The Chesapeake’s Conservation Legacy.

This presentation provides an  overarching view of the conservation legacy and heritage of the Chesapeake Bay region, stemming from the late 19th century to today. In contrast to western environments where conservationists began by protecting landscapes already in the public domain, the Chesapeake watershed is entirely different. At the turn of the 19th century there was very little permanently protected land in the watershed, perhaps one percent of the 64,000 square mile land mass. Today, that number stands at over twenty percent, and there is a commitment by six governors and the federal government to protect an additional two million acres by 2025. These successes are based on passionate efforts by conservationists dating back to the late nineteenth century and a continuing series of innovations at the local, state and federal levels. Together, these have created an environment that supports intensive collaboration.