2024
Annual Report
Protecting the Land and Water that Matter to You
We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice
Protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay requires diversity in perspective and practice.
Our Vision
Our Vision
Our Vision
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our DEIJ Statement
DEIJ Statement
Our DEIJ Statement
What we do
Chesapeake Conservancy is the only watershed-wide organizationfocused on both land conservation and stream restoration to achieve ahealthier Chesapeake Bay. We’re using and sharing the latestgroundbreaking data and technology, including artificialintelligence, to determine where to focus conservation efforts tohave the most impact using the least resources.
Connect
Connect people to the natural, cultural and recreational opportunities of the Chesapeake watershed – including its rivers, tributaries, landscapes and historic places.
Conserve Land
Conserving 30% of the Chesapeake’s lands and waters by 2030 iscritical for climate resilience, biodiversity and water quality. Wealso strive to make these conserved lands publicly accessible.
Restore Streams
Restoring the Bay’s 100,000 small tributaries is key to restoringthe Chesapeake watershed. Our data driven and partnership approachcreates a healthier environment upstream, for a healthier ChesapeakeBay downstream.
.svg){kind=icon}
Diversify
Infuse diversity-based policies and practices in our culture that are essential for the success of Chesapeake Conservancy’s mission.
Empower with Data
Using cutting-edge technology, our Conservation Innovation Centerempowers the Chesapeake restoration movement to practice data-drivenprecision conservation—getting the right practices in the rightplaces at the r
.jpg)
Dear Supporters,
As I reflect on Fiscal Year 2024, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for all that Chesapeake Conservancy has accomplished in our mission to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Thanks to your unwavering support, we continue to ensure that the lands, waters and wildlife of this national treasure thrive for generations to come.
Together, we celebrate major milestones across the watershed in our three core focus areas: conserving land, restoring streams and empowering with data. Here are just a few standout achievements—but I invite you to explore our full annual report to see even more of the impact we’ve made together.
Conserve Land
In partnership with the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance (SMCA), Chesapeake Conservancy played a key role in the establishment of the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge—the first new national wildlife refuge in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in over 25years.
Restore Streams
Through collaboration with local conservation organizations and elected officials, we celebrated the removal of five impaired stream segments from Pennsylvania’s impaired waters list—a crucial step toward improving water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and an example of what can be achieved together.
Empower with Data
Our Conservation Innovation Center (CIC) partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to update the state’s habitat connectivity map, a critical tool that tracks changes in natural landscapes and guides conservation efforts for wildlife health and ecosystem resilience.
These achievements would not have been possible without our dedicated supporters, partners, and staff—and most importantly, you. Your belief in our mission fuels this work and makes a real, lasting impact on the Chesapeake Bay.
As we look ahead, Chesapeake Conservancy proudly celebrates its 15th anniversary and remains committed to bold action in the face of environmental challenges. We will continue to foster partnerships, drive innovation and champion conservation efforts to safeguard this extraordinary place.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your passion, generosity and commitment to conservation. Together, we are ensuring a brighter, more resilient future for the Chesapeake Bay.
With gratitude,
Stephanie Meeks
Board Chair, Chesapeake Conservancy
2024
Board of Directors
2024
Chesapeake Council
2024
Chesapeake Conservancy Staff
Moulton Park
From left to right: Mark Moulton, David Moulton, Brucie Moulton, Christopher Huvos, Emma Huvos, Greg Faxon, Barbara Moulton and Tom Helm -- Photo by Virginia Johnston
Organizational Achievements Since Our Founding
Chesapeake Conservancy is prominent among the land conservationpartners who secured appropriations totaling over $45 million fromthe Land and Water Conservation Fund during fiscal years 2015-24.These funds were used to protect over 10,000 acres of lands andwaters on national wildlife refuges, parks, forests and recreationareas across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
We remain committed to conserving 30% of the Chesapeake by 2030, andwith your continued support, we can make it!
Your gift today
Supporting our work directly supports the Chesapeake you love
More than 18 million people call the Chesapeake home and have fallen in love with its awesome landscapes and rivers. So much so that thousands of acres of open space disappear each year. We are in a race against time to conserve, protect and restore what makes the Chesapeake so special before it is too late. Thank you for supporting our work. No amount is too small or too large to help us achieve great things together.
“When we are gone, what is going to do the most good? We have made a home with nature, we’ve enjoyed it. Now it is incumbent upon us to pass those treasures on to future generations.”
– Charles and Mary Dankmeyer, members of our Seven Generations Society who have left a planned gift for Chesapeake Conservancy in their will.
Learn more about making a planned gift through your estate.
Your tax-deductible contribution of any amount is truly appreciated. Our tax ID number is 26-2271377.
2024
Highlights
October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023
Virtual Connections
Champions of the Chesapeake
Since 2014, Chesapeake Conservancy’s annual Champions of the Chesapeake awards have recognized individuals and organizations from across the region for exemplary leadership and dedication to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake’s natural systems and cultural resources.
In 2024, Chesapeake Conservancy proudly presented the Champions of the Chesapeake awards to U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, U.S. Representative John Sarbanes, Defensores de la Cuenca Co-Founder and Executive Director Abel Olivo and Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn who accepted a new position in international conservation after14 years of leadership at Chesapeake Conservancy.
Financial Report
For more detailed information on our financials and governance, visit our website.
Donors
Our sincere appreciation to the individual, foundation and corporate donors who have made our work possible. We truly appreciate your generosity.
($500-$999)
Contact us
Chesapeake Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland. We are conservation entrepreneurs. We believe that the Chesapeake is a national treasure that should be accessible for everyone and a place where wildlife can thrive. We use technology to enhance the pace and quality of conservation, and we help build parks, trails, and public access sites. Chesapeake Conservancy works in close partnership with the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management Eastern States, as well as other federal, state and local agencies, private foundations and corporations to advance conservation.
Earl Conservation Center
1212 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401