The movement to preserve a patchwork of connected properties in the South River watershed, to improve river conditions downstream and to create a regional park in the center of the county, has been quietly building over a couple of years.

Last week's conference - "South River Greenway: Land, Water, People" - brought more than 75 people from various organizations together to get the ball rolling.

"Four years ago I found this trail near my house leading into the woods," Rich Mason, a member of the Greenway steering committee, told attendees at Anne Arundel Community College on Thursday. "And I walked, and walked and walked on forever. It was amazing. I wanted to find out who owns it and see if we can save it."

Since then he and others at the Scenic Rivers Land Trust and the South River Federation have been working to organize and recruit others to the cause.

"Ultimately we want to preserve land around all of the South River's headwaters," said south River Federation President Kincey Potter. "While most of the land already protected is around Bacon Ridge Branch, we are really trying to get a beach head in the North River basin."

The upper watershed of the river covers some 16,000 acres. The primary target area for initial inclusion in the Greenway covers about 6,000 acres, half of which is under some kind of protection already via public lands, county and city parks, homeowner association set-asides and BGE power line rights-of-way.

The land forms subwatersheds that feed the river's four major upland tributaries: North River, Bacon Ridge Branch, Broad Creek and Tarnans Branch.

Areas of the targeted Greenway include 2,400 acres of interior forest, beaver ponds, 15 types of wetlands, and many steep slopes. Part of it has been designated an "Important Bird Area" by the Audubon Society after 18 species of forest interior dwelling birds, including several at risk species, on site.

The long-term goal, likely years away, is to find willing property owners to put properties under some form of easement or perhaps sell their land to add to the core already protected.

Several groups are working together to implement the long-term comprehensive program that not only aims to keep the forest intact, but also repair or stabilize about 23 miles of streambeds damaged by unchecked stormwater runoff, restore and preserve habitat for fish and birds, and enhance potential light recreation in the area.

Getting the public involved, both in the greenway building process and connecting back to the land, is another primary goal.

Sparked by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Scenic Rivers Land Trust and the South River Federation have been working on the plans with help from federal, state, local and conservation organizations.

Anne Arundel County is a major partner and owns a large chunk of the land in question.

A 546-acre parcel turned over to the county from the state-owned Crownsville State Hospital property forms the core of the project. More than 400 acres on several of the properties are close to being added into the greenway, with one going to settlement next month, Recreation and Parks Director Frank Marzucco told the audience at the conference.

"It is hard to believe that this kind of property still exists in Anne Arundel County," he said. "It is hard to explain how beautiful it is."

He told of a hike taken on the forested property adjacent to the Crownsville site sitting west of Interstate 97, reveling in the quiet found there.

"I crossed the bridge over 97 and the noise was so loud we could not hear. A few minutes later down in the woods, I said 'wait a second.' All the noise had disappeared."

He announced the upcoming county budget would propose a line item for the South River Greenway land acquisition. Funding that might prove more difficult in the current economic climate.

Another partner is the Biophilia Foundation, an organization committed to advancing biodiversity on private land. Impressed with the research done on the watershed by the county and others the organization looks to get landowners involved in the effort.

"We hope to educate landowners to make them aware of the opportunities both financial, and to future generations," said Richard Pritzlaff, president of the foundation. "They can have a say in what happens to their land in the future."

Biophilia is also looking to use the South River Greenway, if is it successful, as a model for preserving land in other areas of the country.

The next steps include contacting local landowners to make them aware of the options available to them and organizing people to begin looking at stream and habitat restoration and trail improvement.

Some of that will be eased when a full-time South River Greenway coordinator is hired, which could happen soon, Mr. Mason said.

Copyright © 2008 Capital Gazette Communications, Inc. , Annapolis, Md.