More than 9.2 million acres of land across the Chesapeake Bay watershed are now permanently protected from development, according to newly released data collected through 2024. WBOC reports the figures, released by partners with the Chesapeake Bay Program, show protected lands now account for about 23 percent of the watershed’s total land area. The milestone puts the region close to a long-standing conservation benchmark. While partners are expected to fall short of the original target set under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, they’ve still achieved roughly 90 percent of the goal, conserving about 1.8 million additional acres between 2010 and 2024, a 21 percent increase, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program.