Nonprofit Land Trust Recaps 2022 Activities

The Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust has recapped its 2022 accomplishments, as it makes an annual call for community support.

“Because PTLT is an all-volunteer tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization (view our Form 990 on our website), your contribution will go a long way in assuring the sustainability of our mission. 100% of all donations goes directly into programs. Your donation will help us acquire easements, monitor properties, and work towards our mission to save land for future generations,” said Frank Allen, the land trust’s president, in a 2022 call for support.

According to Mr. Allen, the land trust:

• Is approaching 10 square miles of protected land. By the end of this year, we will have acquired three additional conservation easements (253 acres). Two of these properties, in the Huntersville Rural Legacy area, used funding from the RL office, US Navy, and St. Mary’s County government. One of these is PTLT’s first easement in the MacIntosh Run watershed. Another easement was funded by the state for the Small Acreage Next Generation Program for farmers; with the proceeds of the sale of the easement the farmer was able to purchase the farm he had been renting.
• Is working to acquire three more easements in the RL area – one of more than 400 acres. PTLT was awarded a grant of over $800,000 for next year and is negotiating to acquire four additional easements with that money. The group is also working on closing on a forest conservation easement that will enable a project at Historic St. Mary’s City.
• Continues to provide stewardship for its easements.

“We have started our winter vine removal work to protect trees and Myrtle Point County Park (first Saturdays starting at 9) and Historic St. Mary’s City (second Saturdays for now). PTLT has provided significant comments during St. Mary’s comprehensive plan meetings with a focus on land preservation and improving the town centers, thereby reducing the rate of sprawl development. Two PTLT board members are now on the Patuxent River Commission trying to protect the river (it’s in bad shape) and its watershed,” according to the PTLT 2022 report.

Donations help the land trust to build a fund for such things as meeting the incidental costs of acquiring easements, and to create sufficient funds to ensure long-term stewardship of donated easements, according to Mr. Allen.