Land Trust Recaps ’23 Accomplishments

Abby Greenwell, Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust conservation manager, with Jackson Webb on his farm, a recent PTLT easement. Ms. Greenwell was hired in 2023. (PTLT photo)

The Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust recaps some of its activities for 2023.

“As the year comes to a close, we thank you for your invaluable support and review the many good things you’ve made possible this year. We’re quite proud of all that we accomplished in 2023,” writes Frank Allen, PTLT president.

Mr. Allen rated PTLT’s Top 5 accomplishments:

• Protected additional farms and woodlands through conservation easements.
• Coordinated with the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance to identify critical properties throughout Southern Maryland urgently needing protection from development.
• Transitioned from all-volunteer, with hire of Abby Greenwell, conservation easement manager.
• Worked to protect public lands from invasive species.
• Resumed public activities in this post-COVID period.

PTLT completed a purchase in May of a conservation easement on an 86.74-acre property. Other conservation easements were expected by the end of this year. Funding for these easements came from the Maryland Rural Legacy Program and from the US Navy.

The nonprofit completed acquisition of a forest conservation easement in April, allowing Historic St. Mary’s City to clear enough land to build a boating facility at Chancellor’s Point.

It expects to close on a conservation easement of more than 400 acres early in 2024. More easements are in the pipeline.

An event June 15 at Jubilee Farm to thank donors and volunteers. The event was made possible by a generous donation by the farm’s owner, Maggie O’Brien. On October 14, PTLT held its inaugural Turtle Trot, a 5K walk/run race, at Point Lookout State Park. All participants finished before the rain started. Volunteers staffed an information table at the Earth Day observance at Summerseat Sanctuary. Unfortunately, they were rained out at St. Mary’s Watershed’s Riverfest in September, courtesy of Tropical Storm Ophelia.

“Until March, we were an all-volunteer organization. Volunteers are handing off the easement acquisition work to Abby, but are continuing to conduct public outreach, training, and attending meetings – including the (virtual) Non-Profit Risk Summit and the kickoff of the Southern Maryland Heritage Area, volunteer coordination, easement monitoring, financial management including required IRS and state filings, as well as publicity via social media, our website, and newsletters,” Mr. Allen writes.

Mr. Allen offered special thanks to PTLT’s donors. “Donations help us fund such activities as the incidental costs of acquiring conservation easements and building a dedicated endowment for long-term stewardship of donated easements. As you make your contributions this season, please consider PTLT in your charitable giving. PTLT is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization,” he said.