Past Roundtable Series
FY2023 Series: Resource Planning
Conservation and Restoration Resources: Online and on the Ground
June 28, 2023
This Roundtable featured presentations from DNR’s Maryland Forest Service and Chesapeake & Coastal Service which highlighted programs and technical resources that are available to assist with the implementation of enhanced stewardship and restoration projects on protected lands. Participants also had opportunities to ask questions and visit exhibit tables to learn about the State’s conservation and restoration programs as well as educational, support and technical resources that are available.
Workshop Materials:
Succession Planning Workshop: Passing the Baton
November 30, 2022
MET and Forever Maryland collaborated on this in-person workshop that discussed an important topic in Maryland’s land trust community – succession planning. This workshop focused on succession planning and transitions for land trust staff in leadership positions. Participants heard from five Maryland land trusts and learned how they navigated their paths and transitioned to new leadership.
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FY2022 Series: Monitoring and Stewardship
Remote Monitoring
February 15, 2022 This virtual Roundtable featured the use of state-of-the-art technology for monitoring land conservation easements during COVID and beyond. Panelists shared their successes and challenges using drones as well as Lens (which uses high-definition aerial and satellite imagery) to complete site evaluations instead of traditional “boots-on-the-ground” monitoring visits.
Workshop Materials:
Beer, Brides, Brawls and Brussel Sprouts - Part 2!
November 9, 2021This virtual Land Trust Roundtable featured methods and approaches by various governmental agencies and land trusts to address the ongoing stewardship and management techniques for events, agritourism, and other economic opportunities that allow current and next generations to stay on their easement lands.
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FY2021 Series: Success Despite COVID
What's New? Updates to MET's Model Conservation Easement and Cooperative Agreement
March 9, 2021 This virtual Land Trust Roundtable formally introduce MET’s updated Model Deed of Easement; updated Cooperative Agreement and new Land Trust Toolbox.
Workshop Materials:
New Stewardship and Monitoring Challenges for Land Trusts during COVID-19
November 10, 2020This Roundtable focused on monitoring and stewardship challenges during the COVID Era. This Roundtable was MET’s first virtual meeting and was an opportunity for land trusts and conservation partners to reconnect, share experiences and discuss new and ongoing stewardship challenges.
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FY2020 Series: Trying Times
Trying Times: Conservation Easements and Federal Tax Law
October 8, 2019 This Roundtable featured an extended version of the popular Maryland Land Conservation Conference session entitled “Trying Times: Lessons to be Learned From Recent Federal Tax Cases Involving Conservation Easement Donations”. Past attendees indicated that they would be interested in an extended session discussing case law, the new substantiation regulations, how to minimize the risk of audit and litigation, and areas of recent IRS focus. The extended session provided additional opportunity to pose questions to and otherwise interact with the presenters.
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FY2019 Series: New Tools and Apps
LandLink Tools for Data Collection & Management
February 19, 2019 This Roundtable featured an update from the Conservation Innovation Center’s (CIC) on the news LandLink tools for data collection and management. This Roundtable built off previous conversations regarding CIC development and MET’s pilot of CIC’s field data collection app from KOBO (now referred to as Land Link). The workshop provided information about the monitoring toolset and its capabilities; what data is necessary to adopt the tool and expected costs associated with using the tool.
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Communications and Messaging Framework
January 25, 2019 This Roundtable featured Chesapeake Conservation Partnership’s work with Spitfire Strategies to develop a Communications and Messaging Framework to unify and tailor messaging about the values of land conservation for all partners. The workshop provided a training session from Spitfire Strategies that reviewed this custom messaging framework and then explored a draft “tool box” of various techniques for using the messaging framework in hands-on exercises with those in attendance.
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FY2018 Series: Permanence and Viability
This Land Trust Roundtable series addressed big issues around permanence and viability of easements including discussions on renewable energy development on protected and working lands; title trails; exploring ecosystem services on private lands; and other conservation topics. For more information about each Land Trust Roundtable in this series read below
Chesapeake Bay Land Change Model: Using Land Conservation BMPs as Offsets to Growth and Development Under the Bay TMDL
March 27, 2018
This Roundtable discussed new modeling that simulates future land use conditions to inform the next phase of water quality restoration through 2025 and beyond. The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss how the work of Maryland land trusts and conservation partners can figure into the latest iteration of plans to restore cleaner water across the Bay watershed.
Workshop Materials:
Exploring Ecosystem Services: Projects and Opportunities in Maryland
January 20, 2018This Roundtable discussed a variety of programs that work to enhance Maryland’s ecosystem services on private lands including: tree plantings, stream restoration, mitigation and banking activities. The workshop provided an opportunity to introduce various programs and tools from key stakeholders and provide additional information to Maryland’s conservation and planning community on how they can become more engaged in these programs.
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Ensuring Permanence through Title Trails and Good Relationships
October 17, 2017 This Roundtable discussed the importance of due diligence – those complex set of tasks that land trusts and partners must undertake for each transaction. Participants were given a case study and questions based on some of the more difficult issues land trusts face when land changes hands.
Panelists:
- Ann Jones - Baltimore County Land Trust Alliance
- Anne Bradley - Frederick County
- Michelle Cable – Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation
- Jon Chapman - Maryland Environmental Trust
- Megan D’Arcy – Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
- Cheryl Wise - Land Acquisition & Planning, DNR
Renewable Energy Development on Protected and Working Lands
July 25, 2017 This Roundtable provided an update on how state agencies and other key stakeholders are addressing requests for residential and utility scale solar electric generation on protected or working lands. Panelists discussed policies, key drivers for renewable energy development, and strategies for land trusts and communities to become more engaged.
Panelists:
- Ann Jones - Partners for Open Space
- Carol West - Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation
- Colby Ferguson - Maryland Farm Bureau
- Jon Chapman - Maryland Environmental Trust
- Stacy Schaefer - Land Acquisition & Planning, DNR
FY2017 Series: Toolsets for Stewardship Challenges
Maryland Environmental Trust’s FY2016 Land Trust Roundtable series focused on shared vision to tackle stewardship challenges around technology, volunteers, recordkeeping and monitoring. Through these series of meetings and conversations Maryland Environmental Trust developed a toolset to address these challenges.
LOCATE: A Salesforce Application for Tracking
June 27, 2017Below is the PowerPoint presentation from the June Land Trust Roundtable with BackOffice Thinking.
Chesapeake Conservancy Field Data Collection Application
February 28, 2017 Below are refresher links on the field data collection application (note: click on "TRY" once):
For more information on current or past Land Trust Roundtables, please contact Michelle Grafton, Land Trust Assistance Manager, at michelle.grafton@maryland.gov
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