The Chesapeake Bay has the largest land-to-water ratio of any coastal body in the world— 2,800 square meters of land to one cubic meter of water. Everything that happens on this land affects the quality of the Bay’s water. Preserving land in the watershed protects vital habitats and reduces the amount of pollutants entering Maryland’s waterways.
“How we treat the land profoundly influences the quality of the water. Thus, land-use decisions may well be the most important factor in the success or failure of our efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay.”KEEPING OUR COMMITMENT: PRESERVING LAND IN THE CHESAPEAKE WATERSHED, FEBRUARY 2001
What you can do...
- Care for and preserve the natural landscape on your land. Maintaining valuable trees, vegetation, natural shorelines, and marshes within your property ensures a higher quality environment from your own residence to the entire Chesapeake Bay.
- Consider donating or putting a conservation easement on your property to protect natural areas and receive various tax deductions.
- Become a volunteer steward with a local land trust to help preserve the land in easements.
- Support land conservation projects in your community.
