The results are in: Kids Love the Eastern Shore too!

Well, the results are in and when it was all said and done, we received over 300 entries to our first ever Kids Essay and Art Contests! Check out the winner list below and then head over to our online web album for a sneak peek at some of the amazing artwork that came in!
The Contest was open to all students in grades kindergarten through eight in the six Upper and Mid-Shore Counties including Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester.

In both the essay and the poster, students were asked to tell, via the written word or via their artwork, why they love the Eastern Shore and what people, places and memories make the Eastern Shore so special to them. Over 300 entries were received from schools throughout the Upper and Mid-Shore. Because some categories did not receive entries, the art contest entries were placed in an Upper and Mid-Shore division.
Winners include the following:


Kids Art Contest Winners: Mid-Shore (Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot)
K-2 Division
Winner: Dakota Gunter, Greensboro Elementary School
2nd Place: Arianna Cintron, Ridgely Elementary School

3-5 Division
Winner: Samuel Newmier, White Marsh Elementary School
2nd: Quinn Jennings, St. Michaels Elementary School
Honorable Mention: Sequoia Chupek, SMES

6-8 Division
Winner: Alecia Hall, St. Michaels Elementary School
2nd Place: Alee Micheli, Chesapeake Christian School
Honorable Mention: Caroline Camper, SMES and Cheyenne Cowell, St. Michaels Elementary School

Kids Art Contest Winners: Upper Shore (Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s)
K-2: No Entries
3-5 Division
1st place: Sky Ulsprach, Kent School
2nd place: Brooke, Kent School
Honorable Mentions: Cameron Wick, Noah Kullman, Radcliffe Creek

6-8 Divison
1st place: Jimmy Johnson, Jr., Radcliffe Creek
2nd place: Kelsey Griffin, Radcliffe Creek
Honorable Mentions: Leanna Taylor, Augie Callahan, Radcliffe Creek

Kids Essay Contest Winners: Kent
1sr place:Jake Schengber, Radcliffe Creek
2nd place: Zekiel Whitlock, Radcliffe Creek
Honorable Mention:Claire Lawrence, Kent School
Kids Essay Contest Winners: Queen Anne’s County
1st place Morgan Starr, Sudlersville Middle School
2nd place: hayden Rhodes: Sudlersville Middle School
Honorable Mention: Taylor Douglas, Sudlersville Middle School
Kids Essay Contest Winners: Talbot
1st Place: Samuel Newmier, White Marsh Elementary School
2nd Place: Caroline Camper, St. Michaels Elementary School
HM: Alecia Hall. St. Michaels Elementary School


“The artwork and essay entries we received from kids on the Shore were so thoughtful and well-done. Seeing and hearing what makes the Eastern Shore special through the art and words of our future leaders was so enlightening,” said Kristine George, ESLC’s Director of Communications. “It is apparent from these entries how much our local youth love and respect the Eastern Shore – and how committed they are at such a young age to preserving the things that make the Shore so special. That is so exciting and inspiring at the same time.”

All private, public and home-schooled students were invited to participate. Participating schools were the Chesapeake Christian School. Colonel Richardson Middle School, the Country School, Easton Elementary School, Greensboro Elementary School, Kennard Elementary School, The Kent School, Lockerman Middle School. Radcliffe Creek, Ridgely Elementary School, St. Michaels Elementary School, Sudlersville Middle School, White Marsh Elementary School and Worton Elementary School.

ESLC Welcomes New Staffer!

ESLC Announces Expanded Work with Towns; Welcomes Salisbury Native to Staff

ESLC is pleased to announce the addition of Jacob Day to its staff.

Day, who is originally from Wicomico County, joins the staff as a Town Planning Manager, to offer assistance to the Eastern Shore’s towns on growth and planning issues.

He will be responsible for launching a small town planning initiative that aims to make available the most applicable and effective town planning tools, techniques, services, and models of how healthy, strong communities grow sustainably. As a primary part of this, Day will also provide immediate support to local governments who are addressing the new comprehensive plan elements of MD House Bill 1141, namely the water resource element and the municipal growth element.

“We are so pleased to add Jake to our staff to fill this critical need here on the Shore ,” said Amy Owsley, ESLC’s Director of Land Use Planning. “Jake’s background and expertise are ideally suited to help understand the land use planning needs of Eastern Shore small towns and villages and create important partnerships to help build the capacity of local government planning.”

This planner position is not intended to replicate or replace the services of the MD Department of Planning circuit riders, or the direct technical services provided by consultants that some towns are hiring to write the 1141 comp plan elements.

“Our Eastern Shore towns are at the heart of sound land use planning—the growth towns select today will define our region for generations,” said Owsley. It’s going to take all hands on deck to give towns the resources they need, and this position is one piece of that help.”

A Salisbury native, Jake has focused much of his previous work on sustainable economic, energy, and land development on the Delmarva Peninsula. He previously served as President and Chairman of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Jake has also served as National Student Director on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Board of Directors and in other capacities within AIA, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and the National Architectural Accrediting Board. Presently, he is Editor-in-Chief of the architecture and design journal Crit. Jake graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master’s in Environmental Policy. He also holds a Master of Urban Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Maryland. He currently resides in Salisbury with his wife, Alison and their dog, Baxter.


For more information about ESLC, please visit www.eslc.org.

ESLC Honors 2008 Eastern Shore 2010 Winners!

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), a private, nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore, today announced the recipients of this year’s Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards. The 2008 Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards, inspired by the regional land use planning agreement that sets the highest expectations for the care of the Eastern Shore landscape, distinguish outstanding leadership in the field of land use planning and land development on the Eastern Shore. The purpose of these awards is to honor the projects, people and places that best define growth befitting the Eastern Shore. This year’s awards are focused on the Eastern Shore 2010’s Goal 4, “Develop a regional transportation plan by 2010 that provides alternatives to a new Bay crossing and emphasizes the use of alternative as well as public transportation within and among communities

“This awards program was inspired by the amazing work our local governments and groups were out there doing to reach the Eastern Shore 2010 agreement’s goals,” said Rob Etgen, ESLC’s Executive Director. “With so many issues facing the Eastern Shore when it comes to transportation, it is so exciting to be able to honor the folks who are working to get out in front of these tough issue to help protect our Eastern Shore quality of life from being diminished as a result of these challenges.”

This year’s Eastern Shore 2010 award recipients are:

Regional Leadership:MUST Bus
This nationally recognized model for how best to implement a rural bus system is a collaborative effort between Delmarva Community Transit, Delmarva Community Services and Queen Anne’s County Rides. The MUST which provided free transportation for conference attendees at today’s event, gives the region a wide range of public transit choices, both fixed-rout and on-demand services.
County Leadership: Queen Anne’s County Cool Climates: Growing Cooler
Queen Anne’s County has taken a momentous step, and shown leadership by signing onto the Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration, a major national initiative to combat global warming. This pledge is to reduce global warming emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The county has begun to move forward with proactive solutions to this impending environmental issue on the Eastern Shore.
Local Leadership: St. Michael’s Nature Trail Project
The Trail is a joint project by the Town of St. Michael’s, the St. Michael’s Rotary Foundation, Environmental Concern, and Elm Street Development Co. This environmentally sensitive project will link diverse neighborhoods with a healthy alternative to auto travel. It will provide a peaceful setting and safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists from one end of Town to the other.

The updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement, signed last year by Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties calls for; reaching regional goals in land protection, strengthening the farming, fishing, and forestry industries, managing the amount and type of new development, and creating a regional transportation plan, by 2010.

Winners were honored at ESLC’s annual Land Use Planning Conference, held today at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills. Presneting the awards was Harry Hughes, former Governor of Maryland. For more information about the awards, ESLC’s current transportation campaign or about Eastern Shore 20100, please visit www.eslc.org.

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Latest QAC Ordinance is the Right Things for Queen Anne's County

The following is a statement issued by ESLC to several local media outlets in support of County Ordinance No 8-25.

Dear Editor,
We are writing to express our support for the recently introduced County Ordinance No. 8-25, which represents the biggest conservation step forward for the County in the lifetime of our organization. This legislation is a crucially important measure to protect farmland and build strong, vibrant towns in Queen Anne’s County for several reasons:
It creates a strong rural conservation tool: This legislation offers a springboard for the county’s current transfer of development rights (TDR) program. It complements the current conservation toolbox and diversifies it, as the TDRs are market-based rather than public funding-based.
It gives farmers another option: The TDR portion of this legislation boosts equity for farmers by giving them an opportunity to realize land development value without actually developing their farmland. The subdivision restriction portion ensures the critical mass of agricultural land remains intact to fuel the county economy and honor our heritage.
It stops rural sprawl and supports thriving towns: This legislation creates a marriage between protecting farmland and supporting vibrant towns. Towns build off development potential transferred away from farmland. Rural land is thereby protected while growth areas can channel development interest to realize their communities’ plans for the future.
It prevents spending for unnecessary new infrastructure: This legislation helps ensure new growth will occur where the services/infrastructure exist to support it.
It exhibits regional leadership: Queen Anne’s County has been making steady progress toward the goals of Eastern Shore 2010. This legislation gets at the heart of the regional agreement, Eastern Shore 2010, by advancing land protection and directing growth toward towns.
It implements the community vision for the County: The 2002 County Comprehensive Plan is underpinned by two major themes: direct growth to existing communities and keeping rural areas rural. This legislation addresses both these points.

We commend Commissioner Eric Wargotz for his leadership on this important issue and look forward to the successful passage of this important legislation.

Rob Etgen and Amy Owsley,
Queenstown
Rob Etgen is the Executvie Director of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. Amy Owsley is the Director of Land Use Planning for ESLC.

Latest Eastern Shore Poll Shows Residents More Concerned than Ever about Growth!

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), a private, nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore today announced the results of a poll indicating growth, development and sprawl continue to be a top concern for Eastern Shore residents.

The land use poll, conducted by Susquehanna Polling & Research, Inc. late this summer, surveyed 1,500 Eastern Shore residents regarding growth and development, local funding priorities, transportation, conservation needs and factors affecting their quality of life.

The poll indicates that residents feel the single most important problem facing the Eastern Shore is growth, development and sprawl. This is followed by a 2:1 margin by a tie between jobs/economy and the environment/community. This number of residents most concerned about growth and development issues is highest in Queen Anne’s and Talbot.

"This poll tells us that growth issues continue to be a top concern of Eastern Shore residents and that the public is looking to local elected officials for solutions ," said Amy Owsley, ESLC’s Director of Land Use Planning.

Earlier this year ESLC engaged Susquehanna Polling and Research to survey registered voters in six counties of the Eastern Shore: Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. A total of 1,200 registered voters (plus an additional over sampling in Caroline, Dorchester and Kent ) were interviewed by telephone, from August 25 – September 2. The margin of error for the regional poll is +/- 2.8 percent.

ESLC conducted a similar poll in 2004 and the results from the most recent poll iterate many of the same findings.

The top headlines from the 2008 survey are:

o Pace of Growth: Due to the rapid rate of development and its impact on the loss of farmland and habitat, people are feeling anxious about growth on the Eastern Shore. Growth, development and sprawl were cited as the single most important issue facing respondents’ local area.

o Quality of Life: More residents than ever believe things are going in the wrong direction in the Eastern Shore today, some 43 percent compared to 35 percent in 2004 - which means voters are not happy with the status quo; and although most voters believe their quality of life is excellent or good and has not worsened during the last several years, an overwhelming majority (62 percent) are very concerned about the loss and farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore.

o Elected Officials: Eastern Shore residents reaffirm the role that both local and county governments play in open space preservation including the protection of wildlife and habitat areas – including the continued use of public funding for open space preservation. By a 71/4 margin, residents believe local officials should increase their efforts to preserve open space. This is a slight increase from 65 percent in 2004.

o Funding Priorities: Residents also support their county’s use of public funds for open space preservation, recreation and the protection of natural wildlife habitats in towns, villages and rural areas at a margin of 5:1 - up from 3:1 in the 2004 poll. Among those that support county funding, more than a third (38 percent) would pay up to fifty dollars.

o Towns and Villages: By a 65/27 margin (or better than 2:1) residents support policies designed to encourage new development in and around existing towns and villages and discourage development in the countryside.

"Both our 2004 and this recent poll tell us quite clearly that the Eastern Shore public wants more land protection, better managed growth, and for our important farming tradition to be protected," said Rob Etgen, ESLC’s Executive Director. "It is obvious that we must do more to protect the Eastern Shore way of life and rural heritage that we all love."

For more information about the 2008 survey and to obtain a copy of the survey report, please visit www.eslc.org.

Kudos to our local media for their commendation of our leader!

The following is a letter to the editor that appeared in the Star Democrat. It was written to thank the newspaper for their October 17 editorial commending Rob for the award and for his long career working to protect our Eastern Shore!

October 23, 2008
Dear Editor

I am writing on behalf of the staff and Board of Directors at the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to thank you so much for your recent editorial commending Rob Etgen for recent Conservationist of the Year award from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. All of us at ESLC were so pleased to read this wonderful tribute to Rob for his tireless hard work to preserve and protect the Eastern Shore. This salute – both by your newspaper and CBF, reiterates what we enjoy so much about working with such a pioneer in land protection and conservation. Rob’s leadership and vision has lifted our communities and has inspired us all to work harder in our daily lives to preserve the quality of life and precious places we all enjoy on the Eastern Shore. That inspiration is significant now more than ever as we face unprecedented growth pressures coupled with the financial difficulties that your editorial cites will impact the ability to protect the character of our rural countryside and our towns and villages that make up the true heartbeat of the Eastern Shore.

Rob’s leadership throughout the past 20 years has helped make the Eastern Shore a better place to be sure. Each of the Board members and staffers who have had the honor of working with him have learned a tremendous amount from him over the years. We thank you for this truly deserved recognition of our leader and for your continued coverage of land preservation and land use planning issues facing our beloved Eastern Shore. Keep up your great work!

Alex Rasin,
Chestertown, Maryland

Alex Rasin is the President of the Board of Directors for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. He writes on behalf of the staff and Board of Directors for ESLC.

Rob Etgen wins Conservationist of the Year Award!

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has awarded it annual Maryland Conservationist of the Year Award to Rob Etgen, the founding executive director of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC).



“Rob’s passion for conservation has ensured that our children and grandchildren will be able to appreciate the natural beauty of the Eastern Shore, and the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Kim Coble, CBF’s Maryland Executive Director.



In a ceremony Wednesday in Queenstown, CBF lauded Etgen for his pioneering efforts. ESLC is one of the most successful conservancy groups in the country, having preserved more than 45,000 acres of natural areas and prime farmland – just in the six Maryland counties his organization serves. That group is only one of a multitude that Etgen, a Galena resident, helped start.



"I am honored, surprised and so humbled to be recognized with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation conservation award. CBF has always impressed me with the incredible focus of its work, and the high integrity of its leadership. Thank you CBF for this award, and for all you do for the Bay, " Etgen said. "I also am grateful to everyone else on the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy team - our board, staff and supporters - in the past 20 years we have accomplished much together and the Eastern Shore is truly a better place for our efforts.”



Etgen is a native Marylander. Previous to working at ESLC, Etgen worked in the Attorney General’s office in the Department of Natural Resources. Etgen’s last post was with Maryland Environmental Trust, where he helped create eighteen private land conservation organizations. The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy was one of those. Currently, there are over fifty land trusts in operation throughout the state.



Etgen was one of the architects of Maryland’s successful Rural Legacy program, which helped foster innovative state-local partnerships that have led to the protection of 60,000 acres in the state from sprawl development. He also created Eastern Shore 2010, a regional land use agreement that has catalyzed citizens, decision-makers, and planning professionals to help make Maryland’s Eastern Shore a better place to live.



Coble noted Etgen’s vision for land conservancy, seeing the effort as more than land acquisition, but helping people see the value of their natural environment. As evidence of that vision, Coble noted a recent ESLC initiative – a donation of a half-acre community garden to the Town of Easton.



“This small public space does not boast the most pristine of wildlife habitats, nor does it filter vast quantities of polluted runoff flowing to the Bay,” Coble said. “But it is a place where people can see how protecting the environment, including all its critters and important natural systems, is fundamentally about people too. People can connect with nature even through a patchwork of garden soil and the promise of a plentiful harvest that sustain s their family. “

Dorchester County Announces Public Workshops

The Dorchester County Office of Planning and Zoning will be hosting several public workshops to discuss the Water Resources Element of the Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan. Two workshops with the same content-will be held. Dates and locations for these workshops are as follows:

Cambridge: September 30,2008, at 6:00 pm, 501 Court Lane, Room 110, County Office Building

Vienna: October 2,2008, at 6:00 pm, 104 Race Street, Community Hall, (Old Fire Station)

The Water Resources Element is a new requirement, pursuant to the provisions of Maryland House Bill 1141 (2006).

As part of this element, the County must evaluate the following:

· the adequacy of its public water systems to serve projected growth;

· the impact of growth on aquifers (including residential and non-residential water demand in rural areas) and other drinking water sources; and

· the impact of growth on runoff ("nonpoint source" pollution) to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

The County must also coordinate with its municipalities to characterize the adequacy of their public water and wastewater systems to accommodate growth.

Public input is an important component of the Dorchester County Comprehensive Plan, and specifically the Water Resources Element. The Water Resources Workshop will help to refine the County's understanding of existing water resources conditions and concerns, and will also help to shape the Comprehensive Plan's recommendations related to growth and development.

Please make plans to attend one of these workshops and make your voice heard. If you cannot attend the workshops but wish to comment on the Water Resources Element, or if you have questions or need more information, please contact the Office of Planning and Zoning at 410.228.3234 or via email at rbanks@docogonct.

5th Annual Rural Heritage Day THIS Sunday!

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and the University of Maryland, Wye Research and Education Center are partnering to bring Delmarva the 5th annual Rural Heritage Day, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Queen Anne's County 4-H Park near Centreville. The cost is $1 for adults and free for children 12 and under – parking is also free. Rural Heritage Day, a farm festival-style event, was created to generate awareness and gain support for Maryland’s Eastern Shore as a rural gem, as well as to celebrate its past, present and, hopefully, bright agricultural future.


Rural Heritage Day is a combination of interactive and educational exhibits; historical displays; children’s activities; demonstrations; show ring entertainment; farm animals; local food; music; a fine art show plus an Eastern Shore quilt exhibit featuring vintage and new quilt making styles.

This year’s educational exhibits, geared toward adults as well as children, will feature many local organizations as well as various programs and research projects of the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. A number of fun activities for kids include pumpkin painting, straw maze and corn pool, petting zoo, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s edible insect display, Maryland Grain Producers Growing with Grains and a number of other hands-on activities. Miniature pony, carriage and antique tractor rides will also be part of the day’s offerings.

“We are so excited to be able to once again partner with the University of Maryland Wye Research and Education Center to once again bring this great event to residents of the Eastern Shore,” said Kristine George, ESLC’s Director of Communications. “What a great way to celebrate everything we love about our Eastern Shore’s rural heritage and this year’s event is chock full of fun and educational activities for the entire family to enjoy.”

ESLC Launches Kids Essay and Art Contests!

ESLC recently announced the launch of its first ever (and hopefully annual!) Kids Essay and Art Contest. Open to all students ages K-8 in Caroline, Cecil,Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties, we want to hear from you about what you love about the Eastern Shore, what makes it special and what place, people and traits should be protected and what you would like done in your community to make sure it remains a special place.

Please click here for more details and rules!

ESLC Seeks Nominations for 2008 Eastern Shore 2010 Awards!

It is that time of year again! ESLC is calling for nominations for this year’s Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards. The 2008 Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards, inspired by the regional land use planning agreement that sets the highest expectations for the care of the Eastern Shore landscape, distinguish outstanding leadership in the field of land use planning and land development on the Eastern Shore. The purpose of these awards is to honor the projects, people and places that best define growth befitting the Eastern Shore. This year's awards are focused on the Eastern Shore 2010’s Goal 4, “Develop a regional transportation plan by 2010 that provides alternatives to a new Bay crossing and emphasizes the use of alternative and public transportation within and among communities.”

Awards will be given out at ESLC’s annual conference “Where are the Eastern Shore’s Roads Taking Us?’ This year’s conference will focus on regional transportation issues and will pull together national, regional and local leaders to collaborate on potential solutions.

“We are so excited to celebrate the excellent work that is being done toward the Eastern Shore 2010 agreement’s goals,’ said Amy Owsley, ESLC’s Director of Land Use Planning. “Transportation is at a crossroads here on the Shore and we are looking forward to honoring those who are at the forefront of finding viable solutions for these important issues.”

Past Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards winners include the Talbot County Planning Commission for their efforts to protect the important rural areas of Talbot County, Colchester Farm Community Supported Agriculture project for exemplifying how new models for farming can create a sustainable future for agriculture on the Shore and Governor Martin O’Malley for his position against a new auto oriented Bay Bridge that is solid move away from traditional failed policies to build our way out of congestion.

For the 2008 Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards, ESLC is accepting nominations from all angles of land use planning including: climate change initiatives, citizen leadership, transportation, growth management related to redevelopment and infill and others that advance any or a combination of the updated goals outlined in Eastern Shore 2010.

The updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement, signed last year by Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties calls for; reaching regional goals in land protection, strengthening the farming, fishing, and forestry industries, managing the amount and type of new development, and creating a regional transportation plan, by 2010.

The deadline for nominations is October 3. To submit a nomination, write a one-page letter summarizing the project or effort, how it advances growth consistent with the Eastern Shore and contact information for those responsible. An application form and more detailed award criteria for the awards can be accessed at eslc.org.

Send your nomination to Awards, c/o ESLC, 601 Locust Street, Suite 302, Cambridge, Maryland 21613, email them to, lsanford@eslc.org or fax to 410.901.9986. Winners will be honored at ESLC’s annual Land Use Planning Conference on Nov. 7 at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills.

ESLC Needs your input! Take our 2008 Eastern Shore Poll!

ESLC is currently conducting an online poll to gather the attitudes and opinions of our members and friends about important land protection and conservation issues facing the Eastern Shore. Please take a few minutes to take this online poll....we will be sending five randomly selected respondents a goody bag filled with some of our favorite ESLC gear as a thank you (just be sure to provide your email at the end of the survey to be included!) Please click here to take the survey or visit our website at www.eslc.org!

ESLC Announces New Planning Position to Assist Towns with HB 1141

ESLC Announces New Position to Assist Towns with HB1141
New Capacity An Extension of Conservancy’s Land Use Planning Program

ESLC has announced the addition of new planning capability to support towns and municipalities on the Shore with Maryland House Bill 1141 (HB1141) and related issues. This new capability will be an extension of ESLC’s Land Use Planning program, which was launched in 2002 to help provide support to towns and counties on issues related to growth and development in the region.
This effort includes the addition of a two-year position, funded by a grant from the Keith Campbell Foundation, that will provide support for local governments in ESLC’s service area in implementing the two HB 1141-required elements into town and county comprehensive plans. The program will also launch a broad-based education initiative to make widely available the most applicable and effective town annexation tools, techniques, and models of how healthy, strong communities grow.
"We are very excited to be able to add this important service to our organization and believe it will help us provide essential support to our local governments during this very important time for growth and development on the Eastern Shore," said Amy Owsley, ESLC’s Director of Land Use Planning. "Right now we are in the middle of conducting a HB 1141needs assessment of our towns. Once we have a better handle on specific needs, we will hire a talented, energetic planner to lend a hand. "
This new planner position will be coordinated with the Maryland Department of Planning but is not a replication of or replacement for MDP’s recent staffing changes.
"Our goals is helping our local communities realize their goals as quality, attractive, healthy places to live and one of our first solid steps in this critical vein of work centers on HB 1141," said Owsley. "Our plans to provide this support were in place well before the staffing changes at MDP and this effort is not at all a replacement for the important services provided by MDP. It is our hope to provide short-term services in HB1141 services and develop a long-term understanding on how we can effectively support town planning in the years to come."
ESLC is currently in the recruitment phase of the hire process and is providing grant writing support to support to towns eligible for state funding that can be used for HB 1141 work.
For more details about ESLC’s circuit rider program, please visit www.eslc.org.
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ESLC is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of farmland and habitat on the Eastern Shore. Funded by member contributions, ESLC helps landowners to discover, evaluate and implement any of the voluntary land preservation options available. ESLC works to sustain the Eastern Shore's rich landscapes through strategic land conservation and sound land use planning.Our vision in 2050 is an Eastern Shore where towns are vibrant and well defined; farms, forests, and fisheries are thriving and scenic; historic, natural, and riverine landscapes are maintained. ESLC helps save land and promote sound land use planning from the C&D Canal in Cecil County all the way to the Nanticoke River in Dorchester County. We work in Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester Counties. Since its inception in 1990, ESLC has helped landowners to protect more than 45,500 acres of farmland and important habitat on 245 Eastern Shore properties.

MDp Announces Smart Growth Listening Sessions!

MDP and MD’s Growth Task Force Host Public Listening Sessions
Citizens Share Ideas and Concerns on Growth and Development

The Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) and the Task Force on the Future for Growth and Development in Maryland are hosting a series of public forums across the State for residents to share their thoughts and ideas on future growth in the state. Six Smart Growth Listening Sessions, planned for September, will take place in Maryland’s regions (Baltimore Metropolitan, Washington Suburban, Southern Maryland, Lower Eastern Shore, Upper Eastern Shore and Western Maryland) and are open to all citizens.
The Listening Sessions begin at 6:30 p.m. to accommodate diverse public input on a variety of growth-related topics including, smart sustainable growth; growth and a healthy environment; regional development; historic preservation; transportation and growth; and growth and schools. Moderated by community leaders, these sessions are designed like town hall meetings with open discussion on these important matters.
"Protecting our forests and agricultural land and ensuring our existing communities remain places where our citizens want to live, work, and play is a worthy and achievable goal of all stakeholders statewide," said MDP Secretary Richard E. Hall, AICP. His agency and the Task Force on the Future for Growth and Development in Maryland are exploring a wide range of smart growth and land use issues affecting the state.
Task Force Chair and partner at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP Jon M. Laria said, "These sessions will facilitate understanding citizen and community leaders’ priorities and ideas. The Task Force recognizes a broad audience for the public discussion on future growth. We must know how those affected by development feel and consider their recommended solutions."

Listening Sessions will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. over two weeks in September at the following:
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 – Wicomico County High School in Salisbury
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 – Queen Anne’s County High School in Centreville
Thursday, September 18, 2008 – James Blake High School in Silver Spring
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 – Southern Maryland Electrical Cooperative in Hughesville
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 – Woodlawn High School, Baltimore County
Thursday, September 25, 2008 – Bridge of Life in Hagerstown
For information on the Listening Sessions, visit MDP's website.

The Task Force on the Future for Growth and Development in Maryland was formed under House Bill 773 signed into law during the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Its 21 members are charged with studying a wide range of growth and land use issues affecting Maryland. Public input will help guide the Task Force’s work. MDP promotes growth that fosters vibrant, livable communities, preserves and protects the environment, safeguards historical and cultural resources and makes efficient use of State resources. The department also provides data, trend analysis, research assistance, and policy development and implementation support for local governments, communities, businesses, and organizations.

ESLC in the Midnight Hour to Save Dorchester Property!

Photo by Dave Harp

We are still in need of your help to save a property along the Marshyhope River hat is in danger of being turned into a large-scale mining operation...we have just a few days left until closing so we need you now more than ever! Any help you can give is appreciated...forwarding this email to your email list, donations of any size, a signature on our petition...are all greatly appreciated!

The 392-acre property with its location at the confluence of the Marshyhope and Nanticoke Rivers in Dorchester County, is part of the region identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of the State's "Last Great Places." This property stretches along the Marshyhope River for 1.3 miles and is the site of the globally rare Wades Savanna wetland, the only wetland of its kind in the state of Maryland. The property is also known to contain habitat for a lengthy list of rare, threatened and endangered species as well as ancient sand dunes. Over the last 20 years, conservation organizations in partnership with local landowners, Dorchester County, the State, and the Federal government have protected over 10,000 acres in the immediate vicinity.
Despite long-time efforts by various conservation groups to protect the land, the property was purchased in 2006 for the purpose of mining sand and gravel. In February 2008, the owner filed an application for a special use exception and permits for a large-scale sand and gravel mining operation and on March 20, 2008, a hearing was held before the Dorchester County Board of Appeals. Several hundred local residents, community leaders, conservationists, and concerned Boy Scouts who opposed the mining operation attended the hearing. Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) has secured a contract to purchase the property in order to protect it forever. The purchase price of the property is a bargain sale at $5.2 million dollars, less than the lowest appraised value. A portion of the purchase price will be funded through a Federal grant. The remainder of the purchase price will be funded through private donations. ESLC seeks to raise $375,000 in private funds. The effort to protect this property was supported by a number of key organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Once the property is purchased, ESLC anticipates it will be transferred to a public entity, such as Dorchester County, then leased to the Boy Scouts where it will be used for low-impact water access for canoeing and kayaking and restoration of the small area of agricultural fields for wildlife habitat.

How can YOU help? There are a few ways....

• An online petition has been set-up for residents wishing to show their support for saving this property at www.ipetitions.com/petition/Marshyhope/.


• A Facebook Causes Page, which allows Facebook members to donate or recruit others to the campaign can be found at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/105860?m=e9565&recruiter_id=12639774.


• Share this post with your friends who may want to help!

Concerned citizens who want to learn more about this special property and how they can contribute to the fundraising campaign can contact ESLC's Director of Land Conservation, Meredith Lathbury, at 410.827.9756 ext. 167 or at http://www.blogger.com/.

ESLC Website Has a New Look

After many months, ESLC's website has a new face! The design was done by Amber Spence of Eastern Sure Web Design, a Talbot-County based business. We will be adding new features and graphics over the coming months but think you will find the new design and navigation will make it much easier to find what you need from the ESLC site! Please let us know if you have suggestions or questions! Check out http://www.eslc.org/!

ESLC Announces Annual Planning Conference!

ESLC will hold its 10th Annual Planning Conference on Friday, November 7, 2008 at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills. This year's conference "Where are the Eastern Shore's Roads Taking Us? will focus on transportation issues facing the region. Reid Ewing, PhD of the National Center for Smart Growth will be our keynote speaker for this regional transportation summit. Stay tuned for updates and registration details!

ESLC Announces Campaign to Save Dorchester Property- you can help by signing our petition!

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy announced an aggressive campaign to save a property along the Marshyhope River that is in danger of being turned into a large-scale mining operation.
The 392-acre property with its location at the confluence of the Marshyhope and Nanticoke Rivers in Dorchester County, is part of the region identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of the State’s "Last Great Places." This property stretches along the Marshyhope River for 1.3 miles and is the site of the globally rare Wades Savanna wetland, the only wetland of its kind in the state of Maryland. The property is also known to contain habitat for a lengthy list of rare, threatened and endangered species as well as ancient sand dunes. Over the last 20 years, conservation organizations in partnership with local landowners, Dorchester County, the State, and the Federal government have protected over 10,000 acres in the immediate vicinity.
Despite long-time efforts by various conservation groups to protect the land, the property was purchased in 2006 for the purpose of mining sand and gravel. In February 2008, the owner filed an application for a special use exception and permits for a large-scale sand and gravel mining operation and on March 20, 2008, a hearing was held before the Dorchester County Board of Appeals. Several hundred local residents, community leaders, conservationists, and concerned Boy Scouts who opposed the mining operation attended the hearing. Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) has secured a contract to purchase the property in order to protect it forever. The purchase price of the property is a bargain sale at $5.2 million dollars, less than the lowest appraised value. A portion of the purchase price will be funded through a Federal grant. The remainder of the purchase price will be funded through private donations. ESLC seeks to raise $375,000 in private funds. The effort to protect this property was supported by a number of key organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Once the property is purchased, ESLC anticipates it will be transferred to a public entity, such as Dorchester County, then leased to the Boy Scouts where it will be used for low-impact water access for canoeing and kayaking and restoration of the small area of agricultural fields for wildlife habitat.
Concerned citizens who want to learn more about this special property and how they can contribute to the fundraising campaign can contact ESLC’s Director of Land Conservation, Meredith Lathbury, at 410.827.9756 ext. 167 or at mlathbury@eslc.org.
An online petition has been set-up for residents wishing to show their support for saving this property at www.ipetitions.com/petition/Marshyhope/.

ESLC Announces 5th Annual Rural Heritage Day!

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and the University of Maryland, Wye Research and Education Center are partnering to bring Delmarva the 5th annual Rural Heritage Day, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Queen Anne's County 4-H Park near Centreville. The cost is $1 for adults and free for children 12 and under – parking is also free. Rural Heritage Day, a farm festival-style event, was created to generate awareness and gain support for Maryland’s Eastern Shore as a rural gem, as well as to celebrate its past, present and, hopefully, bright agricultural future.
Rural Heritage Day is a combination of interactive and educational exhibits; historical displays; children’s activities; demonstrations; show ring entertainment; farm animals; local food; music; a fine art show plus an Eastern Shore quilt exhibit featuring vintage and new quilt making styles.

This year’s educational exhibits, geared toward adults as well as children, will feature many local organizations as well as various programs and research projects of the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

For more information on Rural Heritage Day, call 410.827.9756 or 410.827.6202.

Lathbury Honored by State

Meredith Leftbury, far right received the Aileen Hughes Award for Outstanding Leadership in Land Conservation recently.

Meredith Lathbury, Director of Land Conservation for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, recently received the Aileen Hughes Award for Outstanding Leadership in Land Conservation. The award, one of two presented this year, is given by the Maryland Environmental Trust, was created in honor of the late Aileen Hughes, a leader in the conservation movement and honors those that demonstrate exemplary leadership in the land trust community. The award was presented to Lathbury at the Maryland Land Trust Alliance Conference, held earlier this month at the Howard County Conservancy’s Mt. Pleasant Farm in Woodstock
Lathbury was honored with Ann Holmes Jones, President of the Howard Country Conservancy and a member and secretary of the MET board of trustees.

An alumna of the Center for Whole Communities’ "Whole Thinking" Program, Lathbury’s innovative work is reshaping ESLC’s strategic plan in order to integrate conservation, health, justice, spirit and relationships. This past winter she helped plan a "whole communities" retreat for Eastern Shore conservation leaders that focused on partnership building and community-based approaches to land preservation.
Her work is represented in recent successes like the Blackwater community input sessions held in Cambridge last November. This 728-acre tract of farmland, wetland, and forest was preserved by the State of Maryland in 2007, having been previously slated for development. The sessions brought together local, state and federal partners to specifically attend to public input regarding future uses of the preserve and the opportunities for public participation in restoration, education and recreation activities.
"We are so proud of Meredith for this much deserved recognition for her continued efforts to make sure the Eastern Shore remains a special place for all of its residents,"said Rob Etgen, ESLC’s Executive Director. "By ensuring that local interests have a voice as part of the process, Meredith has a unique ability to connect the needs of people with the need for conservation."

ESLC Welcomes Summer Staff!

Pictured third from left is ESLC's Legal Intern, Lisetta Sylvestri. Also pictured with Lisetta are other members of ESLC's staff including Laura Sanford, Jared Parks and John Seward.

ESLC's staff just got even bigger with the addition of our two summer interns. Lisetta Sylvestri is joining ESLC as a legal intern, assisting the Land Use Planning and Land Conservation staff on land loss issues on the Shore. Also joining ESLC for the summer is recent Washington College grad Laura Human, who will be working as ESLC's Rural Heritage Day Coordinator.

Earth Day Event in Cambridge

Representatives from Cambridge Main Street, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina commemorated the 28th annual Earth Day by planting zelcova trees in parts of Downtown Cambridge. Volunteers included staffers from the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, a private nonprofit land conservation organization, Cambridge Main Street, an organization made up of local businesses and individuals committed to revitalizing the main downtown commercial district and the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina’s Families of Responsible and Caring Employees (FORCE) program. TNJ Landscape of Brookeville has provided trees, mulch and other supplies for the planting. Eight zelcova trees were planted on Race Street between Muir and Cemetery Streets in downtown Cambridge as part of a continuing effort by Cambridge Main Street to beautify the area.

Welcome Laura Sanford

ESLC's staff grew to 13 with the arrival of our new Program Assistant Laura Sanford! Laura will be based in our Southern Office and will be providing direct support to ESLC's land use planning and land protection programs. An Eastern Shore Native whose family has been on the Shore since the early 1600’s, Laura has an Associates Degree from Anne Arundel Community College in Computer Networking, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Salisbury University in Biology Botany track.Before joining ESLC, Laura worked at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Adkins Arboretum. She owns an organic wholesale plant nursery (primarily native plants) and is obsessed with plants and protecting the rural way of life on the Eastern Shore. She resides in Centreville with her husband, son, two cats, and a new puppy.You can reach Laura at 410.901.9988 or lsanford@eslc.org

Opening our Galena Office!

Yesterday we officially opened up our Northern Office in Galena. It is a very exciting time for the organization, as having a regional office in the Northern part of our service area will really enhance our ability to work hand in hand with the local community on our land protection and land use planning efforts. The warm welcome we have received from our new neighbors has been so gratifying and we especially appreciate all the support we've received from our members and the local business community. We hope all we come by to see us at our new office, located at 100 East Main Street in Galena, across from Dixie Joe's (which we are sad to report is now closed.) For more pictures of our Open House, please visit our homepage at eslc.org.