BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ANNUAL MEETINGS.

Annual report of Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust 2023-2024

In accordance with the Agreement, for 2023-2024 the Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust consisted of eight Trustees the Business Manager and two part-time employees. Trustees from Cove Point LNG LP were Frank Brayton, and Mike Gardner. Trustees from Maryland Conservation Council (MCC) were Ralph Eshelman and Gary Ressing. Trustees from Sierra Club Maryland Chapter were Lila West and Ron Klauda. Mike Rudy and Chris Chenoweth were the two trustees elected by the organizational trustees to represent the community. The Business Manager was Bob Boxwell.

The three member organizations approved the Trust’s budget and appointed their Trustees.

Cove Point LNG LP trustees advised the board about relevant matters at the LNG plant and the natural area outside the fence.

Ruth Mathes Scholarship Fund is held as a separate account at Bernstein. The College of Southern Maryland, Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are the benefactors. The board set aside the Dominion gift of $250,000 in our account at Bernstein’s to serve as the Ruth Mathes Fund Scholarship Endowment. Fall of 2023 and Spring of 2024 saw funding for St. Mary’s College and UMCES, with $5,000 awarded.

A letter from the member groups announced the settlement of the Tree Fund effort from 2018. A check from CP LNG for over $650,000 was deposited in an interest-bearing account at the bank to be used for the preservation and planting of trees.

The Trust’s investments remained with Bernstein Wealth Management. The annual audit was performed by Askey, Askey and Associates, CPA, LLC. Financial documents are available for review upon request.

The accountant is Fernandes DeGennaro and Associates, and the bank account was with the Community Bank of the Chesapeake. They have been absorbed by Shore United Bank. We have checking, savings, and a tree fund account. We took out a company credit card which is held by the treasurer. We continue to hold short-term investment accounts with Bernstein Wealth Management to provide a better return for funds. These are drawn on to provide operating expenses as needed.

An office was maintained at the Hellen Creek Forest and Wildlife Preserve (HCFWP) located at 11785 Clifton Drive in Lusby, Maryland.

The HCFWP and house were maintained by the Business Manager and part-time staff.

The Hemlock Preserve easement was monitored in February of 2024.

The Webster Street Marsh Preserve continued to revert to marsh.

The remaining agricultural and residential lots on Turner Road were sold. CPNHT retained 50 acres of fields, woods, and the blue barn.

The following reports for 2023-2024 were submitted by the Business Manager:

Correspondence

• Maintained web site and maintained Facebook account.

• Sign-on letters with Sustainable Calvert Network on local land preservation issues.

• Communications with the U.S. Navy program REPI about the potential for assistance in purchasing 102 acres on Mill Bridge Road was put on hold until funding was available in 2024.

Meetings (all online except as noted)

• Staff attended meetings of the Friends of St. Leonard Creek.

• Staff attended meetings of the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust (PTLT).

• Staff attended meetings of the Sierra Club Southern Maryland Group.

• Staff attended meetings of the Sustainable Calvert Network (SCN).

• Staff attended meetings of the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance (SMCA).

Strategic Planning

• Investigated properties within the Patuxent watershed for preservation through county and State programs.

• Business Manager and one trustee are an active members of American Chestnut Land Trust’s (ACLT) science committee.

• Trustees and staff discussed plans for the use of our Turner Road property.

• A Capitol Improvement document was framed and the hiring of a consultant Encompass to develop plans for remodeling of office and Turner Road barn.

• Most of the effort since then has been to satisfy county requirements before appearing before the agricultural review board for their approval of our plans.

• New logo and signage.

• Five Year Plan and new Bylaws were approved by the board.

• First step towards accreditation with LTA with adoption of principles.

• Development of various best practices policy and formally adopting them.

Outreach

• Held four seasonal public outings and two workdays at HCFWP.

• Help staff Insectival at AMG.

• Sponsored the local Osprey Festival.

• Staff attended meetings as a board member of the Southern Calvert Land Trust.

• Staff attended annual meetings of SCLT and Southern Maryland Group of the Sierra Club.

• Revision of display materials and outreach effort.

• Booths at Patuxent River Appreciation Day at Calvert Marine Museum and the Osprey Festival at Drum Point.

• Staff and trustees worked to form Friends of Hellen Creek group and attended the Bernie Fowler Wade-In.

Education

• Provided programing for scout groups.

• Program for Calvert County Master Gardeners.

• Staffed two nature themed summer camps at Camp Maria in Leonardtown.

• Staff held two afterschool programs at Hollywood Elementary.

• Staff assisted with a school program at Sotterley.

Land Management

• Continued invasive plant removal efforts.

• Spring cleanup at office including yards, driveway, and shed.

• Implementation of suggested practices to reduce tree blow down and associated debris.

• Deer management hunting program at Turner Road.

• Continued biological monitoring programs for plants, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

• Maintained trails and continued clean-up of Hilltop and Hellen Creek sites.

• Monitored three properties for PTLT.

• Maintained garden at our Turner Road sign.

• State treatment of hemlocks on Hellen Creek to combat the woolly adelgid continues.

• Met with neighbor off Mill Bridge about property lines with the Hemlock Preserve.

Research

• Approved over $29,700 in funding for the following projects.

• Funded plant survey monitoring at Cove Point beach and marsh easement for RTE species.

• Funded oyster research and monitoring for the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association.

• County water monitoring program.

• Field work included the following programs.

• Assisted with and organized volunteer effort to do daytime monitoring of horseshoe crab populations.

• Monitored bluebird trail at Cove Point LNG site (see web site for reports) and one on Turner Road.

• Escorted researcher during dragonfly monitoring at Cove Point.

• Continued data collection at preserves for Breeding Bird Atlas.

• Organized and ran two Important Bird Area routes for ACLT.

• Board team began water monitoring program on Hellen Creek.

• Participated in the Calvert County Watershed Blitz.

• Took our first and second quarterly water quality measurements.

• Provided a map and observed hemlock treatment by State of Maryland on our property.

Grants and donations

• Sponsored the Osprey festival at Drum Point.

• Sponsored Envirothon.

• Provided funding and volunteer assistance for tree planting in St. Mary’s County.