User:Msines/Maryland Environmental Trust

Maryland Environmental Trust The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is a land trust that was established by statute in 1967 and was created “to conserve, improve, stimulate, and perpetuate the aesthetic, natural, health and welfare, scenic, and cultural qualities of the environment, including, but not limited to land, water, air, wildlife, scenic qualities, [and] open spaces.” Today, MET is a State-wide leader in land conservation. MET works with landowners to protect properties, primarily through donated conservation easements. Donations of conservation easements through MET potentially allow donors to take advantage of a number of local, state, and federal tax incentives.

Created as a quasi-public entity, MET is both a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and governed by a private Board of Trustees. This unique arrangement allows MET the resources and flexibility necessary to be a highly successful and trusted land conservation partner. Its programs now include Land Conservation, Monitoring and Stewardship, Local Land Trust Assistance, and the Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants Program.

MET has helped create more than 50 local land trusts that work to protect the natural resources, culture, and history of their respective corners of the State. These land trusts now partner with MET on nearly three-quarters of all of our easement projects. MET provides a variety of training events and conferences for land trusts and the Maryland land conservation community. MET also gives small grants to help land trusts grow.

References

• MD. CODE ANN., NAT. RES., §3-201

Links

Land Trust Alliance

Land Trust

External links

• http://www.dnr.state.md.us/met/
• http://www.landtrustalliance.org/