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Shore residents donate 235 acres to land preservation

ESLC’s total for calendar year totals 3,905 acres

 Eastern Shore Land Conservancy announced today that nearly 235 acres of land across the Eastern Shore have been protected forever from development thanks to four new donated conservation easements. This is in addition to the 2,894-acre Andelot Farm conservation easement donation by Louisa Duemling two weeks ago. These four new easements are co-held with the Maryland Environmental Trust and were approved today by the Maryland Department of Public Works. These four properties include the Jolly property in Kent County, the Michaels property, also in Kent, and the Pascal and Richards properties in Talbot County.

 These donated conservation easements bring ESLC’s land protection total for the 2009 calendar year to 3,905 acres.

 A few highlights on each of the properties include the following:

 

1. Jolly: Located in Kent County northeast of Galena, this 100.349 acre property known as Rosehill Farm includes 43 acres of forest, 50 acres of tillable land and 3 ponds. The donation of this conservation easement by Charles “Chuck” Jolly helps further establish a protected greenbelt around the northern and eastern edges of the town of Galena since the farm is adjacent to the a 79-acre conservation easement co-held by ESLC and MET and is across Mill Creek from Kent County’s 37-acre Toal Park, a portion of which ESLC helped the County acquire in 2007. Rosehill Farm has approximately 1,600 feet of forested frontage along Mill Creek, a tributary to the Sassafras River, and 1,100 feet of scenic frontage along Gregg Neck Road. With a little over 43 acres located within the Critical Area and approximately 15 forested acres located within the 100-year floodplain, the protection of Rosehill Farm will have a positive impact on water quality.
2. Michaels: Located in Kent County near Crosby 24.22 acre property southeast of Rock Hall, this property includes eight acres of tillable ground, 11 acres of woodland, a 4-acre pond and two smaller ponds. The property is a sanctuary for geese and many other waterfowl species as hunting is not permitted by the current landowner, George Michaels, who keeps an ice-eater/bubbler going all winter long so the waterfowl have access to the big pond at all times.  Mr. Michaels calls the property “Sanctuary”.   Located within ESLC’s Chester River Corridor Conservation Priority Area (CPA), Sanctuary has approximately 564 feet of frontage along Ashley Road and 322 feet of frontage along Piney Neck Road. Sanctuary is adjacent to 355 acres of previously protected lands including MET/Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage’s Spencer Farm easement & ESLC/MET’s Blanchard easement. The Maryland Department of Natural Recourses’ Green Infrastructure Evaluation Report identifies 6.6 acres of potential Forest Interior Dwelling Species (FIDS) habitat on the property.
3. Pascal: Located in Talbot County on Bar Neck Road on Tilghman Island, the Pascal property is comprised of 34.42 acres which includes 27 acres of cropland and the remaining acreage is floodplain/wetlands.  Approximately 23 acres are USDA Capability Class II soils which are considered prime and unique soils in Maryland (Source: Talbot County Soil Conservation District). The Property also has 2,700 feet of frontage along the Choptank River. This project is a defined as a high impact project for ESLC because the property has over 2,500 feet of frontage on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.
4. Richards:This Unionville property, which is located north of Easton on the northeastern border of Unionville and the Miles River, includes 76.39 acres of farm and forest lands. The Richards property is located next door to a swath of 775 protected acres, creating a larger greenbelt fo the town of Unionville. The Property also contains 33 acres of Delmarva fox squirrel habitat and approximately 20 acres of this property are located in the Critical Area.

 “The generous donation of these properties is a great way to end the year and a wonderful gift to the residents of the Eastern Shore,” said ESLC’s Executive Director Rob Etgen. “Protecting land for future generations is the foundation of our work and to have these four amazing properties is the best Christmas gift we could ask for.”