Chesapeake Bay: Integrated Conservation Solutions
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
We’ve worked for more than a decade to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquire lands for Blackwater NWR. But conservation at Blackwater is about more than just protecting land; we’re also helping restore the land to its native, natural state.
Interactive Map: Climate Change And The Chesapeake Bay
The Conservation Fund and its partners recently produced an interactive map and website explaining the effects of climate change in the Chesapeake Bay area.
Book: A Sustainable Chesapeake: Better Models For Conservation
In 2010, The Fund released a new book, A Sustainable Chesapeake: Better Models for Conservation, as a conservation resource for government agencies, community groups, businesses and others involved in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.
The State of Chesapeake Forests
This report provides information on establishing forest protection and sustainable management as a key strategy for improving the Bay’s watershed environment, economy, and quality of life.
Past Projects
Chester RiverThree miles of historic Chester River shoreline, 600 acres of unique Delmarva Bays, a 90-acre waterfowl sanctuary, and important habitat for bald eagle and endangered fox squirrel are now preserved forever under the 5,200-acre Chino Farms conservation easement—the largest in Maryland’s history. The Fund, collaborating with the landowner, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Queen Anne County and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ensured the protection of more than eight square-miles of critical riparian habitat and wetlands. This easement keeps Chino Farms in agricultural production while conserving valuable natural resources in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Savage River
If ever a river lived up to its name, it is the Savage. Site of the 1992 World White Water Kayaking Championship, this wild mountain stream careens through Savage River State Forest in the far reaches of western Maryland to join the Potomac River on its way to the Chesapeake Bay. At the request of the state, the Fund protected 400 acres of forested mountainside and riparian habitat, including two miles of Savage River frontage. The area is now managed as part of the state forest.
Potomac River
One of the few remaining pockets of pristine shoreline along the Potomac River, Douglas Point is a vital link in the Chesapeake’s delicate ecosystem. The property nurtures nearly 1,300 acres of forestland, including wetlands and habitat for wildlife species such as the bald eagle and osprey. Working with Maryland’s GreenPrint Program and the Bureau of Land Management, the Fund helped to acquire and protect this riverside jewel.
Garrett Island
With a fabled history that includes nearly four centuries of human occupation, the landscape of Garrett Island remains remarkably wild. In 2004 the Fund joined with Bass Pro Shops, the Lenfest Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire the 169-acre island for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. It lies right at the mouth of the Susquehanna River, and its waters and fragile bay grasses have been hailed as one of the best bass fishing spots in the country.
Holly Beach Farm and Sandy Point State Park
Admired by millions who cross the Bay Bridge each year, Holly Beach Farm joins Sandy Point State Park as the gateway to Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay. This 300-acre site, known for its exceptional scenic value, includes three miles of sensitive bay shoreline that is protected thanks to a partnership of the Fund, a private landowner, the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. When they visit this property, now under the stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, school children will learn about the significance of the watershed and what they can do to preserve its health.
Conservation Acquisition
