The Scenic Rivers Land Trust works with landowners and other partners to preserve natural and scenic areas in Anne Arundel County. This work is accomplished though landowner education and holding and facilitating land protection agreements. The  as the organization is unique in the Severn, South, Patuxent, Rhode and West River watersheds able to accept small private conservation easements as well as large parcels. A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently protects property through the property deed. The owner determines the amount and type of development that can take place in the future within the conservation easement deed.

The Scenic Rivers Land Trust is a private, non-profit, non-governmental body chartered in 1988 for the purpose of protecting land through voluntary methods such as conservation easements and educating landholders on issues of conservation and stewardship. The Scenic Rivers Land Trust can accept conservation easements within Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Our focus is the Severn, South, Patuxent, Rhode, and West River watersheds. We work cooperatively with the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) as an authorized MET easement agency. We are also in compliance with the Standards and Practices of the national Land Trust Alliance.

Our vision for Anne Arundel County and its people is a protected network of forests and greenways where streams run clean and wildlife thrive; tidal and non-tidal rivers abound with scenic shorelines; and sufficient acres of permanently protected natural areas exist where rainwater will be absorbed and cleaned by the soil, aquifers will be replenished, trees will clean the air, and rare and endangered species will thrive.