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USFWS Land Protection Plan received positively by Southern Marylanders

April 19, 2023 By Community Relations Manager

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s plan to establish a new wildlife refuge in Southern Maryland was positively received by the public at the last of three listening sessions on Tuesday, April 18th. Held at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, the event was attended by mainly Calvert County residents, but the nearly full house of attendees had representation from all over Southern Maryland. 

The three listening sessions have been a way for the Service to engage public input in the rollout of the plan, complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires a public scoping period. The purpose of the meetings was to inform the relevant communities about the Land Protection Plan/ Environmental Assessment (LPP/EA) being drafted for establishing a refuge, provide the rationale behind the proposed acquisition boundary, and answer any questions the public might have. While the Service was well prepared to assuage worries about the plan, such as how it might affect private property within the acquisition boundary, there was very little discourse at any of the three sessions that stemmed from criticism or concern. The reaction from the audience at Tuesday’s session was overwhelmingly positive, with most comments being inquiries about the logistics of the plan or words of support. 

Once completed, the draft plan will be released to the public for a 45 day review period, where more comments will be welcomed. The finalized plan must be approved by the USFWS director, after which the Service may begin seeking properties from willing sellers to compose the new national wildlife refuge. See the presentation from the listening sessions here.

Dan Murphy, Chief of the Division of Habitat Conservation for the USFWS' Chesapeake Bay Field Office, presents a map of existing refuges in Maryland.
A nearly full house of attendees listens to introductions from Jennifer Greiner, Manager of the Patuxent Research Refuge

Now that the listening sessions are completed, the Service invites the public to send comments for consideration in the final draft of the LPP/EA.

Email: FW5southernmarylandplan@fws.gov
Project Website:
https://www.fws.gov/project/proposed-new-refuge-lands-southern-maryland

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Filed Under: SMCA Blogs, Uncategorized

Change Is Coming. Grow Into It.

April 19, 2023 By Community Relations Manager

By Kassandra Patrick, Chesapeake Conservation Corps Intern/Double Oak Farm Manager Our food systems are under threat, and our food systems are threatening us. Threats to us come from agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions, but climate change caused by the emissions threaten agriculture as well, and … [Read more...]

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Listening Sessions to be held for a Southern Maryland Land Protection Plan

March 27, 2023 By Community Relations Manager

By Mary Hoover, SMCA CoordinatorIt is well established that the Southern Maryland region is one of indispensable ecological importance. The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Land Mapping Tool (below) reveals that the five county expanse houses some of the state's most resilient landscapes, making this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: SMCA Blogs

Giving Props to Hunting Creek

March 2, 2023 By Community Relations Manager

By Mary Hoover and Ron KlaudaA major Calvert County stream flows under Rts. 2/4 just north of the Plum Pt. Rd. intersection and then meanders west for about 6 miles to the Patuxent River. Hundreds of motorists cross this stream everyday. Most may not even notice it. If they do, how many know its … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Generosity of Mother Nature

March 2, 2023 By Community Relations Manager

By Ron Klauda and Mary HooverAccording to Dr. Elliott Campbell, Acting Director of the Office of Science and Stewardship at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Hunting Creek Watershed, located in the heart of Calvert County, Maryland, provides a whopping $26 million worth of total … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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