The Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network has been selected by National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA) as a 2023 “community assistance project.” The designation means that this recently-formed, Shore-wide consortium of partners, led by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, will receive support for one year in the form of invaluable, one-on-one expertise and technical support from knowledgeable National Park Service staff.

“The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA) is excited to partner with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) and community partners to create a connected network for active transportation across Maryland’s Eastern Shore that supports safe places for people to walk, ride, roll, and explore nature,” stated Natalia Sanchez Hernandez, the NPS-RTCA expert supporting the initiative. “NPS-RTCA recognizes the need and strong community support to enhance multimodal transportation to encourage healthy living, provide safe access to close-to-home recreation and community amenities, and increase tourism and economic development for communities in Maryland’s Eastern Shore.”

The Eastern Shore Regional Trails Network partnership is a newly-formed group of community organizations working to connect with stakeholders, initiate the first new trails across the region, and build a regional trails coalition to serve as an advocating body for trail resources. This Wednesday, June 14^th, ESLC will kick off the first planning meeting between the steering committee and National Parks Staff at the Eastern Shore Conservation Center. The meeting will include:

• Patti Stevens, Eastern Shore Representative for Maryland Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and co-founder of Worcester Bike and Pedestrian Coalition
• Sue Simmons, former Director of Caroline County Recreation and Parks
• Kat Stork, Owner of Shore Strategies
• Jim Bogden, Chair of Chestertown Recreation Commission
• Joe Kelley, Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
• Josh Hastings, Wicomico County Council
• Bob Zillig, Chair of Queen Anne’s County Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
• Margaret Enloe-North, Interim Director Talbot Thrive

Owen Bailey, Chair of the Steering Committee for this project and Director of Land Use and Policy for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, is thrilled about the future saying, “We are so grateful and excited for this new project to raise awareness and engage people across the Shore. And we can’t wait to hit the trail!”

Supporters and friends of Eastern Shore Land Conservancy gathered at Duvall Farm and Lodge on Saturday, September 17, 2022, for the organization’s annual premier fundraising event, the Party to Preserve. The evening included wagon tours of the spectacular wildlife habitat on Duvall Farm, performances from renowned jazz performer Lena Seikaly, and a live auction of singular experiences.

“This is an evening meant to feature some of the most iconic and beautiful farms the Eastern Shore of Maryland has to offer, as well as to highlight the important work of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. On behalf of the entire ESLC board of directors and staff, thanks to Chip and Sally Akridge for opening Duvall Farm and Lodge for this year’s Party to Preserve and to Al and Marty Sikes for chairing the event, it was a fantastic and successful night,” said ESLC Board Chair William D’Alonzo.

“ESLC’s mission has never been more important than it is today, with the future of a rural Eastern Shore facing enormous pressure from all sides. The contributions from our Party to Preserve ensure we can continue our critical work, both around the kitchen tables of our partner landowners and in the meeting rooms where public policy decisions get made. Thanks to all of our supporters; we simply could not do our work without them,” added ESLC President Steven Kline.

ESLC is also pleased to announce that the 2023 Party to Preserve will return to Kent County. To stay up-to-date on all of our events, sponsorship opportunities, and news related to ESLC, join our mailing list and get updates via email.

About Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization
committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands
and waters that connect them. For more information, please visit www.eslc.org.

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) will be collaborating with Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) on an initiative through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Cornell Lab)’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Small Grant Program. The $5,000 award will be utilized to develop a six part bird conservation series to be held from January to August of 2022 that will highlight various bird conservation and restoration practices across the Delmarva Peninsula; the series will also promote opportunities for engaging new and existing volunteers in meaningful stewardship of conservation lands through the lens of bird conservation.

The Delmarva Peninsula hosts a variety of critical ecosystem habitat and supports a plethora of habitats from forest interior, grasslands, wetlands, and saltmarsh habitat. However, the peninsula is a vulnerable area, with the Chesapeake Bay to the west and Coastal Bays and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; habitat loss from sea level rise and development, along with large-scale changes in farming practices have contributed to the declines in a variety of bird species once plentiful on the coastal landscape, such as saltmarsh sparrow, seaside sparrow, black rail, and bobwhite quail.

This upcoming conservation series will highlight regional restoration efforts being implemented by conservation partners through discussions of restoration practices and trainings geared toward land trust members and volunteers, as well as interested members of our community. Through these focused programs, which include bird banding demonstrations and birding walks, partners aim to increase awareness of the challenges to bird populations and of the actions being implemented to counter these declines.

Existing conservation easement landowners will gain insight and knowledge as to how their land plays a role in the larger picture of restoration efforts, and whether their property might have potential to be enrolled in the highlighted restoration projects. Individuals of our communities can become more involved with local land trusts and will have the opportunity to learn how to become more involved with our conserved lands.

ESLC and LSLT sincerely appreciate Cornell Lab for this opportunity to work with local conservation groups and for the ability to increase our community support of bird conservation. For questions about this upcoming series, please contact ESLC’s Restoration Specialist, Larisa Prezioso, at [email protected] or LSLT’s Executive director, Kate Patton, [email protected]

About the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a private, nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. For more information please visit www.eslc.org.

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is excited to unveil Solutions for a Changing Delmarva, a four-part virtual workshop series designed to inform and engage the Delmarva community about climate issues that impact the region. The workshops will feature presentations from environmental experts who will provide different views and ideas about community-driven solutions to protect the environment, and the value those solutions create for citizens and the places where they live. The content of the workshops will cover areas that are at the core of ESLC’s Delmarva Oasis initiative which seeks to permanently protect 50% of the Delmarva Peninsula’s landscape from development and natural threats, while increasing public access to open space and waterways, and enhancing the quality of life of people and species across the region.

The purpose of this project is to directly engage public and private audiences in order to build regional public support for climate adaptation solutions. The Eastern Shore of Maryland is the country’s third most vulnerable region to sea level rise, behind south Florida and Louisiana. Because of the threats of increased flooding, the loss of properties, and widespread ecological impacts, ESLC is working with communities to take action on these threats today.

The first workshop, An Introduction to a Changing Delmarva, will inform participants about the importance of protecting the Shore’s venerable environments and provide a high-level overview of the environmental impacts sea level rise will cause in our communities.

The second workshop, Carbon Sequestration on Delmarva, will explore how protecting forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands can improve the land’s ability to store carbon.

The third workshop, Natural Solutions to Protect Our Communities, will discuss how nature-based solutions can protect Delmarva communities while improving local ecosystems.

The final workshop, How You Can Make An Impact In Your Community, will provide Delmarva residents with tools to combat climate change and build resilience in their communities.

Each workshop will be followed by an engagement activity that is designed to establish a personal connection to each topic. Each activity will be broadcasted over social media channels in the hope that ESLC can provide school and college aged students, teachers, and Delmarva residents with fun opportunities to learn how sea level rise and climate change affects their community. ESLC will award prizes to the most unique and well-thought-out projects.

This entire series is free to the public thanks to our partners at the Rauch Foundation.

The workshop series will kick off on January 12^th at 6:00 pm. Visit www.eslc.org/events/ to register.

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit land conservation organization committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. More at www.eslc.org.