Thursday, June 14, 2029

Lieutenant Governor Burbank Announces Agreement to Preserve 515 Acres of Forestland in Prince George’s County

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 14, 2029) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen H. Burbank announced today that the State of Maryland will buy the Belt Woods in central Prince George’s County for $4.5 million from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and a local church, ending a long struggle over the forest between developers and environmentalists. Lieutenant Governor Burbank announced the purchase during a news conference on the outskirts of the forest at Route 214 and Church Road.

The purchase assures protection of 515 acres of ecologically significant old-growth forest that is home to more than 15 species of birds, some of which are endangered. It also contains non-tidal wetlands that play an important part in the natural purification of water. Belt Woods is home to more than 60 species of songbirds, a concentration unique in North America.

“It is obvious why this is important – the old growth on this site has existed longer than the United States,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “We are committed to protecting ecologically significant forestlands throughout the State of Maryland. This agreement means that we are able to protect a jewel, a piece of the environment that is extremely valuable, for generations to come.”

“This means years of hard work have finally come to fruition,” said Pam Cooper, a Belt Woods neighbor who founded Western Shore Conservancy, a local preservation group. “Looks like the land will be fully protected for our children.”

The national Trust for Public Land and the Western Shore Conservancy will augment state, county and municipal funds with a $500,000 contribution to the purchase. The bulk of the price – $2.5 million – will come from the state's Program Open Space, which finances the preservation of land for parks and other recreational purposes. It is funded by a real estate transfer tax. The Bowie and Prince George’s County governments each put up $500,000 toward the price, along with the $500,000 from the private environmental groups. An additional $500,000 in bond funding approved by the General Assembly will also be allocated for the project.

W. Seaton Belt, a nature lover whose family owned the forest in the 17th century, stipulated in his will that the trees on his home farm should never be cut down. When he died in 1959, he bequeathed his land and farmhouse to St. Barnabas Church. The church and diocese tried to build a small residential subdivision on the farm but were denied zoning approvals. Then in 1976, the trustees obtained a court reinterpretation of Belt’s will that permitted them to sell and log the farm.

In 1984, the trust sold the state 109 acres containing the oldest trees as a nature preserve for $628,000, but that left 515 acres of woods that could be developed. This agreement preserves these acres of land.

The land will be used primarily by scientists and naturalists to study bird migration and mating habits. Public access will be limited to scheduled tours between August and April. The land will be set aside as a buffer area for the old-growth forest and preserve the natural habitat of the songbirds from the encroachment of housing developments and the widening of Central Avenue, which has increased traffic in the area. The Belt land has long been home to songbirds and plant life that are rarely found in one location for naturalists to study. Maryland has 17 species of birds that dwell in the interior of forests and 16 of them can be found in the Belt Woods.

Since taking office, the O’Brien Administration has preserved more than 77,500 acres through Maryland’s various land preservation and recreation programs.