On Friday, the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy and Chesapeake Conservancy announced the permanent protection of 181 acres of forests, wetlands and waterways along the Nanticoke River and Wright Creek that straddle the Maryland–Delaware line.
The deal follows more than 15 years of negotiations that began when the conservancy approached eight descendants of Henry F. Porter, the 1950 buyer of the land, to formalize a conservation easement that would outlast family inheritance disputes.
Maryland's 39‑acre parcel was purchased with Program Open Space funds and will be integrated into the Chesapeake Forest Lands network, while Delaware's 142‑acre preserve sits under an easement backed by the US Navy and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, funded through the state’s Open Space Program and the Department of Defense’s REPI initiative. The Maryland tract will be leased to a private hunting club, offering regulated recreation for the region's outdoor enthusiasts.
By linking the new preserve to adjacent Nanticoke Wildlife Area and Pete Gum Preserve, the agreement strengthens a 725,000‑acre watershed that supports Atlantic sturgeon, migratory birds and sediment‑filtering forests, thereby bolstering the health of Chesapeake Bay's critical habitats.
Chesapeake Conservancy plans to use the success of the Porter tract to pursue additional acquisitions, targeting 1,000 acres in the Mid‑Atlantic Flyway, and a joint task force will meet next month to map further corridors.