Chesapeake Conservation Partnership

07/03/2025

Want to weigh in on the future of Chesapeake Bay restoration? Now’s your chance! From July 1-September 1, there'll be a public feedback period for the draft revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement—a roadmap for the states, local governments and federal agencies working to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Send your feedback to [email protected]!

Public invited to submit feedback between July 1–September 1

06/27/2025

The majesty of the Chesapeake Bay and the 64,000 square miles of landscapes that nourish us cannot be conserved alone. Over the last 15 years, conservationists, partners and the public from all walks of life have been coming together to protect tens of thousands of culturally and ecologically important landscapes every year.

The Chesapeake Conservation Partnership has always been a testament to the power of that collaboration. This is why growing the partnership to reflect the growing movement has been so successful.

Learn more about our growing partnership in a new Lightning Update at https://www.chesapeakeconservation.org/lightning-update/collective-power-of-the-chesapeake-conservation-partnership/

06/20/2025

Several weeks ago, members of our staff attended the 2025 Virginia Land Conservation & Greenways Conference.

We presented updates on the Chesapeake Bay Program Beyond 2025 process in relation to land conservation. This was a great opportunity to connect with partners and share more about our mission.

06/12/2025

Though scoring a C in its latest report card, the Bay continues to show long-term improvement since the 1980s.

Thank you to our program director, Ben Alexandro, who attended the reportcard release. Learn more at www.chesapeakebayreportcard.org

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

05/30/2025

The 2025 legislative sessions in Maryland and Virginia unfolded under extraordinary pressure, from historic budget deficits and political gridlock to a record volume of energy and land use legislation.

There were conservation wins to celebrate but we have a complicated path forward for conservation work. Learn more about this work in our Lightning Update at https://buff.ly/WQG392I

05/22/2025

Last week, our staff joined South Mountain Partnership for their spring and regional trail coalition meeting. We connected with partners and regional organizations to learn about potential opportunities, initiatives and ongoing projects. We can't wait to get started!

05/02/2025

Birds depend on the same large, connected, high-quality habitats that land trusts strive to protect. By leveraging birds’ ecological, financial and cultural significance, we can protect vital landscapes for everyone's benefit.

Learn more about the power of birds in relation to conservation in a new Lightning Update at https://www.chesapeakeconservation.org/lightning-update/land-conservation-is-for-the-birds/

📸: Hugh Kenny / Piedmont Environmental Council

04/25/2025

509 acres of forested land is now conserved thanks to a partnership effort between The Nature Conservancy, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Hamer Foundation.

The protected property adds to an existing wildlife corridor and important migratory route for local wildlife. Read more below.

The property has been transferred to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

04/17/2025

A Chesapeake WILD grant helped conserve over 800 acres of mountains, forests, streams, and springs!

The GunBarrel hunt club was able to utilize grant funding to place a conservation easement on their property with Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust, Inc. and add to a 6,000-acre hub of contiguous, conserved private land in eastern West Virginia.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

How a WILD grant helps protect land, create legacy, and complete a conservation puzzle in West Virginia’s Potomac River headwaters. As Congress goes through the appropriations process in the coming months, we must remember how vital this federal funding is.

04/11/2025

Great news! Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust conserved 136 acres of farmland in St. Mary's County, MD.

This agricultural preservation will ensure the land isn't developed any further, support military readiness and balance growth with open space.

Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust has acquired its 56th conservation easement in St. Mary’s County with the addition of 136 acres on Flora Corner Rd. in Mechanicsville.

04/03/2025

The Mifflin House and Farm once served as an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Previously threatened, Susquehanna National Heritage Area was able to protect and preserve the site.

Check out our new Lightning Update to learn about the importance of heritage areas.

https://www.chesapeakeconservation.org/lightning-update/a-historic-legacy-unlocked-the-susquehanna-national-heritage-area-welcomes-visitors-to-the-mifflin-house/

03/28/2025

The 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion was tasked with sorting and delivering mail and packages to soldiers during WWII. This battalion was solely comprised of Black women with many from the Chesapeake Bay region!

This Women's History Month, an Eastern Shore historian is illuminating a little-known group of courageous Black women who played a role in World War II.