Wendy Stringfellow Named Forever Maryland Foundation President

Forest Hill, MD (Aug. 17, 2020) –

The Forever Maryland Foundation is proud to announce the appointment of Wendy Stringfellow as its President.  Wendy has served as the Acting Executive Director of Forever Maryland since 2019 and, in this role, she guided all aspects of the launch of this new nongovernmental organization, which was created to advance land conservation statewide in Maryland. Under Wendy’s professional leadership, Forever Maryland has positioned itself as the leading Maryland-focused public charitable organization dedicated to encouraging a broader interest in preserving and protecting the state’s cherished natural resources.

“After a thorough national search conducted by Koya Leadership Partners, the Board of Directors, by unanimous decision, is pleased to welcome Wendy Stringfellow as the President of Forever Maryland. Wendy inspires the Board members with her vision, work ethic, connections, leadership and knowledge of land conservation and the land trust community in Maryland,” said Board Chair Steve Quarles. “She’s a trailblazer who has already demonstrated the impact that Forever Maryland will have by her work with Partners for Open Space, the Maryland Land Trust Advisory Council, the Heart of Maryland Conservation Alliance, and the Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants Program.”

Wendy stated, “I am excited to be Forever Maryland’s first President and to have this opportunity to lead the Foundation’s efforts as the statewide voice and advocate for land conservation.  I look forward to supporting the efforts of Maryland’s state and local land trusts, landowners, and conservationists.”  She added, “We are rolling out innovative initiatives and programs to elevate awareness and action that ensure Maryland’s valuable land and water resources will be enjoyed for generations to come by everyone who lives and works in – and visits – our great state.”

Before joining Forever Maryland, Wendy worked for Maryland Environmental Trust for seven years overseeing development, communications and the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program. She holds a Masters degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College. She lives in Baltimore County with her family and dog Chessie and in her free time enjoys traveling, playing tennis and hiking.

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Forever Maryland Foundation, created in 2018 by leaders in the public, private, and voluntary sectors as a public charitable organization to advance land conservation in Maryland with the philanthropic support of individuals and families, foundations, and corporate sponsors as well as public sector funds. Its mission is to forge networks of diverse collaborators to provide pathways for all generations to connect with and care for the beautiful and vitally important lands and waters of Maryland that sustain healthy, vibrant, and economically resilient communities. 

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President Trump Signs Great American Outdoors Act

On Tuesday, August 4, 2020, President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law which means that $900 million will be committed each year to protecting important land, water and recreation areas that benefit all Americans through The Land and Water Conservation Fund. The law would spend about $00 million a year - double current spending - on the conservation fund and another $1.9 billion per year on improvements at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and range lands. Read more in the Washington Post.

Chesapeake Land & Water Initiative Grant

June 11, 2020

Forever Maryland Foundation in partnership with the Catoctin Land Trust received a $30,000 Chesapeake Land & Water Initiative Grant on behalf of the Heart of Maryland Conservation Alliance (HMCA), a Regional Conservation Partnership. This grant is cosponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and the Land Trust Alliance. The HMCA with assistance of the grant will accelerate conservation in Frederick and Washington counties through collaborative planning within partners’ priority preservation areas. Through three work groups—conservation, funding, and communications—the HCMA will develop a strategic plan at landscape scale. Using each county’s GIS mapping and mapping previously funded by the Land and Water Initiative, partners will identify overlap areas where partner efforts center on farmland, the Appalachian Trail, historic sites and watersheds. Then, partners will seek funding to fill the gap between conservation demand and the resources currently available to meet it. The communications group will focus on expanding public support for conservation, while the funding group will explore local philanthropy to support and sustain the Alliance. HCMA partners will also conduct outreach to landowners with existing preserved land to cultivate interest in best management practices for water quality.