None The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/District of Columbia Press Releases Search All Press Releases David Dadurka, TNC (301) 897-8570 ddadurka@tnc.org Megan Arts Evans, DNR (410) 507-7525 maevans@dnr.state.md.us

The Nature Conservancy and The Department of Natural Resources Protect More Than 800 Acres of Forest in Western Maryland

Property Links Conservancy’s Cranesville Swamp Preserve and Garrett State Forest; Forested tract includes one of the state’s highest mountain peaks

ANNAPOLIS, MD — May 23, 2007 — The State of Maryland today agreed to accept the transfer of an ecologically important 846-acre tract in Garrett County from The Nature Conservancy. This tract, known as Wilderness Ranch, secures a protected link of forested land between the Conservancy’s 1,700-acre Cranesville Swamp Preserve and Maryland’s 7,000-acre Garrett State Forest. The Conservancy purchased the Wilderness Ranch tract to assist the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in expanding Garrett State Forest.

“Maryland’s thriving landscapes play a fundamental role in defining ou

Garrett County stands in the heart of the Central Appalachians—a region identified by Conservancy scientists as globally important. While the county remains mostly forested, it faces ongoing pressure from new residential development.

“The Wilderness Ranch tract completes a critical link between state and private protected lands,” said Nat Williams, state director of the Nature Conservancy’s Maryland/DC Chapter. “By protecting this area, we are helping to maintain the quality of life for residents of Garrett County. Meanwhile, we are preserving part of Maryland’s natural heritage.”

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

The Wilderness Ranch tract serves as habitat for a range of species, both common and rare, including black bear, bobcats, timber rattlesnakes, the southern water shrew and butterflies, such as the pepper and salt skipper and the Atlantis fritillary. Snaggy Mountain, one of the state’s highest peaks at 3,069 feet, is located on the tract right along the West Virginia border.

The Nature Conservancy began protecting portions of Cranesville Swamp in 1960. The Conservancy’s Cranesville Swamp Preserve stretches across the Maryland border into West Virginia. Three miles long and from a quarter- to a half-mile wide, Cranesville Swamp is located in a “frost pocket,” an area where the surrounding hills capture moisture and cold air that conspire to create a landscape more reminiscent of habitat found much further north in Canada.

Garrett State Forest is the birthplace of forestry conservation in Maryland. The generous donation of 1,917 acres by the Garrett Brothers in 1906 serves as the foundation of the Garrett State Forest, as well as Maryland's present Public Lands system. Mountain forests, streams and valleys make up the nearly 7,000 acres of Garrett State Forest in Garrett County.

With the popular Deep Creek Lake about 15 minutes away, both Cranesville Swamp and Garrett State Forest are important ecotourism destinations in western Maryland and eastern West Virginia. Both Cranesville Swamp Preserve and Garrett State Forest are open for visitors. The two sites offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking and wildlife watching.

To learn more, visit www.nature.org or www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/garrett.html.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.