The Nature Conservancy (TNC) today announced a $1.616M grant from the Lockheed Martin Corporation to fund conservation projects in Maryland and Colorado. The funds will accelerate the deployment of nature-based solutions that strengthen community resiliency near military installations.
The Nature Conservancy in Maryland and D.C. works to protect land, restore habitats and improve water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed including the Middle Chesapeake Sentinel Landscape (MCSL), a federally designated area where conservation and national defense interests intersect. Sentinel Landscapes are designated by a coalition of federal agencies—including the Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Interior—along with state, local and private partners. Prioritizing conservation in these areas helps prevent development that would be incompatible with military readiness, while habitat restoration and nature-based solutions help improve local resilience to extreme weather and other impacts of a changing climate. TNC has protected more than 28,000 acres in the MCSL.
“Restoring the Chesapeake Bay requires working directly with farmers, landowners, community leaders and many other partners to achieve cleaner water and support thriving natural habitats. Lockheed Martin’s continued support of The Nature Conservancy’s work in the Middle Chesapeake Sentinel Landscape and the broader watershed is helping us to achieve these conservation goals,” said Kahlil Kettering, the director of the Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
The Maryland and D.C. chapter will use the funds to increase the use of regenerative agriculture practices that help improve water quality while supporting a farmer’s bottom line, as well as the restoration and protection of key wetland habitats and advocacy for policies that support climate resilience for coastal communities.
The Lockheed Martin grant helped The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, with its partners Trust for Public Lands and Palmer Land Conservancy, close on nearly 12,000 acres of the 48,000-acre Bohart Ranch near Colorado Springs. Home to five critical military bases, encroaching development threatens national defense and agricultural businesses—both of which contribute to the economic and cultural fabric of the city.
Protecting Bohart Ranch is a key component of Colorado’s Security, Open space and Agricultural Resilience Initiative, also known as SOAR, a collaborative effort designed to secure open space that supports military training and security while conserving important habitats supporting species and local communities.
“We’re grateful to Lockheed Martin for helping us support local ranchers, rural communities, open space and the remarkable biodiversity of Colorado prairies while ensuring our military installations can meet their mission of providing national security while supporting the economic vitality for the region,” said Matt Moorhead of The Nature Conservancy in Colorado’s Conservation Business and Partnership Development.
The airspace over the Bohart Ranch offers flight training areas for the U.S. Air Force Academy, and this project will protect the land’s ecological value while preserving critical flight training areas.
“Lockheed Martin supports The Nature Conservancy's efforts to use nature-based solutions and conservation practices to protect critical landscapes. The Chesapeake Bay watershed and Bohart Ranch sites are key to natural habitat preservation and for our nation’s defense landscape,” said Leo Mackay, senior vice president of ethics and enterprise assurance at Lockheed Martin. “The Nature Conservancy plays an important role in long-term environmental restoration and transformation, enhancing military preparedness while strengthening ecosystems and communities. Our engagement with The Nature Conservancy showcases Lockheed Martin’s dedication to fostering sustainability and strengthening essential infrastructure for national security.”
Since 2021, Lockheed Martin has supported coastal community resilience and habitat protection throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, including the Middle Chesapeake Sentinel Landscape, the Appalachian forest range of Pennsylvania, including the newly designated Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape, and the Gulf Coast of Florida, including the Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape.
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The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.
