Upstream Alliance (UA) is diving into an inspiring new project on Maryland’s lower eastern shore, and we’re thrilled to be working with the Accohannock Indian Tribe as they reconnect with their roots, preserve cultural heritage, and create spaces where their community can gather. This project is in its planning phase as part of a Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) program, funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We will spend the next year working with the tribe, partner organizations like Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC), advisors, and contractors to create a plan for property acquisition and a conservation project.

Who are we? UA is a small but passionate environmental non-profit based out of Annapolis, MD, and we’ve always been about fostering public access and supporting clean water initiatives throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Now, we’re working with the Accohannock Indian Tribe to not only protect their heritage but also enhance environmental stewardship along the way.

For the Accohannock, reclaiming their ancestral lands is more than just getting back territory. These lands are essential for practicing traditions, strengthening community, and ensuring their autonomy. Our goal? Helping develop a strategy to acquire land that can serve as a hub for cultural events, education, and ceremonies, allowing the tribe to maintain and pass down their rich traditions in a space that truly belongs to them.

But it’s not just about the land; conservation plays a big role here too. In securing property along ecologically vital areas like marshlands, we’re not only trying to protect spaces significant to the Accohannock, but also intend to safeguard habitats for local wildlife. For instance, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, with their valuable high marsh properties, has stepped in as a key partner, and offered to help us preserve biodiversity alongside cultural heritage. Lower Shore Land Trust has also joined the effort, helping us pinpoint potential parcels with high environmental and cultural value.

A big part of what we’re aiming for is education and cultural rejuvenation. We’re envisioning an educational and cultural center that could function much like Maryland’s Smith Island Cultural Center. Picture a space where the Accohannock can host programs to share traditions, conduct hands-on workshops, and engage with younger generations in ways that deepen their cultural knowledge and connection to the land. Tribal consultants have stressed the importance of this kind of space, as cultural programs centered on land and history are vital for community resilience and rejuvenation. It’s an approach that honors the past while building strength for the future. 

As the project unfolds, we’re fully committed to building a strong foundation for the Accohannock’s future. With partners rallying behind us and invaluable input from advisors, we’re on track to create something that benefits both the tribe and the environment. By securing land, empowering tribal leadership, and providing educational opportunities, UA aims to create a model for partnership that honors history, respects tribal autonomy, and protects our shared natural world.

We recently provided IPC with an opportunity to connect with and learn about members of the Tribe during an overnight paddle last May. During this experience, they were able to listen to the needs of the Tribe and share potential ways we might assist in that work. One of the main goals of the project is to identify land that could be purchased and/or returned to the Accohannock tribe. We discovered that IPC could assist in the project by working with congregations who have land to return to the care of the Tribe. As meetings with the Tribe, IPC, and UA continue, we look forward to identifying additional intersections between our missions and work. UA is eager for IPC to continue to hear the needs of the Tribe, and work to assist as we can to meet those needs.

At the end of the day, our work with the Accohannock isn’t just about conserving land—it’s about preserving stories, traditions, and voices that have flourished on these lands for generations. And we’re grateful to play a role in ensuring these legacies endure, growing stronger for the future.

Thank you to the other supporters and partners in this work: 

Learn more about the Upstream Alliance and connect with us at an upcoming event.

Olivia Liu

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Program & Communications Director at Upstream Alliance