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Easygrants ID: 24382 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF/Legacy Grant Project ID: 0603.10.024382 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants 2010 - Submit Final Programmatic Report (Activities) Grantee Organization: Scenic Rivers Land Trust, Inc. Project Title: South River Greenway II (MD) Project Period 09/01/2010 - 03/31/2012 Award Amount $65,858.30 Matching Contributions $317,692.00 Project Location Description (from Proposal) The South River Greenway (39 01 00 76 38 00) is near Annapolis. The West/Rhode River (38 51 00 76 31 00) is centered around Galesville and Shady Side. This area is part of Severn HUC 02060004. Project Summary (from Proposal) Permanently protect 750 acres of land in the South River watershed as part of the ongoing South River Greenway Initiative. The project will engage 350 volunteers in conservation activities, complete nine habitat restoration projects, investigate the conservation potential of 20 target properties, and begin a similar land preservation effort in the West/Rhode River watershed. Summary of Accomplishments This growing and continuing project has permanently preserved over 1,200 high-priority acres in the South River Greenway through purchase or easement. With support from this grant we added 642 acres and we have an additional 400 acres at some point in the negotiation process. Public understanding and appreciation for our targeted large-landscape approach to land protection has increased. We have exceeded our matching funds and public outreach goals. Staff participated in 56 outreach events, reaching over 3,300 residents. Launching a new effort in the West/Rhode River watershed has yet to yield completed easements, but our work in that community has led to easements on two incredible properties, totaling 150 acres, in the adjacent Patuxent River watershed. Our message and our methods continue to improve and we move forward with great confidence and aggressive land preservation goals. Lessons Learned The normal pace of land preservation is slow as an easement negotiation can easily last over a year from initial landowner contact to a signed agreement. Currently, easement activity has slowed even further with the expiration of the Enhanced Easement Incentive (EEI), federal legislation that increases the amount an easement donor can deduct from their income taxes in any one year and the number of years that donations can be carried out. The EEI was expected to easily get renewed, but in the turmoil of this past year’s Congress it was delayed. Many middle-income property owners are waiting to see if it will be renewed before moving forward. SRLT is adapting by emphasizing the unaffected property tax savings that an easement can bring and helping landowners find ways to design easements that better allow them to take advantage of all possible income tax incentives. For some landowners, that may mean staged easement donations, where portions of large properties are put under easement in successive years. The added uncertainty of the legislation has only magnified property owner’s general concerns about the economy and fear leads to delay on easements. The new demands placed on the land trust industry are making everyone raise their game. SRLT has elected to pursue national accreditation with the Land Trust Alliance, an organization that provides excellent support in dealing with the changing legislative environment. Conservation Activities Protect an additional 750 acres by easement or purchase in the South River Greenway Page 1 of 11 Progress Measures Acres of land preserved in conservation easement Value at Grant Completion 642 acres Conservation Activities 350 people will participate in SRLT events and activites in the South River Greenway Progress Measures # of participants/volunteers in project Value at Grant Completion 2500 Conservation Activities Four restoration projects will be completed by volunteers Progress Measures Acres of upland forest improved Value at Grant Completion 10 acres (est) Conservation Activities Two habitat enhancement projects will be undertaken by private companies Progress Measures Acres of upland forest improved Value at Grant Completion 40 (est) (BGE) Conservation Activities Three habitat restoration projects will be undertaken with government agencies Progress Measures Linear feet of streambank/shoreline stabilized Value at Grant Completion 300 feet Conservation Activities 26 conservation properties will be monitored for compliance Progress Measures Other Activity Metric (web monitor and site visits) Value at Grant Completion 26 contacts Conservation Activities 150 acres will be protected through easement or purchase in the West/Rhode River Greenway Progress Measures Acres of land preserved in conservation easement Value at Grant Completion 149 acres Conservation Activities 100 people will participate in SRLT events and activities in the West/Rhode River Greenway Progress Measures # of participants/volunteers in project Value at Grant Completion 842 Page 2 of 11 Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Final Programmatic Report Narrative Instructions: Save this document on your computer and complete the narrative in the format provided. The final narrative should not exceed ten (10) pages; do not delete the text provided below. Once complete, upload this document into the on-line final programmatic report task as instructed. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF/Legacy Grant Project ID: 2010-0067-017 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants 2010 – Final Programmatic Report Scenic Rivers Land Trust Project Period 09/01/2010 - 03/31/2012 1. Project Description. Briefly describe your project, including a description of the problem your project is trying to address, the project’s objectives and strategies, as well as the project location, and a characterization of the watershed and the relevant characteristics of the community’s natural resources, population, and economy. The South River Greenway (39 01 00 76 38 00) is near Annapolis. The West/Rhode River (38 51 00 76 31 00) is centered around Galesville and Shady Side. This area is part of Severn HUC 02060004. The South River Greenway Project is a comprehensive, long term watershed protection, restoration, and community outreach initiative. The long term goal is to permanently protect 3,000 acres of undeveloped land through easement or purchase, stabilize headcuts to prevent degradation on 50,000 linear feet of streams, restore or enhance 400 acres of upland and wetland habitat, repair five eroding gullies, educate and engage hundreds of citizens in the protection and restoration of their local watershed, and develop a streamlined method for stream restoration. The project was recognized by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance as a regional conservation priority and has received significant local press coverage. This project was designed to serve as a model for future small watershed projects in Scenic Rivers Land Trust’s (SRLT) geographic focus area, and with this grant we launched a similar effort in the West/Rhode River watershed. Our goal was to build on the momentum of our recent land protection successes in order to permanently preserve 750 additional acres in the South River Greenway. The focus area encompasses approximately 30 parcels of 25 acres or greater within the Green Infrastructure hubs and corridors as established by DNR, as well as many smaller parcels. The grant greatly increased education and outreach for watershed protection and provided the capacity for significant outreach efforts for land preservation and habitat restoration. Bringing this proven model to the West/Rhode River watershed, we joined with local partners to focus land protection efforts on the highly vulnerable watershed. The focus area encompasses approximately 133 priority parcels of 25 acres or greater, as well as many smaller parcels. 2. Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project’s key accomplishments and outcomes that were observed or measured. This growing and continuing project has permanently preserved over 1,200 high-priority acres in the South River Greenway through purchase or easement. With support from this grant we added 642 acres and we have an additional 400 acres at some point in the negotiation process. Public understanding and appreciation for our targeted large-landscape approach to land protection has increased. We have exceeded our matching funds and public outreach goals. Staff participated in 56 outreach events, reaching over 3,300 residents. Launching a new effort in the West/Rhode River watershed has yet to yield completed easements, but our work in that Page 3 of 11 community has led to easements on two incredible properties, totaling 150 acres, in the adjacent Patuxent River watershed. Our message and our methods continue to improve and we move forward with great confidence and aggressive land preservation goals. 3. Project Activities & Outcomes Activities Describe and quantify (using the approved metrics referenced in your grant agreement) the primary activities conducted during this grant. Briefly explain discrepancies between the activities conducted during the grant and the activities agreed upon in your grant agreement. Outcomes Describe and quantify progress towards achieving the project outcomes described in your grant agreement. (Quantify using the approved metrics referenced in your grant agreement or by using more relevant metrics not included in the application.) Briefly explain discrepancies between what actually happened compared to