keep the Eastern Shore the special place that it is," said ESLC Executive Director, Rob Etgen. "This public awareness campaign will give folks from Elkton to Vienna a way to express that love for the Shore and learn how we can work together to protect our small towns and rural heritage."   Sunday’s event

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