They’ve been at it for over 50 years, and have permanently protected over 132,000 acres on over 1,054 properties in Maryland; they co-hold the majority of donated in easements in the Heart of Maryland with land trusts like Central Maryland Heritage League, Catoctin Land Trust, and Mid Maryland Land Trust Association (and a few with Sugarloaf Countryside Conservancy). Still, in many ways, MET is the friend you hardly know. That’s the nature protecting land through conservation easements; it’s quiet, methodical, and often unheralded. MET is both a unit of Maryland DNR and governed by a private board of trustees. In addition to accepting easements, MET provides resources to land trusts and landowners, and offers easement donors the confidence that easements will be protected forever. MET was also instrumental in starting the Heart of Maryland Conservation Alliance. Learn more here and bookmark the page to revisit the sections on Resources and Tax Benefits.