New Easement Protects 10,000 Acres in Kent County

Kent County, MD - A piece of Kent County history just got a permanent safeguard. William Troy Baisden II's Tibbalds Farm on Shallcross Neck is now protected by a 164-acre conservation easement through the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. The farm has been in the Baisden family for three generations.

The easement was made possible by Maryland DNR's Rural Legacy program, funded through Program Open Space, along with the Army's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program. Together, these programs help landowners protect farmland, forests, and wildlife habitat for the long haul.

This new easement connects to something much bigger. It joins a corridor of more than 10,000 acres of protected land in the area, all linked together thanks to ESLC and partners like the Maryland Environmental Trust and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

ESLC President & CEO Steve Kline explained why size matters so much here. "Protecting a corridor of this size preserves a degree of conservation integrity essential to wildlife movement and biodiversity," Kline said. "Habitat fragmentation is an enormous threat to wildlife species of all kinds. In this part of Kent County, thanks to willing landowners and robust conservation funding, we've achieved conservation at a scale that will have truly meaningful impact. This is 10,000 acres of conserved habitat for wildlife, 10,000 acres of protection for aquifers and waterways, 10,000 acres where farmers may be kept in community, and 10,000 acres of preservation of what makes a place, a place."

The Tibbalds Farm easement protects 103 acres of prime farmland, known for its rich soil and reliable growing conditions. It also includes 47 acres of forest that shelter birds and help protect over a mile of stream channels feeding into Freeman Creek and the Sassafras River.

Four acres of wetlands, scenic shoreline, and a historic 18th-century Georgian farmhouse round out the property.

The land has a story that goes back nearly a century. Baisden's grandfather bought the farm in 1927, drawn in by its waterfowl and waterfront. Generations since have watched herons, bald eagles, and osprey along the shoreline, and admired tulip poplars nearly four feet across.

Baisden, who is an environmental scientist, said the decision was an easy one. "It doesn't make sense for me to look after the farm forever," he said. "But a conservation easement is the best way for me to ensure what three generations of my family have cherished stays protected. I'm an environmental scientist and have had land with a conservation easement in New Zealand (where I split my time). Maryland's system for land preservation, including the role of ESLC, sets a shining example of how to do land preservation really well. I love that I've been able to take part and tell the story."

Photo Credit Drone shot - ESLC

Photo Credit: Sunset view of our new easement - Troy Baisden.