ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland Board of Public Works has approved nearly $4.7 million in grants to support park improvements and land conservation efforts across seven counties, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday.
The funding, allocated through the state’s Program Open Space and Rural Legacy programs, will be used for a variety of projects, including new playgrounds, sports fields, and land preservation.
Nearly $2.9 million in Program Open Space grants will fund 10 projects. This includes the installation of new playground equipment at Cove Point Park in Calvert County and the construction of an outdoor bike playground with a pump track at Brantwood Regional Park in Cecil County. Harford County will use its share to develop two new parks—Benson Field in Fallston and Vale Road Park in Bel Air—which will feature sports fields, pickleball courts, and walking paths.
An additional $1.8 million was approved from the Rural Legacy Program for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to protect 285 acres of land in Talbot County. The conservation easement will preserve forested stream buffers, a tributary to Miles Creek, and protect the habitat of Forest Interior Dwelling Species of birds like scarlet tanagers and barred owls. The effort will also protect scenic views along public roads near the Town of Trappe.
The Board of Public Works, composed of Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman, approved the grants during its meeting on Sept. 10.
Program Open Space, established in 1969, provides funding to local governments for the acquisition and development of recreational land and facilities. The program is financed by a property transfer tax. The Rural Legacy Program, created in 1997, focuses on conserving large working landscapes and is one of the state’s key land preservation initiatives.
Photo via Maryland DNR
