Planning Committee approves over $10.6 million for park improvements and land protection

Planning Committee approves over $10.6 million for park improvements and land protection

29 August 2024

Funding approved for several DNR programs

Deer Creek Rural Legacy Area in Harford County. Photo by Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

On August 28, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Board of Public Works approved grants totaling more than $10.6 million to local agencies and land trusts to improve parks and protect lands with perpetual conservation easements.

A total of 2.6 million dollars in Open Space Program – Local Funding was approved for Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission acquires 0.15 acres of land that will be part of the new Eastern Capital Crescent Park in Montgomery County. The park will be located along the Capital Crescent Trail and the Purple Line and will feature active recreational amenities such as fitness equipment, a skate park and sports fields. Open Space Program – Local provides district and municipal authorities with financial resources for the planning, acquisition and development of recreational areas or facilities.

The Board also approved over $2.7 million Public parks and playgrounds Grants to 18 communities across the state. Projects include new playground equipment for Panther Park in Hampstead, Lower Ferry Park in Perryville, North Pointe Park in Middletown, St. Paul Park in Kensington, Dr. William Henry Park in Berlin, new pickleball courts in Midland and a new multi-use sports field at Taylor Park in Keedysville, among others. The Community Parks and Playgrounds program provides funding to local governments to restore existing park and recreation facilities across the state and to create new ones.

Other approvals include nearly $2 million from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program for three projects. In Prince George’s County, the funds will be used for park improvements at Summerfield Park, and Montgomery County will use its funds at McKnew and Long Branch-Garland parks for new playground equipment, picnic shelters and sports fields.

The Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program was funded in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to provide grants primarily to local authorities for park and recreation projects.

More than $3.3 million in Rural heritage Funds were approved for local sponsors to acquire conservation easements on four properties in three counties totaling 550 acres:

• Frederick County will acquire a 250-acre property in Carrollton Manor Rural Heritage Area which contains significant wetlands. The easement will protect 1.5 miles of river buffer along Bennett Creek and the Monocacy River.
• An easement on a 133 hectare agricultural and wooded property in the Deer Creek Rural Heritage Area is held by Harford County. The easement will protect streams flowing into Deer Creek, a state scenic river that feeds the Susquehanna River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.
• A 108-acre property straddling the Harford-Baltimore County border is being developed by the Manor Conservancy in its rural heritage area. This farm will be part of a large conservation area within My Lady’s Manor, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The easement will protect scenic views along Old York Road, a historic byway.
• The Land Preservation Trust will establish a 60-hectare farm in Piney Run Rural Heritage Area in Baltimore County. This easement will preserve views along the Falls Road Scenic Byway and protect riverbanks in the watershed of Loch Raven Reservoir, a major water source for the Baltimore metropolitan area.

All funded projects are listed on the agenda for the August 28, 2024 Board of Public Works meeting. The three-member Board of Public Works consists of Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis and Auditor Brooke E. Lierman.

Established in 1997, the Rural Legacy Program protects large productive landscapes in 35 locally designated areas throughout Maryland.

Established in 1969 under the authority of the Department of Natural Resources, the Open Space Program (divided into local and statewide programs), along with other state land conservation programs, symbolizes Maryland’s long-term commitment to preserving our natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for all citizens.