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PRESSURES ON THE LAND 



Some areas in the watershed are farmed using very poor practices 

 resulting in loss of soil and fertility. Much worn out and eroded 

 land, particularly abandoned tobacco, land reverts with no management 

 to unused scrubland. The total land area in farms in Maryland was 

 about 5 million acres in 1900 and about 3.5 million in 1955. There 

 is a decrease in cropland at present in the Western and Northern shore 

 areas but an increase on the Eastern shore. 



There is a possibility of obtaining abandoned farm land before it 

 is developed in non-coastal areas, but there is a great demand for all 

 coastal or river shores areas. 



The Chesapeake Bay watershed is situated in the middle of a 

 rapidly developing region which is becoming very heavily populated. 

 The population of the immediate Bay area was 2.8 million people in 1960 

 and is expected to double by 1985. There will be great demand for 

 recreation areas, open green space, a desire for preservation of wildlife 

 and of unique biological or natural areas. The land and especially the 

 coastal areas are being developed for housing, commercial, boating and 

 other uses. The urban encroachment threatens the few remaining natural 

 or little disturbed areas that are of great importance for wildlife, for 

 bay fisheries and shellfish, and for preservation of unique natural areas. 

 This is particularly true of tidal wetlands, marsh areas, and islands. 



