The validity of climate change is no longer up for debate. Our climate is undoubtedly changing, and there is no shortage of detrimental effects promised by this phenomenon. As stewards of the land, land trusts are uniquely predisposed to combat this emerging crisis. With the effects of climate change already beginning to manifest, it is now more important than ever that we take measures to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate. Read on to see what ACLT is doing to address climate change.
Mitigation -
Although climate change has become an inescapable reality, efforts to mitigate its effects are not in vain. Mitigation is necessary for reducing the harm promised by a changing climate, and ACLT aids these efforts in the following ways:
Preserving essential habitats: Climate change threatens all species of the earth, but species that exist in fragmented habitats are especially vulnerable to these threats. At ACLT, we strive to strengthen the resilience of the region’s species by preserving contiguous plots of land throughout the Parkers Creek and Governor’s Run watersheds. Currently, ACLT has preserved over 3,500 acres of land, all of which offer critical habitat to native species and comprise the largest wildlife hub in Calvert County. Not only is ACLT’s protected land the largest wildlife hub in the county, but it is also the only tier 1 BioNet area. As defined by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, tier 1 BioNet areas are “critically significant for biodiversity conservation.” For future land preservation efforts, ACLT seeks to identify corridors to other potential wildlife hubs in order to expand contiguous protected land and strengthen the climate resilience of the region.
Maximizing carbon sequestration and storage: Of ACLT’s 3,500+ preserved acres, over 3,000 acres are permanently protected forests, replete with diverse species and immense carbon storage and sequestration capacities. With the help of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, we know that these forests store roughly 320,000 tons of carbon and remove an additional 18,000 tons of atmospheric carbon each year. ACLT staff and volunteers regularly monitor and manage these forests to ensure that they reach Old Growth Forest status in order to maximize their carbon-removing capabilities. Furthermore, the permanent protection of these lands has prevented the emissions that would accompany not only likely deforestation for development, but also the process of development itself as well as the myriad energy inputs required to sustain a developed area.
Reducing our emissions: ACLT operates with relatively minimal greenhouse gas emissions, yet we believe every small effort to reduce emissions is necessary to effectively address climate change. To reduce our own carbon footprint, we utilize cleaner energy sources in the form of solar panels and battery-operated power tools. Double Oak Farm uses solar energy to power the electric fence that contains the one-acre regenerative farm. In 2023, ACLT installed solar panels on the Klapper Barn at Double Oak so that all of ACLT’s office energy is supplied by the sun rather than fossil fuels. Additionally, battery-powered weed whackers, lawn mowers, and chainsaws were introduced into the power tool rotation and these batteries are charged using the solar energy supplied by the panels on Klapper Barn.
