ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — Anne Arundel County has legally protected 47 acres of land near the Annapolis Mall, advancing local and statewide goals to preserve natural spaces.
On Monday, the county added the 47 acres to its goal of preserving 30 percent of natural land by 2030. The newly protected property is part of the Saltworks Creek Natural Area and adds to a larger 277-acre block of protected forest.
At one point, the land was slated to house a 76-townhome development project. However, the project did not advance, and the county decided to protect the land permanently.
Anne Arundel County has permanently protected 47 acres of forest near Annapolis Mall, advancing Maryland's statewide land conservation goals:
In 2024, the state of Maryland achieved its 30 by 30 land conservation goal six years ahead of the 2030 target. The Maryland the Beautiful Act enacted this goal in 2023 to conserve as much natural land in the state as possible.
Chesapeake Conservancy CEO Susan Shingledecker highlighted the urgency of the preservation.
"The county lost over 1,400 acres of tree cover to develop lands between 2013 and 2021 this is a stark reminder of how quickly these natural assets disappear without intentional action," Shingledecker said.
Officials said the project is focused on both conservation and opening the area to public access. Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman emphasized the environmental and community benefits of the newly protected area.
"Our hope is that we're not only protecting this land, protecting the water that it leads into but also having a place for people to walk the trails and I know the community has been walking the trails for some time but now it's going to be protected for perpetuity," Pittman said.
The forested land is vital to the health of the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay because it filters storm water, provides connected wildlife habitat, and builds resilience to environmental change. Officials hope people will come to walk the trails and enjoy the natural beauty of the land.
"But if people cannot see, or experience, or benefit from the beautiful park that we are building then they are not going to be as passionate about the need to conserve it," U.S. Congresswoman Sara Elfreth said.
So far, the state of Maryland has protected almost 2 million acres of land. The state is now targeting its next goal of 40 percent conservation by 2040.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
