Susan Stephenson, Director of Federal Business Development
Shannon Thomas, Project Coordinator
Charlotte Weinstein, Senior Geospatial Analyst
Nature’s Comeback
This is my last column for Chesapeake Conservancy’s Shorelines. At the end of the year, I will join the Campaign for Nature, an international effort to protect and conserve at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.
I am incredibly grateful for all I have learned and experienced over two decades of working in Chesapeake conservation. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to meet extraordinary people who became friends and mentors—like Vince Leggett, founder and president of Blacks of the Chesapeake, who passed away on November 23, 2024 (see tribute on page 3). He was a good friend, and I will miss him.
Recently I received a marketing email from Patagonia that offered a perspective that resonates deeply as I reflect on Vince’s legacy and as the conservation movement faces an uncertain future. Its subject line: “Time is never wasted defending what you love.”
Not every day in this job has been easy, but every day has been worthy—every day was spent defending what we love. When I started at Chesapeake Conservancy 14 years ago, I set out to build a strong organization that would continue producing results without me, one with a landscape-scale focus, one that empowers others to achieve a collective impact and one that delivers both tangible and systemic results for everyone in the watershed.
Thanks to your support, we’ve helped create a national trail, two national monuments, a national park, a national marine sanctuary, a new national wildlife refuge and significantly advanced a national recreation area for the Chesapeake. We’ve partnered to conserve thousands of acres of land, expand national wildlife refuges, create local parks, restore Chesapeake tributaries and empower the
conservation movement with the latest groundbreaking data and technology.
In closing, I want to share a story about my 9-year-old daughter, Harper, who is in the fourth grade (Her little sister Ryan is in first grade.). A few weeks ago, as our family sat at the dinner table discussing the day, Harper said her teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her reply? “I want to be an environmentalist and be a part of nature’s comeback.”
The Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge is part of nature’s comeback. The proposed Chesapeake National Recreation Area, the Earl Family Preserve, the McNew Community Gardens and mapping wildlife habitat are part of nature’s comeback. (Read updates in this Shorelines.)
Each of you is part of nature’s comeback. Be like my friend Vince: Never give up and be remembered as a leader in nature’s comeback.
Thank you for your continued support of Chesapeake Conservancy. This incredible team will never stop defending what you love.
Joel Dunn
Moose, Joel, Ryan and Harper Dunn
photo by jess lombardi
Mapping Maryland Wildlife Habitat
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Chesapeake Conservancy recently partnered to produce updated mapping of Maryland’s Habitat Connectivity Network.
The data indicate where the most important natural habitat areas in the state are currently located, how these areas are connected and how they have changed through the past two decades.
Maryland’s Habitat Connectivity Network, referred to as “Green Infrastructure” in its prior iteration, was first produced in 2005 with updates to hub areas in 2011. This new update leverages the Chesapeake Bay Program’s cutting-edge, high-resolution 2017/2018 land use/land cover mapping produced by
Chesapeake Conservancy and partners.
“Chesapeake Conservancy is proud to partner with the state of Maryland on this critically needed update to habitat connectivity data,” said Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn. “As the state continues to grow and develop, Maryland has responded to the global nature crisis by setting the goal to conserve 40% of the state’s lands by 2040. These data will help planners focus their conservation efforts on the places that matter most for nature to have the space to thrive.”
The updated Habitat Connectivity Network map layer can be viewed on the Maryland GreenPrint web map at geodata.md.gov/ greenprint
Bay Bridge Run
On November 10, 85 Chesapeake Conservancy friends, volunteers and staff traversed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge for the Bay Bridge Run. This was our biggest team yet and so far they have raised $38,000, all in support of our mission to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Look out for future notifications on how you can join our team next year. Special thanks to this year’s team sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor Conservation Champion Sponsor
Steward Level Sponsor
Waterkeeper Level Sponsor
ECS Mid-Atlantic Meghan Tieff Training
BLACKS OF THE CHESAPEAKE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Vince Leggett 1953–2024
Blacks of the Chesapeake Founder and President Vince Leggett, a Chesapeake Conservancy partner, friend and mentor, passed away suddenly on November 23, 2024.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Vince Leggett, founder and president of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation.
Vince was not only a dedicated historian and gifted storyteller but also a visionary leader who championed the preservation of Black history, culture and contributions to the Chesapeake Bay region. Through his tireless advocacy and scholarship, he illuminated untold stories and ensured that future generations would know and honor the vital role that Blacks played in shaping the Bay’s heritage.
Vince’s work transcended the archives and pages of history books—he built bridges
connecting people and communities, fostered understanding and inspired a collective commitment to justice and equity. As a mentor and friend to so many, he shared his wisdom generously, guiding others to take up the mantle of preserving and celebrating Black history.
His life’s work leaves an enduring legacy, one that will continue to influence and inspire us all. The partnerships he nurtured and the foundations he built will ensure that his vision endures for generations to come.
Vince’s impact will forever resonate at Elktonia-Carr’s Beach Heritage Park in Annapolis, Maryland, one of his proudest and most enduring achievements.
Our hearts are with Vince’s family, friends and the countless individuals whose lives he
touched. His impact on the Chesapeake community is immeasurable, and his memory will live on as a source of inspiration and strength.
photo by j.t. dean
Vince Leggett courtesy photo
Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge Established
On December 13, 2024, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams joined partners and community members in Nanjemoy, Maryland, to celebrate the establishment of the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge as the 573rd and newest unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Nearly 15 years in the making, this is the first national wildlife refuge established in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in more than 25 years and the first in Maryland in over 60 years.
Chesapeake Conservancy is proud to be a contributing partner in creating the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge. The Service worked closely with the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance, comprised of core member organizations including the Chesapeake Conservancy, American Chestnut Land Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Environmental Trust, Charles County and The Nature Conservancy to
establish priorities for habitat management and land acquisition for the new refuge.
A 31-acre parcel near Nanjemoy in Charles County, Maryland, is the first of several intended donations by The Nature Conservancy that over the next few months will permanently protect and conserve more than 300 acres of interior forest and riparian wetlands habitat, supporting northern long-eared bats, forest-interior songbirds, box turtles and several species of salamanders that are of conservation concern.
The Service will continue working with partners and willing sellers to secure voluntary conservation of up to 40,000 acres of important wildlife habitat within four watershed-based focus areas in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. The areas identified for conservation through this new national wildlife refuge support a wide range of species including waterfowl, shorebirds, forest-interior and grassland-dependent birds, and threatened and endangered species such as the dwarf wedgemussel, Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon, puritan and northeastern tiger beetles and the northern long-eared bat.
“This is one of the most pristine landscapes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s western shore, and it faces many threats. Our forests continue to be converted at a rate of about 54 acres a day, and more than 6 million acres of the forest and wetland resources in our watershed remain vulnerable to development. We are
losing our iconic landscapes,” said Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn.
“The world’s leading scientists have called for the protection of 30% of the Earth’s lands and waters by 2030 to protect biodiversity and the climate. And there is no more important moment to do it than this one. During my lifetime, we have seen a catastrophic 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations around the world,” Dunn added.
“This new refuge offers an opportunity to halt and even reverse biodiversity loss in this important place, and in a way that fully integrates and respects the leadership and rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities,” continued Dunn.
Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Chesapeake Conservancy Executive Vice President Mark Conway celebrate the new refuge.
photo by matthew kane/the nature conservancy
National Park Service Status for the Chesapeake Bay One Step Closer
On November 19, 2024, a four-decade-long dream to bring National Park Service (NPS) status to the nation’s largest estuary became one step closer to reality. A unanimous and bipartisan vote by the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved an amended version of the Chesapeake National Recreation Act, making it eligible for consideration on the Senate floor.
Introduced in July 2023 by U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), the bipartisan, bicameral bill would unite a series of voluntarily contributed sites and iconic Chesapeake Bay properties under the operation of NPS to create the Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CNRA).
The creation of the CNRA would spur more federal resources for environmental conservation, celebrate the Chesapeake’s diverse cultural and economic history, foster sustainable and equitable access to the Bay, and support responsible economic growth in the region. “In Maryland, we know the Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. And creating the
Chesapeake National Recreation Area will celebrate that fact while also bringing major benefits to the Bay. Not only will this open up more equitable public access to the Bay, the CNRA will also mobilize additional federal support for restoration, shine a light on the untold stories of its history, and support greater economic opportunity in the region,” said Sen. Van Hollen.
“The Chesapeake Bay is an extraordinary national treasure and a vital resource for our region. I am thrilled that the Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act has advanced out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee—a crucial milestone in our efforts to safeguard the Bay for the well-being and enjoyment of future generations,” said Rep. Sarbanes. “Designating a unified National Recreation Area will be an enormous step toward celebrating the regional stories that have shaped our nation’s history,
Chesapeake Conservancy Thanks TeraWulf Charitable Foundation for Supporting Efforts to Establish Chesapeake National Recreation Area
Chesapeake Conservancy is deeply grateful to the TeraWulf Charitable Foundation, a private, philanthropic organization focused on funding and participating in social health, environmental and sustainability programs, for their significant financial commitment of $1.25 million that helped the Chesapeake Conservancy and its partners advocate for the establishment of the CNRA.
“The TeraWulf Charitable Foundation is proud to have supported the effort to elevate the national significance of the Chesapeake Bay and thrilled to see that this legislation has cleared a key Senate Committee,” said Paul Prager with the Easton-based TeraWulf Charitable Foundation.
Thank You
NPS will be permitted to partner with local stakeholders and acquire Burtis House, Whitehall, Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse and the North Beach of Fort Monroe by voluntary sale or donation to serve as the first sites within the CNRA.
advancing the conservation goals of existing Bay programs, driving economic growth and ensuring equitable access to the outdoors. I look forward to continued collaboration with federal, state, local and private partners as we work to secure the Chesapeake Bay’s future for all who cherish it.”
A Network of Iconic Sites
“The Foundation made its inaugural financial commitment to support this significant ecological, cultural and economic initiative for the Bay and looks forward to its continued progress towards full enactment.”
Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse,
The CNRA legislation authorizes NPS to partner with local stakeholders and acquire by voluntary sale or donation four initial sites, three in Maryland and one in Virginia:
1. Burtis House (Annapolis, Md.) – The last waterman’s house on the Chesapeake Bay
2. Whitehall (Annapolis, Md.) – The first National Historic Landmark designated in the state of Maryland
3. Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse (Annapolis, Md.) – The only surviving operational cottage-style screw-pile lighthouse in the country that is still in its original location
4. North Beach of Fort Monroe (Hampton, Va.) – A historic fort and the landing site of the first enslaved African people brought to North American shores
one of the iconic sites to be included in the CNRA
photo by david sites
Collaboration and Creativity Produce Environmental Wins
Thanks to the generosity of a conservationminded landowner, a 5.6-acre farm once zoned for development as an assisted living complex has been transformed into a community garden. In 2019, the McNew family donated this property through Chesapeake Conservancy’s Giftlands program (see back cover), ensuring the permanent conservation of their family farm in the highly developed Rt. 2 corridor in Edgewater, Maryland, near the South River. The McNew Community Gardens is now owned by Anne Arundel County and will be administered by Grow Annapolis, a nonprofit volunteer organization whose mission, since its founding 10 years ago, is to foster and sustain local community gardens.
Chesapeake Conservancy is partnering with Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) on several exciting projects. Building upon the bilingual nature center opened at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis in 2022, DNR and Chesapeake Conservancy, with support from the National Park Service, is now working to restore wildlife habitat at the grassy picnic area adjacent to South Beach. When complete, the area will include more trees and plants, new wildflower meadows, new shady picnic areas, gravel trails with interpretive signs and a new food truck area called “Market Circle.”
At Janes Island State Park, located just outside of Crisfield on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Chesapeake Conservancy and partners have developed conceptual plans for a new visitor center that will include a nature center and exhibits, meeting space, restrooms, a park store, campground check-in and staff offices. Chesapeake Conservancy is seeking
sponsorships such as foundations or corporate sponsors to continue the process and make the center a reality. This is an excellent branding opportunity designed to bring a high-quality visitor experience and demonstrate the bounties of Chesapeake Bay. Contact Matt Provost for more information at mprovost@ chesapeakeconservancy.org.
In Cambridge, Maryland, construction has begun on an economic development project to make the city’s waterfront more accessible to the community. Chesapeake Conservancy is partnering with Cambridge Waterfront Development Inc. to extend and renovate the waterfront promenade. Chesapeake Conservancy and partners secured a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support this critical tourism and economic development project.
More than 1,220 trees and 1,600 live stakes have been planted by the Maryland Climate Crew Network, funded by a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant. This joint project between Chesapeake Conservancy and the Greater Baltimore Wilderness Coalition will
Chesapeake Conservancy is partnering on this renovation and rewilding project at Sandy Point State Park near Annapolis, Maryland.
drive restoration in underserved or overburdened Maryland communities. Three workforce development organizations support this work: Grow Home, Howard EcoWorks and Defensores de la Cuenca.
Thanks to $150,000 in grant funding from the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways, Chesapeake Conservancy will help establish the Phoebus-Fort Monroe Coalition to support, protect and showcase the natural, cultural, recreational and historical significance of the Phoebus Main Street District, Fort Monroe and the City of Hampton in Virginia. For more information, contact Michael Augustin at maugustin@ chesapeakeconservancy.org.
Renovations are complete, and Chesapeake Conservancy’s new headquarters, at the Earl Conservation Center, 1212 West Street, Annapolis, Maryland, is officially open for business. Other nonprofits working in the new space include the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Chesapeake Legal Alliance and Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation.
photo by mark burchick
Plans for a new nature center at Janes Island State Park near Crisfield, Maryland renditions by hammel, green and abrahamson (hga)
Donor Spotlight: Sally Kleberg
Sally Kleberg was taught the values of land stewardship at an early age, growing up on her family ranch and farmland in South Texas. She says, “The land, its production and its abundance was my first educational witness.” She observed the overlapping, and at times, contradictory methods of land management to achieve wildlife conservation and fiscal goals. To her, connection and respect for the land incorporate
Board and Staff News
Chesapeake Conservancy welcomes four new members to our board of directors: Astrid Caldas, Adam Gronski, Ava Shivers and Stephanie Vaughn.
Kaelyn Kobosko has joined the team as a Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps member for the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership. Zach Cline is our new AmeriCorps member, serving as the volunteer coordinator leading live staking and buffer maintenance volunteer programs in Pennsylvania. President and CEO Joel Dunn (see page 2), Geospatial Modeler Steven Guinn, Project Manager Steve Storck, Ph.D. and Chesapeake Geospatial Program Manager Katie Walker have left the organization for new opportunities. Effective January 1, 2025, Chief Operating Officer EJ Amyot will serve as acting president and CEO while the board of
community history, heritage, environmental protection and education. She has made it her mission to pass along those values to inspire future conservationists. “Giving back to those learned lessons has become my primary philanthropic mission in tandem with supporting environmental education for those less able to afford it.”
For 35 years, Kleberg has served on the Board of Visitors of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. She supported an internship fund that funded Joel Dunn, Chesapeake Conservancy’s departing president and CEO, when he was a student there. She and Dunn have maintained a close relationship ever since, following Dunn’s career to Chesapeake Conservancy.
Kleberg has been a dedicated Chesapeake Conservancy supporter for several years and recently initiated a fellowship fund for a Nicholas School graduate student to study for a year with the Conservation Innovation Center team at Chesapeake Conservancy. She says, “Chesapeake Conservancy has proved to be a practical training ground for young environmental sciences, policy and technology grads to put their talents to work.” Conservation is a lifelong commitment to her that requires nurturing its future leaders.
Check out our many accomplishments
in the FY 2023 Annual Report, now available at chesapeakeconservancy.org (see publications).
Thank you to our incredible donors who make our work possible!
directors conducts a national search for Dunn’s successor. Senior Data Scientist Michael Evans, Ph.D., has accepted the additional role of deputy director of the Conservation Innovation Center (CIC). Louis Keddell is now the CIC operations manager.
We thank Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member Jamal Childs, AmeriCorps member Maggie Ritchey and seasonal bilingual ranger Rebeca Garcia for their service.
Show Your Support for Chesapeake Conservancy!
Visit our online store and stock up for winter! shopchesapeakeconservancy.org
The board of directors named President & CEO Joel Dunn a 2024 Champion of the Chesapeake to honor his 14 years of leadership as he departs for a position with the Campaign for Nature (see page 2). Geospatial Modeler Steven Guinn, Project Manager Steve Storck, Ph.D. and Chesapeake Geospatial Program Manager Katie Walker have left the organization for new opportunities.
Sally Kleberg, Courtesy Photo
Chesapeake Conservancy Earl Conservation Center 1212 West Street
Use Your Real Estate to Leave a Legacy for Future Generations
One of the most significant ways you can leave a legacy for future generations is by donating your land to Chesapeake Conservancy. As development encroaches on the last open spaces in the Chesapeake watershed, we encourage landowners to consider Chesapeake Conservancy’s Giftlands Program. Your gift may qualify you for a federal income tax deduction or other tax benefits. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor to make sure this gift fits your goals. This is the greatest gift that you can leave behind. This is your legacy. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT giving@chesapeakeconservancy.org
chesapeake conservancy relies on our many friends to protect and conserve the chesapeake’s great rivers and special places. your tax-deductible contribution of any amount is truly appreciated. chesapeake conservancy has a 4-star rating from charity navigator. our tax id number is 26-2271377. our cfc id number is 27293.
