Conservation & Stewardship
Our Committment to Conservation
When you stay or celebrate at Piney Grove, the property’s natural beauty and unique landscape are some its most arresting features. Located in an environmentally sensitive area along the Chester River, Piney Grove is home to migratory birds and waterfowl, threatened species like quail and wild turkey, and native deer, fox, herons and more.
As a family farm for more than two centuries, conservation is essential to our stewardship of Piney Grove. We are committed to forward-looking practices that sustain native wildlife by providing habitat, forage, and wildlife corridors so we can enjoy them now, and centuries from now.
As we look to the future, Piney Grove will become even more sustainable through the installation of solar panels to provide renewable energy for the entire farm. Our shoreline, with its vital habitat for fish, crabs, and other marine species, will be stabilized with over 2000 grass and shrubs to prevent erosion and sedimentation of our waterways. Finally, our riverfront access will be enhanced through the installation of a pier and stair, so the magic of the Chester River can be enjoyed firsthand.
Recent conservation initiatives
· Over a mile of walking paths on the property provide access to our forests, fields, and riverside.
· In the field by the river, an osprey nesting platform was installed to provide critical habitat for these raptor species.
· For more than 25 years, the entire farm has been preserved by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy.
· 8 acres have been committed to the Washington College Natural Lands Program, which restores grasslands and hedgerows for small game species like quail.
· 32 acres are part of Natural Resources Conservation Service planting programs and provide food and habitat for endangered bird species.
· In 2023 we removed over 3 acres of invasive species Ailanthus, host to the Spotted Lantern Fly.
·Piney Grove planted over 800 native trees and shrubs in partnership with Shore Rivers and DNR.
