Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 06:16:18 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Saunders, Norman - BLS" Subject: Rural Legacy Funds Plea MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Attached is a letter from Dave Wilson, Outreach Coordinator of the Coastal Bays Program, to Governor Ehrlich, protesting the Governer's stated goal to zero out Program Open Space and Rural Legacy Program funding. Please consider sending a letter of your own to Governor Ehrlich. The Honorable Robert Ehrlich, Governor Office of the GovernorFebruary 25, 2004 State House 100 State Circle Annapolis, MD 21401 Dear Governor Ehrlich, This letter is to ask that you restore Program Open Space funding and fund the Rural Legacy Program to the extent possible. The Rural Legacy Program in particular has benefitted Worcester County residents by helping to protect some of the best wildlife habitat left in the entire state. This work must continue within the Coastal Bays Rural Legacy Area in order to realize goals set forth in the Coastal Bays Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The coastal bays watershed's population grew by 50 percent from 1990-2000. The watershed's population is expected to double by 2020. Still, only 10 percent of the coastal bays mainland watershed is protected compared to the rest of Maryland where 19 percent is in permanent conservation. With thousands of acres of farms in the process of being developed in the coastal bays watershed and many more lands headed toward that end, the coastal bays watershed is an area in Maryland badly in need of funds for land conservation. Historically we have lost roughly 51,000 acres of wetlands and are projected by DNR to lose 11 percent of coastal bays forests in less than two decades. According to the maps in the new policy, "Maryland's Land Conservation Programs: Protecting the Chesapeake Bay Watershed," the coastal bays watershed is in the highest or nearly highest priority in almost every category. The Newport and Chincoteague bay subwatersheds, where our Rural Legacy Area lies, are also rife with green infrastructure-- the lands targeted for conservation of contiguous parcels. The Coastal Bays Rural Legacy Area, which has been the most successful in the state, was chosen solely for wildlife and water quality purposes. With just a few more easements, we will finally connect two large green infrastructure hubs. A 650-acre forest at the head of Rowley Creek will fill a key hole in the 5,000 acres of protected land in the Rural Legacy Area along Chincoteague Bay. This year, Worcester County Commissioners have offered a 13 percent match up to $200,000 for state funds committed to the Coastal Bays Rural Legacy Area. Land conservation in Worcester has received tremendous bipartisan support. In 1998 and 2000 public surveys by the Worcester County Commissioners and in a 2001 Salisbury University study, 90 percent of randomly chosen locals said they supported local land conservation programs. They also revealed that when they knew land was being preserved they were less likely to fight against developers. As a tool for protecting the environment, land conservation is perhaps the easiest and least controversial. In the coastal bays watershed, which is undergoing serious development pressure, it is extremely popular. With such pressure in mind, we ask that you step up conservation efforts and fund the Rural Legacy Program in order to keep pace. Sincerely, Dave Blazer Executive Director cc. Senator Lowell Stoltzfus Delegate Bennett Bozman Delegate Rudolph Cane Delegate Norm Conway Worcester County Commissioner President, John Bloxom ===================================== Norman C. Saunders Program Development Research Coordinator Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, BLS Saunders_N@bls.gov 202-691-5707 (Voice) 202-691-5745 (Fax) ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================