Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Inc

ARMY COMPATIBLE USE BUFFER (ACUB) FOR ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND (APG)

F18AC00040

THE MIDDLE CHESAPEAKE SENTINEL LANDSCAPE RESILIENCE I NAWCA PROJECT WILL ADD 2,268 25 ACRES OF PERPETUAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO THE OVER 50,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LANDS IN THE VICINITY OF BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND FISHING BAY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA IN DORCHESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND THE YOUNG LIFE TRACT CONTAINS 187 ACRES OF PALUSTRINE FORESTED AND PALUSTRINE EMERGENT WETLANDS, 53 ACRES OF UPLAND FOREST, AND IS LOCATED WITHIN A SEA LEVEL RISE MARSH MIGRATION ZONE THE JONES TRACT CONTAINS 3 ACRES OF PALUSTRINE FORESTED WETLANDS AND 313 43 ACRES OF UPLAND FOREST AND IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN A SEA LEVEL RISE MARSH MIGRATION ZONE PLACING PERPETUAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON BOTH TRACTS WILL ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF NATIVE CHESAPEAKE BAY WETLAND UPLAND HABITAT ON THE PROPERTIES AND PERMIT WETLANDS TO THE SOUTH TO MIGRATE UP GRADIENT AS SEA LEVEL RISES SECURING FUTURE HABITAT FOR SPECIES THAT RELY ON SALT MARSH

IN JULY 2021, THE DELMARVA RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION NETWORK (DRCN) COMPLETED A STRATEGIC RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN (ACTION PLAN), WHICH OUTLINED A CONCEPT DESIGN FOR DELMARVA CONSERVATION. THE NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIFIC LAND PROTECTION PLAN THROUGH THE FURTHER ENGAGEMENT OF THE DRCN AND ITS VARIOUS GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS. THE EASTERN SHORE LAND CONSERVANCY (ESLC) WILL WORK WITH THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND OTHER DELMARVA-FOCUSED CONSERVATION GROUPS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE, REGION-WIDE CONSERVATION PLAN THAT WILL IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AREAS FOR PRIORITY CONSERVATION ACTIVITY, INCLUDING RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THIS PROJECT WOULD HELP TO ENSURE A NET-GAIN INCREASE IN PROTECTED PRIORITY WILDLIFE HABITAT AND MIGRATION CORRIDORS IN THE DELMARVA IN THE FACE OF THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. SUCH A PLAN WOULD ALLOW FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL CONSERVATION FUNDING TO BE TARGETED TO THE HIGHEST REGIONAL CONSERVATION PRIORITIES.

FUNDS WILL BE USED TO CARRY OUT CLEANUP AND SITE REMEDIATION AT BROWNFIELD SITES IN EASTON, MARYLAND AT THE MCCORD LAUNDRY BUILDING AND FIVE ADJACENT

ARMY COMPATIBLE USE BUFFER ACUB ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND THIS MODIFICATION IS ISSUED TO OBLIGATE FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000,000