Chesapeake Bay Initiative, MD

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From New York to Virginia, more than 40 major rivers link land and people to the Chesapeake Bay. How the land in the watershed is treated and cared for profoundly affects the Bay's overall health. With a land-to-water ratio higher than any estuary in the world, the 64,000 square-mile watershed drains into the shallow 4,000 square-mile Bay. The result: a delicate natural system that makes the Chesapeake Bay especially vulnerable to development and pollution.

Focusing on the top conservation priorities of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, in 2002 The Conservation Fund launched an ambitious program that seeks to protect 100,000 acres of high priority land and water within the watershed by 2010.

Project Profiles

Chester River, MD

Three miles of historic Chester River shoreline, 600 acres of unique Delmarva Bays, a 90-acre waterfowl sanctuary, and important habitat for bald eagle and endangered fox squirrel are now preserved forever under the 5,200-acre Chino Farms conservation easement—the largest in Maryland’s history. Read more>

Free Download: The State of Chesapeake Forests Executive Summary

The Conservation Fund and USDA Forest Service authored a first-of-its kind study, The State of Chesapeake Forests, which reports on the health of Chesapeake Bay forests and on the forests’ impact on the bay’s health. Read more>

Garrett Island, MD

In 2004 the Fund joined with Bass Pro Shops, Lenfest Foundation, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire the 169-acre island for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Blackwater Island National Wildlife Refuge. Read more>

Gateway to the Chesapeake

Admired by millions who cross the Bay Bridge each year, Holly Beach Farm joins Sandy Point State Park as the gateway to Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay. This 300-acre site, known for its exceptional scenic value, includes three miles of sensitive Bay shoreline that is protected thanks to a partnership of the Fund. Read more>

Potomac River, MD

One of the few remaining pockets of pristine shoreline along the Potomac River, Douglas Point is a vital link in the Chesapeake’s delicate ecosystem. Read more>

Savage River, MD

If ever a river lived up to its name, it is the Savage. Site of the 1992 World White Water Kayaking Championship, this wild mountain stream careens through Savage River State Forest in the far reaches of western Maryland to join the Potomac River on its way to the Chesapeake Bay. Read more>