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Places We Protect

Frank M. Ewing / Robinson Neck Preserve

Maryland

A prothonotary warbler perches on a tree branch. A small bright yellow bird with black eyes and gray wings.
Prothonotary warbler The Prothonotary Warbler got its name from the bright yellow robes worn by papal clerks, known as prothonotaries, in the Roman Catholic church. © Matthew Wroblewski / flickr Creative Commons CC by 2.0

A birder's delight of undisturbed waterfowl habitat and a sanctuary for bald eagles.

Overview

Description

Established in 1977 by a generous donation from Frank M. Ewing, Robinson Neck is a birder's delight. The preserve's brackish marshes are of extraordinary ecological value for wintering and nesting waterfowl, spawning fish, sediment control and nutrient production.

Many such brackish bay marshes have been drained or filled for farmland and development. Nearby upland forests provide an important buffer in the protection of these marshes and the entire Chesapeake Bay.

By protecting these habitats, we can help sustain the natural systems that are the lifeblood of the Chesapeake Bay.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Dogs are not allowed at this preserve.

Hours

Open year round, dawn to dusk.

Highlights

Nature trail, birdwatching, self-guided audio tour

Size

920 acres

Explore our work in Maryland/DC

Visit: A Birder's Delight

Established in 1977 by a generous donation from Frank M. Ewing, Robinson Neck is a birder's delight. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, osprey and marsh hawks. 

May is the best time for birdwatching, when migration is at a peak; summer brings a proliferation of flowering plants and marsh grasses; fall brings migrating birds, highlighted by warblers and puddle ducks.

This mature forest also provides ideal habitat for the federally endangered Delmarva fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus).  Fox squirrels are larger and have bushier tails than common gray squirrels. Don't be disappointed if you don't see one; they are much more elusive than our common friends.

POISON IVY ALERT : If you are highly allergic to poison ivy, we recommend that you avoid this preserve altogether.

Visiting Our Nature Preserves

Read our Preserve Guidelines to learn about permitted and prohibited uses, and ways of enjoying these spaces.

A NOTE ON HUNTING: Several TNC nature preserves in Maryland include hunting leases for deer management. Visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to find information on hunting season, licenses and access on public lands. When visiting a TNC nature preserve during hunting season, please wear blaze orange and try to avoid visiting in the early morning or evening hours when hunting is most active. For additional guidelines on how you can hike safely during the hunting season, visit the American Hiking Society.

A woman wearing a Nature Conservancy tee-shirt stands next to a sign.
Nause-Waiwash Sign Rachel Pitsenberger stands next to the land acknowlegement sign that she worked with the Nause-Waiwash tribe to create at TNC's Robinson Neck Preserve. © The Nature Conservancy
A sign includes black words typed onto the backdrop of a nature scene.
Land Acknowledgement Sign © The Nature Conservancy
× A sign includes black words typed onto the backdrop of a nature scene.
A woman postitions a cell phone on a photo platform.
Citizen Science Resilient Coasts Program Director Jackie Specht positions her phone at a photo signpost at Robinson Neck Preserve, part of a long-term photo monitoring project. © Michael Roswell

Community Science

Several community science projects at the Robinson Neck Preserve are helping to advance TNC's mission in Maryland. For example, we are working to engage visitors in documenting the impacts of sea level on the landscape by using long-term photo monitoring. The results of this project will provide visual evidence of how sea-level rise is changing coastal landscapes and will inform our future management efforts.

The ecologically diverse marshes, waters and pine forests found at the preserve are home to otters, waterfowl, spawning fish and deer. Sea-level rise is unfortunately degrading this beautiful landscape. Visitors can help us track these changes by taking and sharing photos at the preserve. Helping us document the long-term changes of this region will better inform our management efforts.

Calling All Citizen Scientists!

Sinking Cemetery

Nestled within the preserve—and flanked by encroaching marsh—a historic family cemetery dating from the early 19th century is facing a fate that is predicted to become commonplace on the Eastern Shore. Within the next 100 years, the stones will likely be underwater.

Learn More About the Historic Robson Family Cemetery
TNC Project Manager Joe Fehrer kneels in front of two tiled headstones. A man wearing a watch cap and blaze orange vest records data in a historic cemetery in the middle of a pine clearing.
A shallow pool of standing water next to two small headstone. Pine trees and low scrub stand between the old family cemetery and the open water of the Chesapeake Bay in the background.
A row of headstones. The nearest marker reads, In memory of John Robson Who departed this Life May 1805 Aged 40 years. The center of the marker has eroded away. The stone next to it is tilted back.
A gravestone is tilted to the side and half buried in the ground, covered with pine needles. The marker reads, Rosean Simmons died Nov. 17, 1831. Aged 46 Years.
Tall, widely spaced pine trees grow in rows along the edge of a creek in a wetland. The still flat water reflects the blue sky and trees. Dead snags stand in the background.
TNC Project Manager Joe Fehrer kneels in front of two tiled headstones. A man wearing a watch cap and blaze orange vest records data in a historic cemetery in the middle of a pine clearing.

Recording History: Not wanting to see the site of the Robson family cemetery completely lost to history, retired TNC Project Manager Joe Fehrer collected data for the MD Historical Trust. © Matt Kane / TNC

A shallow pool of standing water next to two small headstone. Pine trees and low scrub stand between the old family cemetery and the open water of the Chesapeake Bay in the background.

Rising Tide: Though the Robson family cemetery may be lost to ravages of time and rising waters, knowledge of the place and those buried there will be preserved. © Matt Kane / TNC

A row of headstones. The nearest marker reads, In memory of John Robson Who departed this Life May 1805 Aged 40 years. The center of the marker has eroded away. The stone next to it is tilted back.

In Memory: It’s expected that most of Robinson Neck Preserve will be lost to sea level rise, including the land on which this historic cemetery plot rests. © Matt Kane / TNC

A gravestone is tilted to the side and half buried in the ground, covered with pine needles. The marker reads, Rosean Simmons died Nov. 17, 1831. Aged 46 Years.

Preserving History: Rosean Simmons died Nov. 17, 1831. Though the cemetery may be lost to ravages of time and rising waters, knowledge of the place and those buried there will be preserved. © Matt Kane / TNC

Tall, widely spaced pine trees grow in rows along the edge of a creek in a wetland. The still flat water reflects the blue sky and trees. Dead snags stand in the background.

Climate Changes: As the preserve and other places around the Chesapeake Bay gradually transform, local communities face tough decisions about how best to preserve the region’s history. © Matt Kane / TNC

Self Guided Audio Tour

Explore Frank M. Ewing Robinson Neck Preserve with a self guided audio tour on your handheld device. It's like having a naturalist in your pocket!

Step 1: Download the Robinson Neck audio tour map (pdf). This map will help identify which audio tracks to play based on your location on the trail, so make sure to take a copy with you on your trip.

Step 2: Download and save the mp3 audio files to your handheld device. Play the corresponding track when you reach a waypoint along the trail. Listen to them all or pick & choose based on your interests!
 

Tour Stops / Audio Files (mp3)

  1. Robinson Neck Introduction
  2. Tree Clearing with Pond
  3. Wildlife at the Trail Gate
  4. Ponds on Left and Right
  5. Cattail opening
  6. Start of Boardwalk / Delmarva Fox Squirrel
  7. Bench Near Pond / Human Habitation
  8. At Post 7 / Bayberry Bush
  9. Bench View at Post 10
  10. Biodiversity at End of Trail
  11. Sika deer call

Explore Nature

Need more nature? Visit some of TNC's other preserves.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See the Complete Map