There are precious few unspoiled places left in Maryland this forested property is one of them. Located at the confluence of the Marshyhope and Nanticoke Rivers in Dorchester County, Maryland, this special tract has been identified by The Nature Conservancy as one of the States Last Great Places. This 392-acre property stretches along the Marshyhope River for 1.3 miles and is the site of the globally rare Wades Savanna wetland, the only wetland of its kind in Maryland. The property is known to contain habitat for a lengthy list of rare, threatened and endangered species, Wetlands of Special State Concern (WSSC), as well as ancient sand dunes. Despite long-time efforts by conservation groups to protect the land, the property was purchased in 2005 for the purpose of mining sand and gravel. In February 2008, the owner filed an application for a special use exception and permits for a large-scale sand and gravel mining operation and on March 20, 2008, a hearing was held before the Dorchester County Board of Appeals. Several hundred local residents, community leaders, conservationists, and concerned Boy Scouts who opposed the mining operation attended the hearing. In May 2008, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) secured an option to purchase the property in order to protect it forever. Threat A Delaware company in the business of excavation, contracting, and highway and street construction purchased the property in 2005. The owners have begun the process of securing approvals and permits to allow for a large-scale mining operation. They have also developed significant design, survey, and assessments of the property for the purpose of securing approvals for the mining operation from Dorchester County, Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Critical Area Commission. Surrounding property owners, including The Nature Conservancy and the Boy Scouts of America, are concerned that the proposed mining operation would not only permanently damage the areas rare ecological resources, but it would create an unsafe environment for the Boy Scout Camp activities on the adjacent property, visited by 10,000 boys and families annually. While the owners face opposition from conservation organizations and the local community, they have expressed determination to re-design the project until they gain approval.
This property is of tremendous importance to the local community as evidenced by the outpouring of concern over the proposed mining operation. Over the last twenty years, conservation organizations in partnership with local landowners, Dorchester County, the State, and the Federal government have protected over 10,000 acres in the immediate vicinity. Over 10,000 boys visit the Richard A. Henson Scout Reservation annually, where they participate in outdoor programs designed to build leadership, appreciation and respect for nature, and knowledge about the natural resources. Public investment in conservation surrounding the property is testament to the important resources offered by the Nanticoke River. The property is across the river from the Nanticoke Rural Legacy Area, proximate to 1,000 acres of preserves owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, adjacent to 1,485 acres forming the Richard A. Henson Scout Reservation, downstream from the Marshyhope Rural Legacy Area, and neighbors thousands of acres of State-owned forests and parks. The community and regional commitment to conservation in this area is unwavering. Development of a mining operation on the Horsey property would not only permanently and negatively impact the character of this key conservation area, it would forever destroy some of the states last remaining ecological resources.
ESLC has secured an option to purchase the property for $5.6 million. The option requires that ESLC confirm the purchase price and secure funding for the purchase by July 25, 2008. ESLC and its partners are in the process of securing $2.75 million in Federal funding through the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) to help with the land purchase. The same partners are seeking to raise the remainder of the purchase price and transactional costs through private means.
Once the property is purchased, the conservation partners anticipate that it will be transferred to an appropriate public entity, then leased to the Boy Scouts. The property is anticipated to have low-impact water access for canoeing and kayaking and restoration of the small area of agricultural fields for wildlife habitat. There are many supporters of this project who would like to see the property included in a Nanticoke/Marshyhope water trail, where people can access the water and pull off the river.
Your signature of support will be shared with Federal, state and local officials to help demonstrate the importance of this property to the local community.