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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
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Photo credit: Alijah Jones, Office of the County Executive
New acquisition leads way to major conservation efforts
Annapolis, MD – Anne Arundel County today announced the acquisition of two parcels totaling 47 acres in the Saltworks Creek watershed, allowing the county to protect this environmentally sensitive land and expand our local greenway system. Located north of Bestgate Road and east of Moran Drive, this addition will result in a 277-acre block of protected forested land.
The property will be utilized by the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks to provide residents with passive park space for wildlife observation, personal recreation, and shared use paths. Situated within the Saltworks Creek watershed—a vital tributary to the Severn River—this purchase serves as a permanent natural buffer to ensure the long-term protection of local ecosystems.
“The addition of these two parcels to our county network will provide critical environmental protections to our forests and local waterways, and will offer new opportunities for residents to get outdoors and enjoy nature,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “I want to thank all of our federal, state and local partners for working together to save this land.”
“Whether it's conserving the Severn River or Chesapeake Bay, protecting our waterways means more than just cleaning up our rivers and streams – it also means coordinating large-scale restoration efforts and ensuring public access to the outdoors for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. “Having worked closely with County Executive Pittman and local leaders on watershed restoration efforts since my time in the Maryland Senate, I’m grateful to our partners, including the Earl family, who are committed to protecting the Saltworks Creek Watershed and advancing our shared vision of accessible waterways for our neighbors. It’s through efforts like these that we can continue thinking bigger, bolder, and faster about our local conservation efforts.”
“For years, I have worked alongside County Executive Pittman and the Council to ensure Anne Arundel County’s growth is balanced by strategic, meaningful conservation,” said Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien. “This acquisition is a major step in keeping nature accessible to all county residents. I thank the advocates, neighbors, and partners who stayed the course to help protect our environment for the future.”
The 20-acre Parcel 300, known as Monticello II, was purchased with private funds by the Chesapeake Conservancy, thanks to the generosity of the Earl family. The Chesapeake Conservancy then partnered with Scenic Rivers Land Trust to place a permanent conservation easement on the property, made possible by the Anne Arundel County Forestry and Forested Land Protection Grant Program, administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The land was then gifted to the county for conservation purposes and will be called the “Earl Family Preserve.”
In 2020, communities rallied to protect this parcel from development when a project featuring 76 townhomes, an assisted living center, and 272 parking spaces was proposed. This conservation easement protects the property from the risk of any future development, permanently conserving this natural area of our county.
“This conservation success story demonstrates what is possible when science, planning, and partnership come together to protect the natural systems that sustain our communities,” said Susan Shingledecker, CEO of Chesapeake Conservancy. “Addressing forest loss in Anne Arundel County has been a priority for County Executive Steuart Pittman and his administration. Working with the Chesapeake Bay Program, the U.S. Forest Service, and other partners, we developed high-resolution land cover data showing that the county lost a net of 1,467 acres of tree cover to developed lands between 2013 and 2021. That’s why efforts like this one in the Saltworks Creek watershed are so important to support connected forests, clean water, thriving wildlife, and meaningful outdoor experiences for residents and visitors.”
“Expanding public access to protected, natural landscapes in the Annapolis area is incredibly important, especially given how limited publicly accessible green space is in and around the city,” said Josh Falk, Executive Director of Scenic Rivers Land Trust. “This conservation easement not only protects the forest and the Saltworks Creek watershed forever, it opens the door for more people to get outside and experience it.”
The adjacent 26.183-acre Parcel 668, the South Star property, was acquired through a combination of county funds, state open space funds, and Department of War Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program funds. This land is now permanently protected by a conservation easement held by the Navy. The REPI Program provides funding to military services to support cost-sharing agreements to avoid land use conflicts near military installations and ranges, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities, and increase military installation resilience. Located about a mile east of the City of Annapolis’ Waterworks Park, the county plans to extend trails from the South Shore Trail to city trails in Waterworks Park to expand regional recreational access.
"We are incredibly grateful to all the partners who worked alongside us to make this acquisition a reality. By protecting this forested critical link, we are strengthening our Green Infrastructure network for generations to come," said Jessica Leys, Director of Recreation and Parks for Anne Arundel County.
In March 2025, the Severn River was selected as one of five Maryland watersheds participating in the Whole Watershed Act, a five-year pilot program focused on accelerating restoration. While funding under the Whole Watershed Act was not used for this effort, conserving these 47 acres of forests, which drain to the Severn River, is a critical contribution to the shared vision to restore and protect the Severn River Watershed.
This acquisition is part of an ongoing implementation of the county’s Green Infrastructure Master Plan, joining recent successes such as Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park, the Looper property, and the Quiet Waters Park expansion. Through prioritizing the preservation of Saltworks Creek watershed, the County is fulfilling the vision of Plan 2040 and advancing the “30 by 30” commitment to protect 30% of county land by 2030. To further explore the county's local trails and parks, visit https://www.aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks.
