Md. to Protect 275 More Acres Of Wetlands, Forest in Charles

Charles County, home to thousands of acres of state-protected land, will have 275 more acres in its southwestern part preserved under Maryland's Program Open Space.

The latest acquisition, including wetlands and uplands forest, will be added to the Nanjemoy Natural Resources Management Area, bounded by more than a mile of relatively undisturbed shoreline.

The acquisition, approved by the Maryland Board of Public Works, was announced Wednesday by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D). It will be funded under Program Open Space, founded in 1969 to help create parks and otherwise preserve the environment.

The program has allocated $2.36 million to projects in Charles this fiscal year.

The Nanjemoy land has been called one of the state's most ecologically and culturally significant preserves because of the large number of threatened species that thrive there.

The management area was created in 2000, when natural resources officials decided the land should be protected from the rapid growth in Charles. The preservation area is particularly important given the potential threats from Route 224, which runs through the region.

The state board's decision to acquire the additional land in the Nanjemoy area came as the three-member panel moved to protect a large family farm on the Eastern Shore.

Both projects were funded under Program Open Space's new Stateside Targeting System, designed to maximize available funds by preserving the most ecologically valuable land first.

The Nanjemoy acquisition represents the second major land preservation decision in Charles in the past month. In late July, the state board approved acquisition of the Grove Farm along the Wicomico River.

Program Open Space also has led to the creation of several parks in the county. Most recently, the board approved $1.87 million to create Pisgah Park, which will help alleviate a serious shortage of public parkland in the western part of the county.

The park is to include several athletic fields, an off-leash dog park, BMX biking course and hiking and mountain biking trails.