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What We Strive For: Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equity

January 18, 2021 By crm

In all we do, ACLT strives to maintain a vibrant land conservation community that values and embraces diversity, practices inclusivity and works toward equality for all. Our nation was founded on noteworthy principles that have been replicated in constitutions adopted by many democratic nations. However, the principle of equality was not mentioned in our Constitution because the institution known as slavery could not be negotiated away. After 240+ years, the repercussions of slavery and subsequent unequal treatment are still present.

As individuals and as organizations, we cannot take on all the world’s issues at one time. However, sometimes we can look through a wider lens and do better.

For example, nationwide our fellow land trusts have been valiantly trying to save as much of the natural world as we can. However, in his recent post, “A Necessary Reckoning”, CEO of the Land Trust Alliance Andrew Bowman notes that “Land trusts, too, must acknowledge that while tremendous good has been accomplished under the banner of private land conservation, a portion of our field’s origins and some of its practices have been tainted by prejudice, discrimination and intolerance.” He cites the work of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina which has documented U.S. policies that have excluded and disenfranchised communities of color over the course of the nation’s history. This kind of work begins to explain some of the reasons why African Americans lost 90% of their farmland in the 20th century.

After the Civil War, it was very difficult for black farmers to purchase land but, despite many obstacles, they were able to amass 14 million acres by the beginning of the 20th century. In its 2002 research report 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains how racist actions (including government programs) limited African Americans’ success after they were finally able to get ownership of land. Yet it wasn’t until 2010 that the USDA settled a lawsuit brought on by black farmers claiming discrimination in its programs that benefited white farmers over black farmers.

We see these impacts in Calvert County. In 1930, black-owned farms totaled 33,352 acres in the County while white-owned farms totaled 77,287 acres. By 2002, black-owned farms totaled 785 acres (a 98% decrease) while white-owned farms totaled 29,336 acres (a 62% decrease). The economics of farming and government policies have had a profound impact on all farmers, but it clearly can be inferred by the data and recent articles (some of them mentioned above) that black farm owners were disproportionally impacted.

The history of Parkers Creek is inextricably linked to European colonization of Piscataway Conoy Confederacy Tribal lands, to slavery, the civil war, and ongoing racist attitudes and practices that limited the economic viability and freedoms of African Americans and other minorities. Telling these histories accurately and with insight is one small part of the type of healing needed in America today, and is the basis for ACLT’s Parkers Creek Heritage Trail project. We are currently in the research phase but once complete, the PCHT will share these histories through interpretative signage along our trails. Before the end of the process, we will hold a town hall meeting to bring black farmers and interested parties together in the community to discuss the Heritage Trail, land conservation, and related issues.

But our work won’t stop there. More generally, we will:

Welcome stories from the African American community and the Piscataway Conoy Confederacy Tribes about Parkers Creek (and more generally Calvert County) and their agricultural//hunting/fishing/community experiences over generations as part of the Parkers Creek Heritage Trail project;
Continue to welcome black families, all persons of color, and all ethnicities to enjoy ACLT’s lands, to become involved in our land conservancy, and to participate in our events;
Increase the diversity of our leadership team; and
Incorporate this statement and these actions into our Five-Year Planning process where we will monitor progress.

Mindfulness in Nature – A Resolution for the New Year

December 29, 2020 By crm

By Alyssa Matanin, Chesapeake Conservation Corp Intern

As a child, I took the natural world around me for granted. On one hand, I gave it more attention than the average adult because of its newness and novelty- I was filled with wonder at the leaves changing color and the snow falling so heavily that I could (dangerously) jump off the roof of my friend’s rancher. On the other hand, however, I never noticed the impermanence of the seasons. I didn’t recognize that an autumn walk up my hometown block flush with hues of orange and red in 2016 might be the last time I saw the street again in that way, as years of strange weather occurrences could lead to many of the trees simply skipping that step altogether, forever forgetting the vibrancy its canopy once offered for all the years of my childhood. But I didn’t know at the time to cherish the season’s small changes – for they would soon slip away and become foreign to me – I only knew to enjoy them as they appeared.

When I visited Iceland in October 2019, my guide, a life-long resident of Iceland, discussed how he has watched as glacial lakes expand and glaciers recede, this pattern culminating in 2014 with the first “death” of an Icelandic glacier, Okjökull, due to climate change. It is predicted that all of Iceland’s glaciers will melt within the next 200 years; a sobering thought for anyone who has admired the splendor of Iceland and its glaciers. My heart aches for those in Iceland who must watch as these familiar bits of their local ecosystem slip away, and I often stopped to reflect on the sites I was seeing, as I knew that when I return, it may not be the same Iceland I came to love last October.

The plaque pictured, placed in April of 2019 at the location of Okjökull, reads in English and Icelandic “Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years, all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and know what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it”. The plaque also lists the CO2 level in the atmosphere at that time, at 415 ppm, which is already over 100 ppm above the average CO2 levels we have on record in the last 800 thousand years before present. Our current yearly global average for 2019 is 411 ppm.

Unfortunately, the effects of this rise in CO2 levels are expected to continue to be seen, even if we were to stop emitting excess CO2 today, for anywhere between 100-300 years into the future depending on the model, due to the nature and speed in which global cycles function.

So, what then, is my point in telling you all of these things? With the onset of climate change becoming ever-the-more noticeable with regular record-setting temperature highs and abnormal and severe cloudbursts, I recognize that I should cherish the little things I enjoy in nature more, as I know now that they will certainly not always be a given. I hope to invite our readers to practice mindfulness in a similar way in order to truly appreciate what our mother has given us today and to track how we are changing her landscapes as we move forward. I think all of us in our postmodern, technology-filled, information- stressed lives deserve to take time to notice nature a little more. And she deserves the recognition. In order to guide our readers into mindfulness of nature, I want to point out a past culture of natural mindfulness, found in Japan.

Japan, as much of the “western” world, currently runs on the western Gregorian calendar; however, that has not always been the case. In fact, one of Japan’s ancient calendars was organized based off of seasons, and more specifically, changes in nature. Influenced heavily by the traditional Chinese Almanac, the year was split into 24 major divisions, called sekki, and then further divided into three parts in each sekki, coming together to create 72 microseasons, called ko. Each microseason has a poetic name to help describe exactly what is going on during these 5-day periods, with names like Silkworms start feasting on mulberry leaves, Rotten grass becomes fireflies, and Light rains sometimes fall. As you are reading this, Japan may be entering the season of Beneath the snow the wheat sprouts (January 1st – 4th), The water dropwort flourishes (January 5th – 9th), The spring water holds warmth (January 10th – 14th), or The pheasant first calls (January 15th – 19th).

To catch the changes in your environment every 5 or so days requires a sort of mindfulness that is rarely given unless you spend most days outdoors. Even as someone who works outdoors, I can get bogged down in the task-finishing mode and forget to take some time to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings at ACLT.

There are many ways to learn about and keep track of these microseasons, as there are calendars that follow the ko seasons, and an app that notifies you of the new season every few days (named appropriately, 72 Seasons). These methods offer insight as to what the microseasons in Japan are at the time, which is well worth it for noting the poetic simplicity of each season as it comes, but I think that we all could build our own 72 seasons if we take the time to do it.

Once a week, enter the natural world around you with intentionality, note the changes you see as the days pass, and mark them down in a planner, on your phone, or on the calendar. Go a step further and keep a journal, perhaps including photos of where your mindful moments happen. Jellyfish engulf the bay. Mist sits low in the valley. Monarchs migrate overhead. Ginkgo seeds begin their descent.

Find the things in your world that change in 5 days. Slowly, over the year, you will catch yourself noticing the little things in nature, and maybe have a keepsake to look back upon when the year has come and gone. Commit to a new year’s resolution that will improve your mental health and help you keep track of the health of the planet.

Every day, we experience something unique in nature, and every year, those experiences are bound to change. By noting the small things, we can not only find time to center ourselves and reflect, but also remind ourselves of how the planet ebbs and flows, and of how, if we do not take care, those small things may fall out of our sight.

Raft Rescue

August 29, 2020 By crm

Written By: Nicole Stevens, Chesapeake Conservation Corps (CCC) Intern

Raft was stuck deep in the marshlands – quite a distance from where we were able to land the canoes!

When Tropical Storm Isaias hit Maryland a few weeks ago, many of ACLT’s trails were damaged by the increased water flow and downed trees. Most notably, the raft that crosses Parker’s Creek along the North-South trail was washed downstream and caught deep in the marshlands. Luckily, it was later spotted during a canoe trip by former CCC intern Rachel Delbo. This week, a team of five people (Autumn Phillips-Lewis, Dale Hutchins, Kevin Donahue, Alyssa Mantanin, and I) worked diligently to rescue the raft from the marsh.

The recovery team met on August 25^th at 8 am, timing the rescue mission to coincide with high tide to allow for easier removal. We loaded up the necessary gear and drove to the end of Double Oak Road Trail where the team hopped in canoes and paddled down the creek before wading to the raft site. Other than some damage to the handrails and a scratch in the foam on the bottom, the raft was completely intact. However, it had been flipped upside down by the storm, so the first step in our recovery process was to turn it back over. This seemed like a daunting task, but it was no match for the strength of our team!

Setting up the pulling system after the cables had been retrieved.

Next, we had to retrieve the cables that had previously secured the raft to trees on opposite banks of the creek. These cables were still attached at one end to the raft and the rest had been pushed deep into the marsh where they had wrapped around trees and grasses. After some detangling by Alyssa and me, these were safely removed and returned to the raft.

Finally, it was time to begin the most difficult part: moving the raft back to the water. While it was high tide, there was still about 50 feet of mud, tall grasses, trees, and stumps between it and the water’s edge. To make the moving process easier, the life jacket bin and several of the long boards on the sides were removed to reduce weight. Even with the five of us working together, the raft was still way too heavy to carry. So we had to come up with a new solution.

Finally pulling the raft close to the water!

Dale, Kevin, and Autumn set up a system to pull the raft closer to the shore using a come-a-long and chains attached to nearby trees. Dale operated the come-a-long while the rest of us pushed and placed boards in front of the raft, so it could slide more easily over the muddy ground. Careful maneuvering was necessary to safely remove the raft while avoiding large obstacles like trees and stumps. This was achieved by strategic pushing and moving the come-a-long to different trees to ensure the raft was angled properly to make it through the difficult terrain. At one point, the raft had to be held sideways over the mud and some water, so it could make it past a tall stump and a protruding log. After successfully navigating these obstructions, and with a few pushes over the final grassy mound, the raft was finally free! The canoes were used to haul the raft upstream back to its proper location where the damage was repaired, the cables were replaced, and it is now once again available for public use.

Team selfie after a successful mission! Pictured L-R: Kevin Donahue, Dale Hutchins, Nicole Stevens, Alyssa Mantanin, and Autumn Phillips-Lewis

Overall, the raft removal and restoration process took almost a full day of mud wading, physical strength, and careful planning, but our hard work paid off! The raft is now back where it belongs, and this adventure will be remembered at ACLT for many years to come.

Trail users will be happy to see how well the raft has been restored!

Untreated Sewage Spills into Parkers Creek

August 24, 2020 By crm

Site of sewage spill at the headwaters of Parkers Creek

On August 5, 2020, the County issued a press release noting that “On the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, due to the excessive rainfall brought about by Tropical Storm Isaias, erosion beneath the Main Street roadway in Prince Frederick damaged a sewer line and caused a sewage force main to rupture. As a result, sewage was discharged 200 yards north of the headwaters of Parkers Creek.”

It noted that “A substantial quantity of effluent was controlled through shutting down pump stations and removal with pump trucks.” In a conversation with a senior county official, we learned that 10s of thousands of gallons were discharged into the creek before the pumping station was shut down. We are grateful that county staff moved quickly to shut it down.

To some extent, this re-opens a concern that ACLT has had about the Prince Frederick sewage treatment facility off of Tobacco Ridge Road, south of Dares Beach Road, which is the site of the original Prince Frederick Wastewater Treatment Plant. It was built in 1973 and was a small plant that discharged treated effluent directly into Parkers Creek.

Proximity of Sewage Treatment Plant to Parkers Creek

However, the County Water and Sewer Plan was revised to prohibit future water systems from having direct discharge into waterways. In other words, new systems had to use land application. By doing so, Calvert County was leading the way in the state in addressing the impact of sewage treatment plants on the Chesapeake Bay.

A new Prince Frederick treatment plant opened in 1991 off of Barstow Rd, a much larger plant with a rated capacity of 450,000 gallons, and the Tobacco Ridge Road plant was decommissioned. The treated effluent from the Barstow Plant is applied to approximately 100 acres of forests and fields, according to the 2014 Water and Sewer Plan.

Since then, the Prince Frederick town center has continued to grow, creating a need for more sewage capacity. In 2002, the County submitted plans to the public for a new 300,000 gallon land application treatment facility at the site of the original Plant on Tobacco Ridge Road. ACLT raised its opposition for the facility, noting that Parkers Creek is a “pristine” watershed, and expressing concerns that the system would fail and pollute the Creek. The County approved the plan despite ACLT’s concerns, but it promised to give ACLT the results of its monitoring of the Creek and the groundwater surrounding the Plant, which it has done. Meanwhile, ACLT continued its own stream monitoring, measuring nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water below the Plant. Thus far, we have not detected a significant increase in either nitrogen or phosphorus since the Plant was completed.

The facility has an 18 million-gallon storage/holding pond and an additional 3.8-million-gallon emergency storage space. To date, the storage facilities have handled the facility usage and the storms.

The August 4^th event was not a failure of the Plant. It was due to storm damage of the pump station that pumps sewage to the Plant, allegedly caused by the partial collapse of the road during heavy rains from Tropical Storm Isaias.

What are the lessons to be learned from Tropical Storm Isaias?

First, meteorologists have been saying for some time that we should expect storms to become more severe and to produce more rainfall. As a result, infrastructure like pumping stations and stormwater management devices which were designed for lesser storms need to be better fortified. Related to that is the need to re-evaluate the Plant itself to see if it will be able to handle future storms and the substantial growth of the Prince Frederick Town Center currently proposed. Isaias was only a tropical storm. However, it moved so slowly that it wound up dumping approximately 10 inches of rain in just 14 hours. Houston Texas has been devasted twice in the last few years from slow moving storms. Hurricane Harvey dumped an unheard of 51” of rain in the Houston area. What would happen to Prince Frederick’s 18-million-gallon storage/holding pond if a hurricane dumped 20” of rain on Prince Frederick as did a storm a few years ago in lower Charles County? The resulting sewage and sediment from the dams could permanently alter our watershed.

Finally, land application of sewage is still an experimental system that has been used in but a few places in Maryland and the U.S. We are concerned that the ground may eventually be saturated by the accumulation of phosphorus in the soil and that could cause damage not yet understood. If that turns out to be the case, Calvert needs a “Plan B”.

Resilience is a term that is becoming more prevalent as we all are beginning to see more signs of climate change. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We will be urging the County to use resilience planning and design to ensure that sewage systems and stormwater management are adequately addressed during the Prince Frederick Master Plan update, which is currently underway.

Data Security Incident Notice

August 7, 2020 By crm

This notice was sent via email to all accounts for which ACLT has an email address and via US postal service to all other accounts.

The information below relates to a data security incident involving Blackbaud, Inc., a service provider used by the American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT). We take our data protection responsibilities very seriously and want to keep you informed, although at this time, we believe there is no threat to disclosure of your personal information.

In late July, we were contacted by Blackbaud, one of the world’s largest providers of donor relationship management systems for non-profit organizations. We were informed that one of Blackbaud’s service providers had been the victim of a ransomware attack that culminated in May 2020. Immediately following the discovery of the attack, a detailed forensic investigation was undertaken, on behalf of Blackbaud, by law enforcement and third-party cyber security experts.

ACLT data accessed by the cybercriminal in the Blackbaud database did not contain any credit card information. Further, the cybercriminal did not gain access to bank account information because it is encrypted. ACLT does not store usernames, passwords, or social security numbers, so none of this type of data was accessed. We do retain donor information that enables us to communicate effectively with you. None of our data was lost or corrupted as a result of this incident.

Blackbaud assured us that in order to protect donor data and mitigate potential identity theft, it met the cybercriminal’s ransomware demand. Blackbaud has advised us that the data was destroyed, based on findings from cybercriminal and third-party experts. Blackbaud continues to monitor online activity in an effort to verify the data accessed by the cybercriminal has not been misused.

You can learn more about the breach from Blackbaud here:

If you have any questions or concerns, please call our office at (410) 414-3400 or email gbowen@acltweb.org