ESLC is excited to announce that a brand new ESLC conservation easement in Cambridge will become a 114-acre public park. Located just off of MD Route-50, this thriving woodland is easily accessible and will now be protected forever thanks to funding from the Department of Defense’s Navy REPI Program. Through the support of Program Open Space, the property will soon be transferred from Chesapeake Conservancy to Dorchester County, providing opportunities for more than six miles of public hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, all while protecting the property’s most sensitive habitats.

“This high impact project is a shining example of what’s possible when we prioritize both conservation and community access,” said ESLC President & CEO Steven Kline. “Conserving and stewarding these 114 acres of forest in Dorchester County will not only safeguard rare wetlands and water quality, but will also become a cherished public space where locals and visitors can step just off the highway and experience peaceful open space and abundant wildlife.”

Easement restrictions preventing the filling and draining of wetlands will protect rare Delmarva bays found on the property. Many rare and threatened endangered species relied on these rare wetlands across the Shore before two thirds of them were filled in for farms and developments (even though they have “the highest biodiversity conservation value of any wetland type on the peninsula.”) Now, this Dorchester County woodland will protect these unique sanctuaries for a host of amphibians, pollinators, and migratory birds. Primarily woodland, the easement will now follow a forest stewardship plan that preserves and enhances native species diversity, habitat, and water quality with a particular emphasis on the conservation of forest interior dwelling bird species (FIDS) like vireos, warblers, and barred owls. The property also protects vulnerable species like Delmarva fox squirrels.

The long-term intended use of the Property will provide outdoor recreation for the public including more than six miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, all while protecting the property’s most sensitive habitats.

“Choosing to preserve this property with ESLC was a no brainer,” said Chesapeake Conservancy chief operating officer EJ Amyot. “ESLC is the big player over here. We know the work that they do and represent. Partners sometimes trickle off, but ESLC stuck with us through many years and operational transitions. At the end of the day this land is protected forever and people will get access to it. You’re also creating future conservationists when they recognize how important these spaces are.”