Sussex County Land Trust to mark conservation of Ard Na Gréine in Lewes

The Sussex County Land Trust will celebrate the permanent preservation of Ard Na Gréine, an 88-acre Lewes family farm, on Aug. 19 and launch the property’s master planning process. (Photo courtesy of Sussex County Land Trust.)

The Sussex County Land Trust will celebrate the permanent preservation of an 88-acre Lewes family farm next month and begin the next phase of planning for the property’s future use.

The organization will host a public event on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Ard Na Gréine, located at 33916 Donovans Road in Lewes. The event will recognize the partners involved in protecting the property and officially launch the site’s master planning process.

Ard Na Gréine represents one of the Sussex County Land Trust’s largest land conservation achievements in its 25-year history. The property is one of the remaining large tracts of open space east of Route 1 in the Lewes area.

The preservation effort was made possible through a collaboration between the Miller family, Sussex County Council, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Longwood Foundation, the Greater Lewes Foundation, private donors and the Sussex County Land Trust.

The project protects farmland, natural resources and open space while creating opportunities for future public access and conservation planning.

The Aug. 19 event will include remarks from project partners and elected officials, a commemorative group photo and views of the preserved property. Interviews will be available following the program.

The Sussex County Land Trust, founded in 2001, works to preserve open space and create a network of parks and preserves throughout Sussex County that support passive recreation and environmental education.

For more information about the event, contact Sara Bluhm, executive director of the Sussex County Land Trust, at 302-386-3003 or sara@sclandtrust.org.