Help Shape the Future of Trails in Montgomery County!

March 30, 2010–Your input will help shape the future of trails, parks and recreation in Montgomery County!

The Montgomery County Department of Parks and the Montgomery County Department of Recreation invite you to participate in a focus group on trail use needs to help us effectively plan for the next 20 years. Any interested person has the opportunity to provide input into “Vision 2030”, which is a new Strategic Plan for Parks and Recreation in Montgomery County. The intent of this plan is to identify how to most effectively meet the needs of a changing community over the next 20 years in regards to parks, recreation, cultural heritage, natural spaces and trails. In order to identify these needs, we are asking for your help.

As a component of the planning process, we are conducting a series of focus groups meetings with community leaders and residents. Because we value your opinion about trail, equestrian, and bike path facilities and issues, we wanted to personally invite you to the focus group meeting.

This focus group meeting for users of both natural surface trails and hard surface trails (also known as hiker-biker trails) will be held on Tuesday April 27, 2010 from 7-8:30 p.m., in the Lounge Meeting Room of the Parkside Headquarters Building at 9500 Brunett Avenue in Silver Spring MD 20901 (see directions below). All trail users are invited to participate including walkers, runners, hikers, cyclists, mountain bikers and equestrians.

The meeting will be facilitated Jim Klein of Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, a team member from the consulting team led by GreenPlay that is developing the plan for the County. At this meeting you will be given an opportunity to provide input on the future needs for natural and hard surface trails,  parks, and recreation in Montgomery County, including discussing strengths, opportunities for improvement, key issues, potential partnerships, etc.

Please reply to this email  Vision2030@montgomeryparks.org if you would like to attend. For additional information on Vision 2030, please visit our Web site www.VisionMontgomery2030.org. For other questions please contact Tanya Schmieler 301-650-4392.

Directions to Parkside: From Colesville Rd (Rt. 29), turn west onto Sligo Creek Parkway, and then bear right onto Brunett Avenue. Take the first driveway on left and the Park Headquarters Building is at the top of the hill on the left.  The meeting room is all the way down the hall on the right.

ISHS Varsity

Say “No” to Sunday Hunting

March 18, 2010–Like trail riding on the weekends? Your safety may be in jeopardy if the Maryland state legislature passes a bill to allow hunting on Sundays from October through January. EPIC encourages you to take action on the following issue:

The Maryland state legislature is considering a bill (H.B. 1518) to allow hunting on Sundays from October through January across much of the state. The animals need a day of rest, and so do people who ride horses, hike or watch wildlife and nature without the threat of being shot.

Please make a brief, polite phone call to your state delegate(s) (click here to find your delegate’s information) and urge opposition to H.B. 1518. You can say: “As a constituent, I’m calling to ask you to oppose H.B. 1518, which would open up Sunday hunting in Maryland.” After you call, send a follow-up message.

If you’re able, please attend a hearing on the bill this Friday, March 19, at 1 pm in Room 250, House Office Building, 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Your Voice is Needed THIS WEEK on Key Land Conservation Budget Issues

March 16, 2010—The Maryland General Assembly is in the process of reviewing Governor O’Malley’s budget, including a proposed recommendation from the Dept. of Legislative Services (an arm of the General Assembly) that would delete funding for Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and repeal the statue that created MET.

The threat to eliminate MET will impact permanent protection of scenic open space, agricultural and forestlands for future generations across the State. We hope that your commitment to preserving the rural character of Montgomery County shows you the benefits provided by conservation easements. As you know, given the recession and resulting declining state revenue, this is a very difficult budget year.
Your representatives in the General Assembly need to hear from you about the importance of MET.

We need your help! The Legislature’s Budget Committees will be meeting this week to make decisions.

Please contact your representative immediately!  To identify your state representatives, click here, or contact one of the key legislators below.
Representatives will only know your views if you tell them.

•        MET is a cost effective program that complements other land conservation programs like Rural legacy and Program Open Space.
•        Without MET, the State may not meet its legal obligation to Maryland’s citizens to be a responsible steward of 1000 properties protected in perpetuity.
•        Landowners who might shy away from donating an easement to the state government have found MET an attractive option.
•        MET provides critical technical support and guidance to ensure sound land conservation for Maryland’s citizens.

The Department of Natural Resources has expressed their support of MET programs and has strongly opposed this recommendation. Secretary Griffin has formally presented this position at the recent subcommittee hearings, urging members not to approve this recommended action.

The Subcommittees that will act on the proposed recommendations are as follows:

SENATE
Senate Budget and Taxation Committee: Senate Public Safety, Transportation & Environment Subcommittee
James E. DeGrange, Sr., Chair (410) 841-3593, (301) 858-3593
Verna L. Jones, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3612, (301) 858-3612

HOUSE
House Appropriations Committee: House Transportation & the Environment Subcommittee
Tawanna P. Gaines, Chair (410) 841-3058, (301) 858-3058
Murray D. Levy, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3325, (301) 858-3325

Your input is crucial! Thanks for your support!

Beki Howey
Land Trust Assistance Coordinator
Maryland Environmental Trust
ph: 410-514-7915
rhowey@dnr.state.md.us

Big Easy Farm to Host Benefit Jumper Show

March 13, 2010–Big Easy Farm of Boyds, Maryland (located at Canterbury Farm on Bucklodge Rd.) will host a Memorial Day Jumper Show, May 29, 2010, starting at 9 a.m. Proceeds will benefit Great & Small Therapeutic Riding. 6 divisions will be offered from 18″ crossrails to 3′-3’3″ Schooling Jumpers. There is an add-back class at 2’9″, and special classes will include the 3’6″ $500 Alex Hartner Classic and a Horse Show Mom Classic (x-rails).

Download a horse show flyer here. For more information, visit www.bigeasyfarm.com.

Elimination of County Positions–3/10/10 Update

2010 Maryland Equine Census Coming Soon

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 2, 2010) ­ The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) has commissioned the United States Department of Agriculture to conduct a census of the Maryland equine population starting in May 2010. The 2010 Equine Census will be the second count in Maryland of all breeds (horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys) regardless of ownership or use.

“The first equine census eight years ago gave us an important baseline for measuring the size of our equine industry. It reinforced that horses of all kinds are remarkably important to Maryland’s agricultural sector, jobs, economy and land base,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “With the 2010 count, we will learn how the industry has changed, which can in turn help us determine what policy or economic development activities
might be needed.”

Beginning in April, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail out more than 21,000 forms to equine owners and stable
operators to collect information on Maryland’s equine industry for the 2009 calendar year. Completed forms are due by June 1.

“It is important that everyone who receives a questionnaire respond. Whether you own a single horse for your family’s recreational use or run a large
breeding or training facility, we need your input,” said Jim Steele, the chairman of the MHIB and manager of Shamrock Farm in Woodbine. “Anyone
concerned about submitting personal or financial information should know that by law, all such information is strictly confidential.”

The census is the only reliable measure of the size and economic impact of the industry for public and private decision making process. Anyone who
receives an equine census questionnaire in the mail should complete the form and return it promptly.  Anyone involved in equine activities who does not
receive a questionnaire by May 1 should call the 1-800-675-0295 (toll free) to request a questionnaire.

For more information about the Maryland Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service or the 2010 Maryland Equine Census, visit: www.marylandhorseindustry.org/census.shtml or www.nass.usda.gov/md.

EPIC strongly encourages all members to fill out the census.

Help ELCR Secure Appropriations for Land Conservation

March 9, 2010

Dear Conservation Partners,

While debate over taxes remains focused on the Senate, now is a great time to ask your Representative to help secure appropriations for land conservation.

Urge Your Representative to Sign a Letter Supporting LWCF and Forest Legacy
It is great news that President Obama sought $620 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in his Fiscal Year 2011 Budget request, an increase of $167 million over this year.  But the President’s budget request is just that – a request to Congressional appropriators – and it’s up to us to ensure that Congress feels compelled to provide that funding.

You can help by asking your Representative to sign-on to a Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Representatives Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Peter King (R-NY) seeking $425 for the Federal LWCF program, $175 million for the LWCF stateside program and $150 million for the Forest Legacy Program:

• Please call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Representative.
• Ask for the staff member who handles Natural Resource issues and urge them to sign the letter supporting increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
• Offer to email them a copy of the letter and indicate they can sign by contacting Jesse Young in Rep. Murphy’s office (5-4476) or Lauryn Schothorst in Rep. Gerlach’s office (5-4315).
• Click here to see if they signed last year’s LWCF letter (typed list on page 9) and if so, thank them when seeking their renewed support.

These programs have historically been the most significant federal sources of funding to support land conservation. LWCF funds acquisition of federal park, forest, wildlife refuge and other public lands and matches state funding for park acquisition and development.  The Forest Legacy Program provides grants to purchase conservation easements or fee acquisition on environmentally important forest lands that are threatened with conversion to non-forest uses.  Click here for talking points.

With 137 House and 46 Senate signers, last year’s letters really made a difference in securing even more funding than the President’s request.  This year’s Senate letter is expected soon and we’ll share it with you as soon as it’s available.

Senate Likely to Pass 1-Year Extension of Easement Incentive This Week
The alphabet soup of “jobs” bills volleying back and forth between the House and Senate sure can be confusing, but we wanted you to know a one-year extension of the enhanced easement incentive is in the mix and appears increasingly likely in the weeks ahead.

The conservation easement  enhanced benefits extension, along with 70 other expired provisions, such as the IRA Charitable Rollover, is included in the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act (H.R. 4213), informally known as the “second jobs bill.”  It’s widely expected this bill will pass the Senate sometime this week, but some hurdles remain.  You may recall the House passed “extenders” of expired tax provisions back in December, but they will need to vote again on the Senate version. It’s unclear whether they’ll simply accept these changes, or send back changes of their own (as happened with the first “jobs bill” last week).

We need to continue showing our Senators and Representatives how important a permanent enhanced tax incentive is for land conservation in your community.  Right now is a great time to invite them to see the work you’re doing over the upcoming recesses: March 27-April 11 and May 29-June 6.

Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) Named Interim Chair of Ways & Means
On February 26th, the House ethics committee issued a report admonishing Ways & Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) for accepting gifts of Caribbean travel.  In the tumultuous week since, Rep. Rangel agreed to temporarily relinquish his Chairmanship to California Representative Pete Stark, who, just 24 hours later, passed the gavel to Michigan Representative Sander Levin.

Last September, after years of hard work by New York land trusts, Congressman Rangel agreed to become a co-sponsor of the house easement incentives bill, H.R. 1831.*  Unfortunately, Acting Chairman Sander Levin is one of three Ways & Means Democrats who have never co-sponsored legislation to make the enhanced easement incentive permanent.  The Land Trust Alliance is working with Michigan land trusts to change his mind in the months ahead. Michigan horsemen who want to assist are encouraged to do so. Now more than ever, we need your help identifying any relationships your organization or its board members have with Rep. Levin and other senior Ways & Means Democrats. Please let Deb or Carol know of relationships that your organization may have.

3/1/10 Action Alert–Save County Equine Positions