ARE YOU RETIRED? With minimum distribution requirements? Keep your donation money LOCAL and preserve our farms, woodlands, and open space FOREVER with your charitable contribution to Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust (PTLT). PTLT is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. We have protected over 6,000+ acres of land in OUR community.
Thank you for caring.
Visit us at https://ptlt.org/
Checks can be mailed to:
PTLT
P.O. Box 1955
Leonardtown, MD 20653
Time for Weed Warriors to Unite! Annual Workdays scheduled.
Cooler Weather Work Begins again at Myrtle Point Park
Cooler Weather Work Begins again at Myrtle Point Park
Cooler Weather Work Begins again at Myrtle Point Park
For over two decades, PTLT volunteers have been removing invasive alien vines and plants from Myrtle Point Park. It is starting to show! Help save a tree! Enjoy fresh air and some socially distanced companionship. Get a little exercise! We start November 5, 2020 (always the first Saturday of the cooler months) and go through the winter. Less bugs, ticks, and mosquitoes in cold weather! This is the time of year you need to get your vitamin D dose.
Bring saws, clippers, loppers, and eye protection. Gloves are recommended.
Bottled water and snacks provided courtesy of The Good Earth Natural Food Store in Leonardtown. (Thank you Good Earth!)
Liberate a Tree! HSMC Weed Warrior Workday
Cooler Weather Work Begins again at Myrtle Point Park
Cooler Weather Work Begins again at Myrtle Point Park
Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust, in partnership with Historic St. Mary’s City has started an effort to remove English ivy vines from the trees at the city. These vines have so engulfed so many of the trees that they are being killed. If you want to help us save these trees, please join us on Saturday, November 12, 2022, 9:00 AM to 12:00. Park at Farthings Ordinary parking lot across from the college. Please bring saws, clippers, loppers (eye protection recommended). Text or call 301-247-3285 for more information.
Get some fresh air, some light exercise, and help your community.
Water and refreshments provided.
PTLT Awarded $2,217,053.00 to Acquire Conservation Easements
On December 1st the Maryland Board of Public Works approved an award of $2,217,053.00 to the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust (PTLT) to acquire conservation easements in the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area in Northern St. Mary’s County. PTLT plans to apply this funding toward acquiring conservation easements on several important properties including a 437-acre waterfront parcel that will significantly help protect the environment and wildlife habitat in St. Mary’s County.
PTLT asks any property owners in the Huntersville Rural Area who may be interested in the conservation easement purchase program, or have questions, to contact us at saveland@ptlt.org or call 301-862-3421.
ptlt has a new agricultural easement!
On July 22nd, the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust (PTLT) acquired a new conservation easement on the Webb farm in Valley Lee. This is an agricultural easement – the first such easement PTLT has acquired - through the MARBIDCO (Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation) Small Acreage Next Generation Program. This program helps farmers afford the land they want to purchase and farm. The closing for this sale took place at the same time that Jackson and Hattie purchased the property that they have been renting. The funds from the easement sale made it possible for them to satisfy the previous owner’s asking price.
Now that they own their farm, the Webb’s are excited to add their work to the farming community of Southern Maryland and plan to increase the size of their flock of sheep with a strong focus on rotational grazing and intensive management.
PTLT offers congratulations to the Webb’s on the purchase of their farm which will provide a lovely place for their young family to grow up.
2021 Donors to ptlt
A Heartfelt THANK YOU to all our supportive donors!
Support PTLT
2021 Donors
PTLT Donor Giving Levels
Student: $25
Individual: $35
Patron: $150
Sponsor: $300
Conserver: $500
Legacy: $1,200
Heritage: $2,500+
Thank you to our Donors 2021
(Corporate Donor) in Italics
HERITAGE DONORS (OVER $2500)
Frank & Christina Allen
Tourville
Rose Thorne
LEGACY DONORS (OVER $1200)
Coles Family Foundation
Gita S. van Heerden
Eric Bargar
CONSERVER (OVER $500)
Toyota of Southern Maryland
Corn Crib Studio & Publishing
Sarah Houde
Vivian Marek
Karen Abrams
Robert and Eula Prine
Diep Nguyen-van Houtte
SPONSOR (OVER $300)
Robert Willey
PATRON (OVER $150)
Phil Hayward and Polly Lange
Len and Karen Zuza
Inger Samuelson
Bob Boxwell
Individual Donors:
Veganonnoms
The Good Earth Natural Foods Store
Jon Chapman
James Biddle
Margarita Rochaw
Michael Chodos
Michael Guy
Robert Lewis
Norine Rowe
Thank you to Rose Thorne,
a HERITAGE DONOR
and a new PTLT easement holder of protected land!
grassland birds
Dear Friends of Grassland Birds:
October 2022
It is the first day of Autumn as we write this quick update of our progress this year. Saving Southern Maryland’s Grassland Birds has now conducted two full years of monitoring the abundance and behavior of two key species of grassland birds – Eastern Meadowlark and Grasshopper Sparrow – on a hayfield in Hollywood, Maryland. Both species are deemed “Species of Concern” in Maryland as a result of the steady decline in habitat suitable for these birds to reproduce successfully. They can only breed in the central portion of large hayfields and their success each year is seriously affected by the timing and operations of harvesting hay.
We are committed to gaining a thorough understanding of how best to time mowing so that landowners are able to manage their land successfully while preserving the ability of the birds to survive the mowing process. We have now experimented with delayed-mowing, raising mowing heights, and mowing patterns.
This year in particular, we were very encouraged by the positive breeding success of the Meadowlarks in response to delaying the spring harvest to mid-June compared to mid-May. In 2021, the average number
of Eastern Meadowlarks observed in the count circle following mid-May mowing was less than 4 individuals, all adults. In 2022, the average number of Meadowlarks observed after the delayed mid-June mowing jumped to over 7, including several large counts of recently fledged birds. This confirms the positive impact on the birds of delayed mowing, but leaves unanswered any systematic analysis of the net economic impact from delaying hay production to mid-June.
As we prepare for Year 3 of our research, we are going to attempt controlled strip experiments that an agronomist can analyze to judge the nutritional and economic differences in hay harvested in May, June, and July.
In addition, our plan is to apply for the per-acre delayed-mowing incentive program authorized by the Department of Agriculture rarely implemented. If our application is accepted, we believe that it will be the first time that the local Natural Resource Conservation Service has made use of this existing program in Southern Maryland, and possibly in the entire state.
Finally, we are considering experimenting with a method of mowing that might eliminate the need for using a tedder to accelerate the drying process between cutting and baling. If it is possible to reduce or even eliminate the need for teddering before baling, hay farmers would save on diesel fuel and the birds would escape one of the most harmful interactions between mowing machinery and nesting birds.
All of this work continues to be done entirely by volunteers and is guided by a collaboration of four nonprofits organizations: Farmers Feeding Southern Maryland, Historic Sotterley, the Southern Maryland Audubon Society and the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust. We are indebted to the leadership and guidance of these organizations, to our “Working Group” of knowledgeable individuals who are contributing their expertise and advice, and to Carol Ghebelian, who generously donated the initial seed grant for the Saving Southern Maryland’s Grassland Birds project.
Anyone interested in contributing to this project should call David Moulton at 240-278-4473.
Sincerely,
Co-coordinators: David Moulton Joe Goldsmith BJ Bowling
2
It’s Time for a Timeless Approach to Tick Control
Let’s try controlled burns to curb tick-borne diseases - by Frank Allen
Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Powassan Virus disease, Borellis miyamotoi disease, Borrelis mayonii disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Alpha Gal. All these maladies are carried by ticks. The problem (and the suffering) is getting worse.
All appear to come from the environment. A genetic study by Yale School of Public Health found that Lyme has been endemic in eastern North American forests for at least 60,000 years, longer than people have been known to be here. Yet, it wasn’t until 1975 that the first case of Lyme was “discovered” in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Alpha Gal was first reported in 2002. Since then, the number of victims of Alpha Gal has exploded. All these diseases are at a minimum debilitating and at worst fatal.
Why have these diseases suddenly appeared in the population to cause such suffering? There are a few clues, beginning with human activities, such as forest management and wildlife management.
Example of wildlife management: White-tailed deer almost became extinct at the start of the Twentieth Century, only to be reintroduced in the 1920s. In the last few decades, their numbers have soared, and as a result, tick numbers have also exploded, since the ticks now have plenty of food on the hoof.
Forest management: Before the colonists arrived, the indigenous population managed the land through controlled burning of the forests. This practice favored such fire-resistant trees as oaks at the expense of fire-sensitive trees, such as maples.
Recently the Nature Conservancy has undertaken controlled burns on some of its Maryland properties. These properties, in the western part of the state and in the Delmarva region, have since experienced better control of invasive plants, reemergence of natives, and greatly reduced tick populations.
Similarly, the Audubon Society’s North Carolina chapter staff undertakes controlled burns on its 3,000-acre Donal C. O’ Brien Jr. Sanctuary on Currituck Sound near Corolla. From late winter through early April they burn a third of its marsh grass in a yearly rotating pattern that allows wildlife to shift to other parts of the property. They consider the burns essential in providing food, shelter, and nesting material needed for birds to survive. The practice mimics nature’s renewal cycle aided by lightning strikes that ignite the grasses.
Since cures for tick-borne diseases currently range from difficult to impossible, it makes sense to reduce risk of acquiring these diseases through such practices. Strategic burns are much more beneficial than eradicating ticks by pesticides, which are expensive and devastating to nearby forest and aquatic dwellers.
“It’s time to consider reducing tick populations using an ecosystem approach with a combination of wildlife management and controlled burning in our fields, brushlands, and forests,” says Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust President Frank Allen. “As an asthmatic, I believe that controlled burning is one of the few forms of combustion that should have a place in our communities.”
Frank Allen is President of the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust. For more information on the controlled burns in Maryland, visit: Nature Conservancy. For more information on the Audubon Society’s North Carolina chapter burn program, visitPine Island Audubon Center. For more information on ticks and tick-borne diseases, visit: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
new PTLT easement
On December 9th the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust closed on yet another easement: a 56-acre property on Medleys Neck Road in Leonardtown owned by the Thorne family.
This beautiful parcel consists of nontidal wetlands, forests, and roughly three acres of cleared land for the farmstead and a farm field. Two primary nontidal streams flow through the forested area, providing approximately 3,400 linear feet of forested riparian buffer. The wooded section includes dense stands of laurel, holly, and some specimen-sized trees of varying species. There are also as many as several acres of healthy stands of lycopodium (club moss).
The Navy, through its REPI program (Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration), provided funding for half of the value of this conservation easement while the Thornes generously provided a donation for the balance. After closing, PTLT will co-hold the easement with the Navy and with Maryland Environmental Trust to protect the property in perpetuity.
Rose Thorne recalls fond memories of growing up on the property with her siblings and playing in the woods. She says the Thornes are not only thrilled to be able to protect this land for future generations but also as a remembrance of their parents for giving them such a lovely place to grow up.
Check donations can be mailed to:
PTLT
P.O. Box 1955
Leonardtown, MD 20650
or donate online:
BJ Bowling of Newport Farms and David Moulton discuss options for “bird-friendly” hay management
Meadow Lark singing from a tractor
Credit: Bill Hubick
Hayfields and Meadowlarks are both disappearing. We need both!
WEED WARRIORS
Myrtle Point Park Invasive Plant Workday Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
Join PTLT and Friends SATURDAY Feb. 5, 2022, to help remove invasive vines and plants to help restore the woodland. We take the warmer months off to avoid biting insects like ticks. This is a "winter sport." Dogs and children welcome :)
Bring clippers, hand saw, clippers, or your favorite tool. Wear appropriate clothing including work gloves, hat, and protective eyewear. It's a great way to get some Vit. D and fresh air, socially outdoor distanced activity, and do something good for your community...
Questions? Call Frank at 301-862-3421
When; Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
9:00 AM to 12:00
Myrtle Point Park, 24050 Patuxent Blvd., California, MD 20619
Bottled water and snacks provided
Volunteer opportunity
Do you like to hike new places in our area? PTLT is looking for new Volunteer Property Monitors
STARTING SOON! A favorite activity for volunteers of PTLT is to hike/monitor one of our many beautiful easement properties. Monitoring is only done once a year, in the winter months. You will be trained by an existing volunteer first time around. Then you can be assigned another property(s), as you wish. Take some photos, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and get a little exercise walking. For more information, or to sign up to be a volunteer monitor, contact, Robert Willey, PTLT Monitor Coordinator.
How to preserve your land for future generations
Benefits of a Conservation Easement
(Excerpt from www.mylandplan.org, American Forest Foundation)
Every conservation easement is a unique legal agreement, written specifically to fit your needs and goals. You can set up a conservation easement to:
- Protect open space or critical habitat on your land– whether it’s a family farm or ranch, wetland, pasture or forest—from encroaching development
- Preserve the agricultural value and traditional uses of your land by allowing for continued farming, ranching and timber harvesting
- Safeguard a historically or culturally important structure or area on your property
- Conserve land that has significant scenic, biodiversity or other value for the outdoor recreation or education of the public
Whether you place all or only part of your property into a conservation easement, you can expect to benefit from the agreement in several ways.
Estate tax benefits. A conservation easement that removes your land’s development potential typically lowers its market value—and that means lower taxes for the landowner. That can significantly reduce estate taxes when you pass on your property to the next generation, making it easier to keep the land in the family and intact.
Property tax benefits. By lowering your land’s value, a conservation easement can also lower your property taxes.
State and federal tax benefits. If your conservation easement is permanent, was donated—not sold—to a land trust for conservation purposes, and meets certain other IRS conditions, it can qualify as a tax-deductible charitable donation that can reduce your state and federal income taxes. The easement is treated as a donation of the development rights to your land. That means the value of the donation (and the amount of the deduction you can claim) would be the difference between the property’s market value if its development were not restricted in any way, and its value with the easement’s restrictions in place.
Permanency and control. Most easements are permanent and crafted specifically to meet your goals. Their restrictions remain in force even when the land changes hands. With the right easement terms in place, you can have the peace of mind of knowing your land will be protected as you wish well beyond your lifetime.
Although conservation easements offer significant benefits, they are not for every landowner. There are some important points to keep in mind when you consider a conservation easement.
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Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust holds conservation easement on properties in Southern Maryland where we purchase or accept donations of development rights on properties and impose other conservation-related restrictions on the land. We work closely with the landowner to make sure that easement terms are what the owner wishes – the conditions in the easement apply to all future landowners so this is the only way that landowners can be certain that the land will be kept the way that they want. It is very difficult to alter or terminate the easement, so this type of land protection is the best that exists. Other than restrictions that apply to the easement, the landowner still owns the property.
Learn More
For more information, read more by our partner, Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) .