Land in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and in Anne Arundel County is a finite resource. Once a natural area such as a forest or a wetland is developed into a housing subdivision or shopping center, it is lost forever. Preserving land for use as parks, wildlife refuges and historic sites provides wildlife with the habitat they need to survive, filters pollution before it can flow to the Bay and its tributaries, and gives people a place to visit and enjoy the natural beauty of our region. 

A statewide land trust governed by a citizen board of trustees, the Maryland Environmental Trust was established in 1967 by the Maryland General Assembly to preserve privately owned farm and forest lands and significant natural resources. MET is one of the oldest and most successful land trusts in the country. It holds 1000 easements and has protected over 122,000 acres across the State. MET promotes the protection of open land through its Land Conservation Program, Monitoring and Stewardship Program and Local Land Trust Assistance Program. MET also provides grants to environmental education projects through the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program. For more information, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/met.