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Plans for the future.The Eastern Shore Conservation Center, set to open its doors early this September, will create a unique working home for cooperative effort among ESLC and other allied organizations and businesses committed to land conservation, environmental stewardship, and smart growth on the Delmarva Peninsula. ESLC is taking a lasting view in creating a center that lays the found-ation to promote, connect, and foster a conservation ethic amongst people of all ages and walks of life. This living model will protect and serve all of Delmarva.

P.O. Box 169

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n MD

21658-0169

Resilience Matters.

Through education, outreach, and the implementation of sound planning principles, ESLC endeavors to protect its Eastern Shore from future coastal hazards. Minimal examples of long term resilience planning for climate change, sea level rise, and extreme weather exist at the town and county levels. This is where ESLC comes in. ESLC’s strengths are in convening stakeholders, fostering dialogue, and promoting sound planning philosophies. ESLC’s Coastal Resilience Program will create capacity and leadership, foster public support and political will, and build resilience in vulnerable communities.

In the beginning.Our first preserved property was signed into easement early on December 15, 1990 by Mr. Cooper Bright. Ninety- two acres along Brannock Bay in Dorchester County, Mr. Cooper’s farm was preserved to protect and to permanently maintain the dominant scenic, historic, cultural, rural, agricultural, woodland, and wetland character of the property. In the 25 years since Mr. Cooper’s easement, ESLC has conserved over 57,000 acres of farmland across the Eastern Shore. For those of you who have supported ESLC from the first 92 acres to the now 57,000—we say thank you! P.

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EASTERN SHORELAND CONSERVANCY

It began 25 years ago with a simple dream

to save the Shore.

And so, ESLC was born in early October of 1990. Taking refuge in Queenstown, ESLC founders set up shop in a small horse barn belonging to the Wye Research and Education Center along the Wye River. Weekly meetings were held at the kitchen table, where staff tackled such issues as expansion and land use planning. Within its first five years, ESLC hosted a statewide land trust conference representing 41 local, regional, and national land trusts, partnered with the Maryland Environmental Trust, and preserved over 7,000 acres of land. The rest, as it goes, is history.

“We were all working so hard, together,

all the time, to fight the good fight.”

Land. Towns. People.

1990-2015 From kitchen table staff meetings to conservation center ribbon-cuttings, ESLC has come a long way in fulfilling its mission to protect and preserve our great Eastern Shore. In pursuit of this mission to sustain our vibrant communities and the lands and waters that connect them, ESLC promotes land conservation and planning, which provide public access to open space including parks, the Chesapeake Bay, farmland, hiking trails, urban gardens, and other parts of the Eastern Shore’s rich heritage.

ESLC began as a conservation organization dedicated to protecting the Eastern Shore’s spectacular farmlands and wetlands. Our mission, though strongly rooted in land preservation, has come to encompass a wider definition of conservation. Since 1990 we have expanded our efforts to include small town advocacy

and community planning. In 2011, ESLC launched the Center for Towns, an initiative aimed at ensuring that today’s decision-makers have the tools they need to carefully maintain the spirited, sustainable small-towns of the Eastern Shore for many years to come.

Lands, towns, and people—our people. Through education and outreach, ESLC engages current

conservation and political leaders and the leaders of tomorrow in tackling issues concerning preservation, coastal resilience, and town advocacy. At the Sassafras Environmental Education Center (SEEC), ESLC aims to close the gap between children and the natural world by improving environmental literacy through interactive programming. We accomplish the same goal at our annual planning conference, only for an older audience. ESLC is, and always will be, dedicated to its people.

With that, we’d like to say a special thank you to you, our supporters. It has been an incredible 25 years and it is because of your commitment to conservation and to the principles that drive ESLC that we continue to thrive.

Thank you.

Name: _______________________________________

Address ______________________________________

_____________________________________________

City, State, Zip ________________________________

Phone _______________________________________

Email _______________________________________

Amount of Contribution _________________________

Please make checks payable to Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, or you may donate online at www.eslc.org. ESLC accepts VISA and Mastercard.

A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request by con-tacting ESLC at PO Box 169, Queenstown, MD 21658, or by calling 410-827-9756. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland un-der the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage.

Celebrating 25 years of loving the land.Your support matters.

EASTERN SHORELAND CONSERVANCY

With your help, ESLC has worked tirelessly to defend our Eastern Shore for 25 years. We’ve done it all together—from the preservation of properties, to small-town advocacy, coastal resiliency efforts, and educational outreach. All of this was made possible by you and your support. Together, let’s continue to work towards the next 25.

Please consider giving generously to this special anniversary appeal.

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