Help Save Program Open Space!

FUNDING FOR PROGRAM OPEN SPACE IS ONCE AGAIN AT RISK!

The Senate is considering taking ALL land conservation funding for FY10.

Please contact Senate President Mike Miller immediately and urge him to fully fund Program Open Space!

Call: 301-970-3700

Email: mailto:thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us

Fax: 301-970-3910

Program Open Space is a vital part of land conservation efforts in the state of Maryland. It is funded through the state real estate transfer tax, which is recognized as one of the first and most successful dedicated funding sources for land conservation in the country. This 0.5% tax on real estate sales is the source of funding for many of Maryland's land conservation programs. This tax revenue provides funding for these critical conservation programs including county parks programs, state land acquisition and development (state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas), the Rural Legacy Program, which protects important agricultural, historical and ecological landscapes, and Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF), which buys easements to protect productive farmland.

The loss of funding will severe impacted land conservation programs and the future of these programs is at a critical point. In addition to valuable farmland and forests, we stand to lose safe and healthy places for our children to play, clean waters and streams and vital wildlife habitat.

Won't you take a minute to call or write Senator Miller TODAY and urge him to fully fund Program Open Space? Thanks for your help!

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.