Maryland officials have given the green light to more than $7.1 million in state grants supporting recreational improvements and environmental protection efforts spanning seven counties, including several on the Eastern Shore.
The Maryland Board of Public Works endorsed the funding package, which will benefit Allegany, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and St. Mary’s counties through various Department of Natural Resources programs.
Recreation projects received the largest portion of funding, with over $3.6 million allocated through the Program Open Space – Local initiative for four separate endeavors. Two major recreation facilities will be developed with this money: Cecil County plans to build a new recreation center at Calvert Regional Park that will include an indoor track, sports courts, and community gathering spaces. Meanwhile, Dorchester County will upgrade the Thendara Center in Hurlock with kitchen and restroom improvements, plus replacement of an outdoor shooting facility.
An additional $73,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program will fund two smaller projects. Frederick County’s Thurmont will receive $19,000 toward constructing a pedestrian bridge on the Gateway Trail, while Kent County gets $53,000 to enhance the boardwalk and install new seating at Betterton Beach. This infrastructure program was established during fiscal years 2022 and 2023 specifically to support municipal and county park development.
Environmental conservation efforts also received substantial backing, with $522,000 designated for permanent conservation easements through the Rural Legacy program covering 262 acres in St. Mary’s County. The Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust will oversee protection of two separate properties – a 57-acre agricultural site and a 205-acre wooded area – within the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area. These preserved lands will safeguard 7,800 feet of predominantly forested stream corridors serving both the Patuxent River and Potomac River watersheds.
The board additionally approved nearly $2.9 million through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program for acquiring conservation easements on 394 acres total. Queen Anne’s County will see protection of 290 combined acres that will preserve 2,500 feet of forested stream buffers along waterways feeding into Tuckahoe Creek. Kent County’s 104-acre easement, managed by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, will protect more than 9,000 feet along Tavern Creek, which flows into the Chester River.
Complete details about these approved items can be found in the Board of Public Works meeting materials from February 18, 2026. The board consists of three members: Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman.
The Program Open Space – Local component has operated since 1969 under the Department of Natural Resources, supporting county and municipal governments in planning, acquiring, and developing recreational properties and amenities. Property transfer taxes provide the program’s funding source.
Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program, launched in 1997, focuses on preserving extensive working landscapes across 36 designated areas statewide. Both this program and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation recently received national recognition from the American Farmland Trust.
The state’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program permanent easement option has operated since 2009, acquiring conservation agreements from voluntary participants that ensure continued maintenance of conservation practices beyond federal contract expiration dates.
