Photos courtesy of MDRRC
Scenic Rivers Land Trust’s visionary program cultivates land conservation and second chances
When Scenic Rivers Land Trust, in partnership with the Maryland Reentry Resource Center (MDRRC) and the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC), launched GroundWork in spring 2025, the land trust embarked on a unique mission: to combine conservation and workforce reentry. An innovative program, GroundWork not only brings people together to care for conserved land, but also creates meaningful job opportunities for members of the community reentering the workforce after incarceration.
The concept for GroundWork is based on Scenic Rivers’ Healthy Forests Program in which volunteers remove invasive plants from Bacon Ridge Natural Area, the land trust’s largest conservation easement (a voluntary legal agreement that limits future development on a property to protect its environmental features). According to Scenic Rivers, which holds 82 conservation easements, totaling more than 4,000 acres across Anne Arundel County, non-native invasive plants are one of the biggest threats to Maryland’s forests. Left unchecked, they encroach upon native species, reduce wildlife habitat, and weaken entire ecosystems.
Guided by the leadership of Scenic Rivers, MDRRC (a nonprofit organization that empowers returning citizens), and CCLC (a nonprofit organization that educates professionals working in sustainable landscaping and green infrastructure fields), GroundWork participants receive paid training that enables them to engage in tasks that greatly benefit land conservation efforts.
Field work includes identifying native and non-native invasive plant species, removing invasive plants, replanting native trees and plants, and restoring habitat on permanently conserved land. GroundWork participants not only acquire hands-on work experience, but they also gain exposure to careers in the green workforce and develop confidence and a sense of purpose.
“We’re very excited about GroundWork,” says Josh Falk, executive director, Scenic Rivers. “It allows us to create a model for landowners on how to protect their land and improve the ecosystem value. The program also engages a population that hasn’t necessarily seen themselves as being connected to conservation and highlights the importance of green space and opportunities for green careers—a direction that participants may not have considered.”
GroundWork launched on Scenic Rivers’ Caldwell Conservation Easement, thanks to funding from a Chesapeake WILD grant. Conserved in 2019, the 81-acre forested property located in the South River watershed was selected due to its need for active restoration work and the support of the Caldwell family. The work crew helped maintain and care for the forest by learning plant identification, removing invasive plants, and supporting the long-term health of the landscape.
“Programs like GroundWork are vital because they create a true win-win for conservation and community well-being,” says Vanessa Bright, executive director, MDRRC. “Our region benefits from healthier, protected lands and well-maintained easements, while individuals returning to the workforce gain dignity, stability, and transferable job skills. Few programs so directly connect environmental protection with second-chance employment opportunities. The partnership also demonstrates how innovative approaches can address multiple community needs at once.”
Photos courtesy of MDRRC
A Transformative Collaboration
Falk says conservation efforts can only succeed when partners join forces and contribute their expertise to achieve a shared goal. When organizations work together, their programs and outcomes are stronger, and the community becomes more engaged.
By partnering with MDRRC and CCLC, Scenic Rivers leveraged its impact, allowing the three organizations to work collectively as a team, with each organization effecting positive change through a slightly different course of action.
MDRRC plays a coordinating and workforce development role within the partnership. The organization contracts with GreenLift, its social enterprise, which directly hires and employs returning citizens.
“Through this model, we ensure that participants receive meaningful employment, job training, and professional support, while Scenic Rivers and CCLC provide conservation expertise, project sites, and mentorship,” Bright says. “Together, this partnership allows crews to work on both private and public easements, creating real conservation outcomes while building a skilled, reliable workforce.”
As the technical training partner for GroundWork, CCLC teaches MDRRC crews and provides a fundamental understanding of invasive plant species—focusing on mechanisms of growth and the unwanted spread of invasives.
“GroundWork is much more than just pulling weeds,” says Beth Ginter, executive director, CCLC. “Our training combines classroom instruction with hands-on activities and a robust field training during which we work with the crew to put their new knowledge into practice by removing invasives on a restoration site.”
Photos courtesy of MDRRC
Moving Forward
Building upon the success of last year’s pilot program, Scenic Rivers hopes that GroundWork will become part of its long-term efforts to care for conserved land. The second cohort will begin work this spring. To learn more about GroundWork, visit SRLT.org.
“Land conservation doesn’t work without actively engaging people,” Falk says. “The first step is protecting the land by working with a land trust to create a conservation easement that protects the land for perpetuity. The next step is to find ways to engage people with the conserved land. Programs like GroundWork can greatly shape the future work of land trusts—allowing us to work with a variety of populations and highlighting the importance of land conservation.”
Special thanks to Erin Valentine, development and communications director, Scenic Rivers Land Trust.
