Annapolis, Md.—The Maryland Board of Public Works approved over $1.4 million in St. Mary’s County Grants and other funding on July 16, 2025, through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Community Parks and Playgrounds, and Rural Legacy programs. These St. Mary’s County Grants support land conservation, trail development, and playground enhancements across multiple counties, with a key project in St. Mary’s County focused on protecting the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area.
St. Mary’s County Grants for Conservation
In St. Mary’s County, the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust will use St. Mary’s County Grants from the Rural Legacy Program to acquire an 84-acre conservation easement in the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area. This easement will protect 2,500 feet of forested stream buffers along tributaries to Little Cat Creek, which flows into the Patuxent River, enhancing water quality and preserving critical habitats. The Rural Legacy Program, established in 1997, conserves large working landscapes across Maryland’s 36 designated areas, earning national recognition from the American Farmland Trust for its efforts.
Broader Impact of St. Mary’s County Grants and Beyond
The St. Mary’s County Grants are part of a $1.4 million package supporting projects in Charles, Frederick, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, and Worcester Counties. In Queen Anne’s County, $180,000 in Program Open Space Local funding will extend the South Island Trail by one mile, adding signs and benches. Prince George’s County received $500,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program to upgrade Parklawn Park Building Park with new playground equipment, shade structures, and trees. Frederick County’s Town of Thurmont was awarded $52,000 from the Community Parks and Playgrounds program to replace an outdated playground structure at Carroll Street Park.
Additional Rural Legacy Projects
Beyond St. Mary’s County Grants, the Rural Legacy Program allocated over $660,000 for conservation easements on three properties totaling 159 acres. In Worcester County, a 26-acre farm easement in the Bishopville-Showell Rural Legacy Area will protect agricultural land and water quality. In Charles County, a 49-acre easement in the Nanjemoy-Mattawoman Forest Rural Legacy Area will preserve wildlife habitats, woodlands, and wetlands. These St. Mary’s County Grants and other initiatives reflect Maryland’s commitment to environmental stewardship and community recreation.
Supporting Maryland’s Future
The St. Mary’s County Grants align with DNR’s mission, established in 1969 through Program Open Space, to conserve natural resources and provide outdoor recreation. Funded by a property transfer tax, these programs enhance local economies and environmental resilience. The Community Parks and Playgrounds program is accepting applications through August 20, 2025, for further park restoration projects. Details on all funded projects are available in the Board of Public Works’ July 16, 2025, meeting agenda, accessible via the Maryland DNR’s Land News webpage.
