Moving forward on his aggressive efforts to protect Maryland's natural resources, Governor Parris N. Glendening has announced that the State has completed settlement on the Chesapeake Forest Products properties, and will acquire over 58,000 acres of land on the Eastern Shore. In partnership with The Conservation Fund and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the State will pay $16.5 million for the property, which is the largest land acquisition in State history. The settlement will enable Maryland to protect some of the State's most environmentally sensitive land, including thousands of acres of wetlands and wildlife habitats.

"We have made a historic investment by acquiring these 58,000 acres on our Eastern Shore," said Governor Glendening. "By protecting this precious land, we will preserve the area's diverse natural habitats, maintain the incredible variety of plants, birds, and other wildlife, and save these ecosystems and wetlands from sprawl development. Today, we have provided a lasting gift to future generations of Marylanders."

Under the settlement, the State will immediately acquire 29,000 acres. The Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, will acquire the remaining 29,000 acres to develop a sustainable forestry plan. After completion of this plan, these acres will be given to the State and the entire 58,000 acres will be managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The settlement marks the completion of a process that began last spring, when Chesapeake Forests Products entered into a sales agreement with Hancock Timber Resource Group. Negotiations with the Conservation Fund, the State, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to preserve the land began soon after.

"Thanks to the bold commitment by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Governor Glendening's leadership and the Hancock Timber Resource Group's initiative, Marylanders now and in the future will benefit from an unprecedented land legacy," said Patrick F. Noonan, chairman of The Conservation Fund. "It is an outdoor legacy that helps protect the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, safeguards wildlife habitats, and increases opportunities for recreation. At the same time, on the land acquired by the Mellon Foundation, we will be working with a top notch team of professionals to develop a plan that can serve as a national model for long-term timber management and that will benefit the residents and communities of the Shore."

The properties are contiguous to 22 existing DNR management areas and three National Wildlife Refuges and include frontage on the Pocomoke, Nanticoke, Blackwater, Wicomico and Marshyhope rivers. The rivers and 23 watersheds drain into Tangier Sound, Pocomoke Sound, the Chesapeake Bay and coastal bays. Maintaining forest cover on lands in these watersheds will protect water quality for oyster beds, reduce nutrient loading, and protect significant amounts of wildlife habitat.

The properties contain more than 11,000 acres of pristine wetlands. The watersheds also drain into tidal waters that support the most important bay grasses for juvenile fish and crabs, as well as provide vital habitat for migratory waterfowl and significant breeding habitat for a variety of birds.

"This land has enormous value for the entire Bay system," said William C. Baker, President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "This acquisition has the potential to benefit the people of the region as it moves us toward a healthier Bay."

During the next several months, DNR will prepare an interim management plan that will guide use of the land for the next few years. This plan will focus on immediate custodial and stewardship needs, including resource assessment, access control, boundary identification, signage, and community relations. Upon full receipt of the 58,000 acres, DNR will develop a strategic long range plan for the properties.

"This plan will establish management direction to ensure continued protection of natural resources and achieve critical resource restoration," said DNR Secretary Sarah Taylor-Rogers. "In addition, we must ensure continued viability of the resource-based forestry industry, which is so critical to the health of the Eastern Shore's economy."