Councilwoman Vicki Almond and Councilman Wade Kach have submitted bills concerning solar installations.  Public comment (limited to 3 minutes) will be heard at a work session on June 27 at 2 pm at 400 Washington Avenue in Towson.

 To view Mr. Kach's bill, click here.  To view Ms. Almond's bill, click here.  To view a comparison of the bills, click here.  

The Manor Conservancy supports the intelligent use of green energy alternatives.  There are many more appropriate sites for solar installations than areas containing prime and productive agricultural soils.  Please take the opportunity to make your opinions heard!

The USDA and The US Department of the Interior have named June 19-25 as National Pollinator Week.  Click  here to find out what you can do to encourage and protect pollinators in your garden.

Sunday was a perfect day for a trail ride, and 47 riders took full advantage of a beautiful day and acres of preserved land.  Bob Kinsley, master of Elkridge Harford Hunt Club, led the way.  Board member Frank Durkee organized the ride, St. James Episcopal Church allowed riders to park on their fields.  Over $650 was raised for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and Second Chances Farm, a program at Central Maryland Correctional Facility that allows prisoners to care for rescued horses.

This year's Back on My Feet Half-Marathon and Relay raised over $35,000 (30% more than last year) to support its members in their transition from homelessness.  As sponsors, The Manor Conservancy is thrilled that over 300 people participated in the race.  As community members, we're thrilled to be able to be a part of this worthy cause.

Lots of fun was had at our annual Calcutta held the night before My Lady's Manor.  Between raffles and auctions, we counted over 30 separate individuals who won something!  Thanks to all our friends and supporters who turned out!

Harriet Iglehart pays close attention to Doug Worrall's advice on horses.

The Department of Public Works will hold its ninth annual public meeting to discuss rural roads, bridges, repaving and traffic issues at the Agriculture Center, 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, 21030, on Thursday, April 27, between 5:30 and 7:30 PM. The meeting fulfills the County’s pledge to meet annually with residents interested in preserving the rural character of the County and to apprise them of infrastructure plans.

These annual public meetings evolved from the Rural Roads Standards, a citizen-government agreement, approved by the County Council, which codified standards and policies for road and bridge maintenance in rural areas.

As in the past, residents and interested parties will be able to speak one-on-one with Public Works engineers on specific, local issues, following a short introduction. The public will also be able to leave written comments. For more information, call the Director’s Office, Department of Public Works: 410 887-2171.

"Green" energy, including solar and wind, promises to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, something many people support. Maryland and its counties are determining how to site solar installations and windmills through zoning and legislation.  Baltimore County has seen three bills proposed and either vetoed or withdrawn in the last few months; council members have determined that a review period is necessary before further legislation is introduced.  Meanwhile, a state House bill that would have permitted solar installations on preserved land was withdrawn; the issue will be studied over the summer.  

It is not clear if solar installation siting will be legislated at the state level, the county level, or both.  The Manor Conservancy has been working with lawmakers, other land trusts, and community groups to develop legislation that makes sense for landowners, farmers, and residents.  We encourage you to weigh in on this topic by contacting your representatives now, as legislation is being created.

If you missed the members' meeting, you missed State Senator James Brochin's comments 

about land preservation issues across the state.  You didn't hear Vanessa Beauchamp, 

Associate Professor and plant ecologist at Towson University,  talk about riparian buffers 

and the threat that wavyleaf basketgrass poses to our area.  You missed John Canoles, 

principal at Eco-Science Professionals, Inc.,, who spoke about the importance of old fields 

as wildlife habitat.  And you didn't see H. Turney McKnight accept our Sergeant Murphy

 Award for land preservation.

     

  Vanessa Beauchamp and John Canoles           H. Turney McKnight with Henry Pitts, 

                                                                                                 president of The Manor Conservancy

Click here for a PDF of Vanessa's presentation, here for information on wavyleaf basketgrass, 

and here for a synopsis of John's talk about old fields.  Thanks to Senator Brochin, Vanessa, and 

John for helping to make this one of the best meetings ever!

The Board of Public Works approved the Department of Natural Resources recommendation to grant $1,424,674 for Fiscal Year 2017 to The Manor Conservancy.  This money will be used to acquire conservation easements to protect farmland, woodlands, and other resources in the Manor Rural Legacy area.    Many thanks to Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, and Comptroller Peter Franchot for demonstrating their commitment to land preservation in Maryland.

Join representatives from Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, Rural Legacy, Maryland Environmental Trust, Baltimore County, and private land trusts to learn about conservation easements and how everyone benefits from land preservation.  This is for all landowners who want to find out which programs are suitable for their property, and for community members who want to find out how they can help preserve land in their neighborhoods.