Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees, but Nature Pays Dividends in Maryland
Most people might overlook the overgrown, abandoned lot in their neighborhood. But Alec Lynde saw an opportunity. While advocating for a small state-funded park, Lynde saw firsthand how Maryland’s environmental programs could benefit his community.
Now, he and other advocates are urging their legislators to protect these programs in next year’s budget.
When Lynde first moved to College Park in 2020, he immediately noticed an underutilized property in his neighborhood and sprung to action. He asked City of College Park leadership to consider acquiring the property for a future park. His hopes weren’t too high, but then he learned about some state resources that preserve natural places.
“Once I learned about Program Open Space, I encouraged the mayor and city council to use that available state funding to purchase the property and transform it into a park,” Lynde said.
His persistence paid off. The City of College Park bought the property in 2022, and community members voted to restore it into a native ecosystem. The project is still in progress but will soon be known as Roanoke Pocket Park.
Maryland’s protected parks, however small, help clean our air and water with trees, native plants, grasses and healthy soil. Where others saw a weedy eyesore, Lynde saw a vibrant space where families can play, students can study and wildlife thrives. “It has been very rewarding to see the community come together in support of the project and get excited about the possibilities for the space,” Lynde added.
His story is just one of many ways that Maryland’s state-supported environmental programs are improving people’s lives, health and local economies.
As members of Maryland’s General Assembly weigh many tough decisions to close the state’s $1.4 billion budget deficit, it’s important for them to consider how investments in the environment are investments in Maryland’s future.
Maryland’s natural resources are some of our biggest economic engines. The state’s recreation, hunting, and fishing industries contribute back nearly $20 billion in economic impacts annually. And the agencies that protect environmental resources only make up 1.5% of the state’s entire budget. That’s an impressive return on investment.
Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget largely preserves funding for these agencies and programs that protect nature and clean water and air. Many programs, such as Program Open Space, Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund, and the Clean Water Commerce fund, inject money directly into local communities, businesses and economies. They’re not just improving our environment; they also make Maryland a great place to live.
Joanie Bradford saw this firsthand in her Crofton community.
Bradford frequently enjoys hiking along the Little Patuxent River. About 10 years ago, Anne Arundel Public Schools received funding from the 2010 Trust Fund to plant over 200 trees along the river near Crofton Woods Elementary.
Trees that grow along streambeds, known as riparian buffers, are our best defense against harmful stormwater pollution that runs into our waterways. This project was part of a larger effort by Anne Arundel County to reduce pollution from the Crofton Golf Course from entering the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay.
“The golf course is an economic driver of our area,” said Bradford. “But you can see the effects when runoff comes from the land. Everything that runs off the golf course and other development impacts us.”
Stormwater runoff is the fastest growing source of pollution in Maryland. Support from the 2010 Trust Fund, Whole Watershed Act and other state programs will be instrumental in addressing this challenge, which is only worsening with rapid development and more extreme weather from climate change.
Bradford, Lynde, and other environmental advocates in Maryland have been making their voices heard this General Assembly session to protect these vital programs.
“I was compelled to write [my legislators] in defense of Program Open Space because of the direct benefits I have seen the program provide to College Park residents,” said Lynde.
Many environmental programs were impacted last year by various cuts, fund swaps and program delays. Program Open Space and other land preservation programs received a four-year cut with no plan for repayment. While these actions were due to tremendous fiscal challenges, they cannot become the status quo. Further cuts to environmental programs could jeopardize local economies and undermine progress in Chesapeake Bay cleanup.
Marylanders rely on protected land, clean water, and fresh air. That is worth the investment.
