47 acres in Pasadena to be permanently preserved

More than 40 acres of forest in Pasadena has been permanently preserved by a local conservation nonprofit.

Scenic Rivers Land Trust, which holds more than 3,700 acres in conservation easements across Anne Arundel County, announced today that it's protecting 47 acres of forested land in the Bodkin Creek watershed in Pasadena.

The property was originally slated to be developed with two luxury homes, said the land trust.

Scenic Rivers was able to purchase the conservation easement with $250,000 in grant funding from the Anne Arundel County Forestry and Forested Land Protection Grant Program. The total grants awarded were $303,386 (two separate grants: $175,296 & $128,090), plus $12,000 from other funding sources.

This Pasadena forest is notable for a pig nut hickory tree that qualifies as a local Champion Tree, as well as more than 800 feet of streams, and three acres of forested wetlands.

Volunteers and restoration experts will also use the grant to replace more than 3.5 acres of invasive plants with native trees/shrubs.

Scenic Rivers Executive Director Sarah Knebel said in a statement:

This project became a reality because passionate community members saw the beauty and importance of this unique forest and were ready to invest in its protection.