Maryland/DC

Crescent Preserve

The Crescent Preserve encompasses five natural areas where we are conserving rare Delmarva bays.

Butterfly at Crescent PreserveButterfly at Crescent Preserve © Gabe Cahalan

The Crescent Preserve is a collection of five natural areas, including Jackson Lane, Baltimore Corner and Persimmon Pond preserves. Each features at least one coastal plain pond, also known as Delmarva bays. These seasonally flooded freshwater wetlands are among the state's rarest natural communities.

Visiting the Preserve
The Crescent Preserve is open only for scientific research with prior permission from The Nature Conservancy because of the fragile ecology of Delmarva bays.  Thank you for your understanding and help in protecting this important part of Maryland's natural heritage.

Location
Central Eastern Shore

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site

To protect one of Maryland's rarest natural communities, Delmarva bays.

What the Conservancy Is Doing Here

  • The Crescent Preserve is a complex featuring three Conservancy preserves (Baltimore Corner, Persimmon Pond and Jackson Lane/Eaton's Pond) and two state-owned Natural Heritage conservation areas (Bridgetown Pond and Hollingsworth Pond).
  • 1,236 acres protected by the Conservancy and the state of Maryland since 1982
  • Habitat restoration: removing woody vegetation to enlarge open sunny habitat for rare plants
  • Annual monitoring of rare plants
  • Control of invasive plants that threaten seasonal ponds — volunteers welcome!
Things To Do

What to See: Plants

  • Canby's dropwort (nationally rare)
  • Harper's fimbristylis
  • Harper's sedge (nationally rare)
  • Torrey's dropseed (nationally rare)
  • reticulated nutrush
  • long-beaked baldrush

What to See: Animals

  • carpenter frog
  • pied-billed grebe
Plan Your Visit
Directions
Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

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