Regional Conservation Partnerships

Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance

Watershed Friends Groups

ACLT co-chairs the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance (SMCA), which was launched in 2021. In partnership with the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), ACLT facilitates landscape-scale conservation through SMCA. SMCA is composed of 50+ core and affiliate organizations, including non-profit land trusts, as well as other non-governmental environmental organizations and governmental agencies (federal, state, and local government) working in the five-county region. More information can be found here.

For several years, ACLT has been working in Calvert County to create community-based advocacy groups, known as "Watershed Friends Groups." With funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, ACLT created two local friends groups in 2019: the Friends of Hunting Creek and the Friends of St Leonard Creek. Since this initial launch, our network of friends groups has been growing steadily. ACLT currently facilitates six watershed friends groups in Calvert County. These groups host recreational outings in the watershed; collect water quality data from their streams; and adcovate for the health and protection of the creeks they call home. For more information or to learn how to join, visit our watershed friends group page.