Gregory Alvin Bowen
November 21, 1953 – February 25, 2025
Born on November 21,1953 in Prince Frederick, MD, Gregory Alvin Bowen was the second of two children to Kenneth Merton Bowen and Lucille Childs Bowen. Growing up, Greg worked on the family farm from an early age and grew to love and fiercely defend the county where he was raised. He attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland where he studied Mathematics. During his time at St. Mary’s, Greg was very involved in student life, playing lacrosse, competing in water sports, and serving as president of the Student Government Association. He graduated from St. Mary’s in 1975 and later attained a Master of Science in Urban Planning and Policy Management from the Johns Hopkins University in 1986.
Greg met his wife Tamea in the summer of 1976 while she was summering with her family in Lower Marlboro before her senior year of college. A devoted husband, loving father, and doting grandfather, Greg always prioritized his family. He had a wonderful partnership with his wife and together they created a very close-knit and dedicated family. The Bowen family traveled together, were avid viewers of independent films, sang in choirs, participated in various aspects of theater, and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Greg’s hobbies included cycling, kayaking, sailing, and gardening.
Greg was a passionate advocate of land preservation, especially in his beloved Calvert County. He had a lifelong goal of “preserving Calvert’s working landscapes and its ecological and cultural assets.” A member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Greg served as Deputy Director and subsequently Director of Calvert County Planning and Zoning over a 33 year career with the Department. While there, Greg’s colleague, Randi Vogt, introduced the idea of using Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) to direct growth away from rural land that could then be preserved. Greg’s leadership was crucial in making this program one of the most successful in the U.S. and, as of his retirement in 2011, over 23,000 acres in the County were preserved through the TDR program.
After retiring from the County, Greg began his own consulting firm, Land Stewardship Solutions (LSS), LLC. Through his work at LSS, Greg served as Director of FarmLINK for the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) which mentors new farmers and works to keep agricultural land in active production, served as Acting Regional Planner for the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, and was co-author on a number of important local foodshed and planning reports including the Somerset County, New Jersey Preservation Plan which won the state’s 2023 Smart Growth Award. He was also a member of the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission, chaired its Rural Economies Workgroup, and served on the Maryland Environmental trust Board of Directors.
In 2015, Greg began his dream job as Executive Director for the American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT), a role he continued to passionately serve in until his death. 653 acres of land were preserved at ACLT during his time as Executive Director, representing 40% of the Trust’s currently owned land. In 2021, Greg was awarded the Maryland Sustainable Growth Award in the Leadership Category from the Maryland Department of Planning.
Former ACLT board member, John Little said that “Greg spent his whole life dedicated to community and was a huge reason any of us still choose to live in Calvert County. He will be incredibly missed.” Greg’s hard work and dedication is written in the landscape of Southern Maryland.
Greg was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in the winter of 2023. After going into remission that summer, the cancer returned and was very aggressive. He cared for his mother until his passing and for his wife who battled colon cancer until she passed away in October 2024. His devotion to Calvert County and ACLT was evident as he continued going into the office and attending and participating in public hearings until the week prior to his death.
Greg was preceded in death by his wife, Tamea W. Bowen, and is survived by his mother, Lucille C. Bowen, his sister, Kay B. Thompson, his children, Emily E. Mudd and Nathan W. Bowen, and his grandchildren, Celia and Alice Meiklejohn Bowen.
A Celebration of Life is being planned in his honor. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the American Chestnut Land Trust.
Visitation
Services
No Services Available
Interment
Contributions
American Chestnut Land Trust
P.O. Box 2363
Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678
Condolences
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26 Feb 2025
8:25pm
So sorry forvyour loss. My love and prayers are with his family and many friends.
City
HUNTINGTOWN
State
MD
26 Feb 2025
9:44pm
Greg was such a very good guy. I knew him from childhood. Peace.
City
Huntingtown
State
Maryland
28 Feb 2025
7:33am
I worked with Greg for many many years and had a lot of respect for him. He was always kind and courteous even when at times we were on opposing sides. Greg’s approach to his interactions with others was always honest and caring, he had a lot of integrity. He will be missed. I am praying for comfort and care for the family.
City
Lothian
State
Md
28 Feb 2025
7:56am
One of the finest people I’ve had the pleasure to know. So very sorry to hear of your passing. Calvert County owes you a debt for preserving its ruralness. Rest in peace my friend.
City
Clements
State
MD
28 Feb 2025
12:26pm
So sorry to hear of Greg’s passing, he was a force for conservation and good urban planning. His efforts and successes will affect generations yet to come. Thank you Greg, rest in peace.
City
Benedict
State
Maryland
2 Mar 2025
8:35pm
Franklin’s eloquent words describe so well how most Calvert Coumtians felt about Greg. We were so fortunate to have his leadership for so many years of Planning and zoning. He will be missed not only for his visionary skills but also his kindness to all Shannon Ellis Masters
City
Prince Frederick
State
MD
1 Mar 2025
12:26pm
I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of my good friend Greg Bowen on Tuesday. Greg was a giant in Southern Maryland Conservation, leading the American Chestnut Land Trust, protecting thousands of acres of land, and working with me and others to establish the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge. For me, he was a mentor, and his life and work serve as an example of how to strive, persevere, and succeed in the face of the immense challenges faced by those who work to make the world a better place. Your memory is a blessing, Greg.
City
Annapolis
State
Maryland
2 Mar 2025
4:36pm
I’m in shock and saddened by Greg’s passing! A terrible loss, given his life long passion to public service and environmental protection.
He will be missed but his legacy is ingrained in Southern Maryland.
My heartfelt condolences to his family.
City
La Plata
State
MD
4 Mar 2025
6:57pm
It is with great sadness and sorrow that I send my condolences to Greg’s family and friends. I attended school with Greg from the sixth through twelfth grade and got to know him as a kind, studious and intelligent friend and classmate. I felt close to Greg as he was, along with Tom Hyde, Jimmy Dowell and Walter Wells, classmates who were tobacco farmers and we shared that common bond of hard work and the reward of seeing a crop housed to finance another year of farming. It is now a lifestyle that we tell our grandchildren about when they want to hear stories of our childhood. May you always experience fair winds and following seas…
City
Owings
State
MD
5 Mar 2025
3:54pm
I was shocked and saddened last week when I learned of Greg’s passing. One of his several leadership roles has been over the past several years serving on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Environmental Trust, the statewide land conservation trust for Maryland, and at the time of his death he was serving as Vice Chair of MET’s Board. As the Director of MET, I very much enjoyed working with Greg during his tenure on our Board. He was a mentor, friend, and overall wonderful human being. I worked extensively with Greg and other conservation partners on establishing what is his visionary plan for landscape-scale conservation in the region he loved, the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance. Maryland’s land conservation community lost one of its best last week.
City
ANNAPOLIS
State
MD
7 Mar 2025
7:57am
I am sorry to learn of the passing of Greg Bowen. He was always very approachable and helpful in his capacity in my experience with him. Clearly a quality, good man.
City
Huntingtown
State
Md
8 Mar 2025
7:51pm
Just saw the news. When I moved here 13 years ago, Greg was one of the first people I met professionally. Greg was a genuine help in getting my career started in the state. I learned a lot from chatting with him at meetings while he worked with SMADC. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this time.
City
College Park
State
MD
21 Mar 2025
8:59pm
Greg was a great guy. We got to be friends when I attended Trinity UMC and I was founding president of the Calvert Animal Welfare League and searching for the perfect site to build the Calvert Animal Adoption and Education Center. Greg located the perfect site for us to purchase- he was happy to get me happy and end the land search! He also worked with my stepfather Shewell (aka Bud) Keim to transfer TDRs from Bud’s family farm’s last 100 acres. Like Greg, we all wanted to preserve the Keim farm and forest. God bless Greg.
City
Hernando Beach
State
Florida
22 Mar 2025
10:14pm
Emily..Family..over the years you would periodically share with Pam the travels of your family and different events you and family shared together. So evident the closeness of all of you. I did not know your Dad personally, but knew his name and DOB same as mine, as you were so kind to relay a Happy Birthday to me because of the aforementioned. Emily, you are a kind, caring wonderful, intelligent human being of which both your Mom and Dad no doubt were super proud. To all of you, his loss will always be felt. Some days more or less painful, but always always keep those great memories and time you spent together at the forefront! All of you smile because this life with your mom and dad happened! Condolences to all of you and to Greg and his Wife of many many moons, Rest in Peace and keep an eye on your family! A life well lived and of giving!
City
Longs
State
South Carolina
25 Mar 2025
10:48pm
Calvert has lost a good friend and a fine, upstanding public servant in Greg; he loved the land, and did so much to keep its rural identity. Alan and I enjoyed meeting him and consulting with him on many land issues. Our condolences to his family.
City
Olympia Fields
State
Illinois
Sort Comments
So sorry forvyour loss. My love and prayers are with his family and many friends.
Greg was such a very good guy. I knew him from childhood. Peace.
I worked with Greg for many many years and had a lot of respect for him. He was always kind and courteous even when at times we were on opposing sides. Greg’s approach to his interactions with others was always honest and caring, he had a lot of integrity. He will be missed. I am praying for comfort and care for the family.
One of the finest people I’ve had the pleasure to know. So very sorry to hear of your passing. Calvert County owes you a debt for preserving its ruralness. Rest in peace my friend.
So sorry to hear of Greg’s passing, he was a force for conservation and good urban planning. His efforts and successes will affect generations yet to come. Thank you Greg, rest in peace.
Franklin’s eloquent words describe so well how most Calvert Coumtians felt about Greg. We were so fortunate to have his leadership for so many years of Planning and zoning. He will be missed not only for his visionary skills but also his kindness to all Shannon Ellis Masters
I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of my good friend Greg Bowen on Tuesday. Greg was a giant in Southern Maryland Conservation, leading the American Chestnut Land Trust, protecting thousands of acres of land, and working with me and others to establish the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge. For me, he was a mentor, and his life and work serve as an example of how to strive, persevere, and succeed in the face of the immense challenges faced by those who work to make the world a better place. Your memory is a blessing, Greg.
I’m in shock and saddened by Greg’s passing! A terrible loss, given his life long passion to public service and environmental protection.
He will be missed but his legacy is ingrained in Southern Maryland.
My heartfelt condolences to his family.
It is with great sadness and sorrow that I send my condolences to Greg’s family and friends. I attended school with Greg from the sixth through twelfth grade and got to know him as a kind, studious and intelligent friend and classmate. I felt close to Greg as he was, along with Tom Hyde, Jimmy Dowell and Walter Wells, classmates who were tobacco farmers and we shared that common bond of hard work and the reward of seeing a crop housed to finance another year of farming. It is now a lifestyle that we tell our grandchildren about when they want to hear stories of our childhood. May you always experience fair winds and following seas…
I was shocked and saddened last week when I learned of Greg’s passing. One of his several leadership roles has been over the past several years serving on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Environmental Trust, the statewide land conservation trust for Maryland, and at the time of his death he was serving as Vice Chair of MET’s Board. As the Director of MET, I very much enjoyed working with Greg during his tenure on our Board. He was a mentor, friend, and overall wonderful human being. I worked extensively with Greg and other conservation partners on establishing what is his visionary plan for landscape-scale conservation in the region he loved, the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance. Maryland’s land conservation community lost one of its best last week.
I am sorry to learn of the passing of Greg Bowen. He was always very approachable and helpful in his capacity in my experience with him. Clearly a quality, good man.
Just saw the news. When I moved here 13 years ago, Greg was one of the first people I met professionally. Greg was a genuine help in getting my career started in the state. I learned a lot from chatting with him at meetings while he worked with SMADC. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this time.
Greg was a great guy. We got to be friends when I attended Trinity UMC and I was founding president of the Calvert Animal Welfare League and searching for the perfect site to build the Calvert Animal Adoption and Education Center. Greg located the perfect site for us to purchase- he was happy to get me happy and end the land search! He also worked with my stepfather Shewell (aka Bud) Keim to transfer TDRs from Bud’s family farm’s last 100 acres. Like Greg, we all wanted to preserve the Keim farm and forest. God bless Greg.
Emily..Family..over the years you would periodically share with Pam the travels of your family and different events you and family shared together. So evident the closeness of all of you. I did not know your Dad personally, but knew his name and DOB same as mine, as you were so kind to relay a Happy Birthday to me because of the aforementioned. Emily, you are a kind, caring wonderful, intelligent human being of which both your Mom and Dad no doubt were super proud. To all of you, his loss will always be felt. Some days more or less painful, but always always keep those great memories and time you spent together at the forefront! All of you smile because this life with your mom and dad happened! Condolences to all of you and to Greg and his Wife of many many moons, Rest in Peace and keep an eye on your family! A life well lived and of giving!
Calvert has lost a good friend and a fine, upstanding public servant in Greg; he loved the land, and did so much to keep its rural identity. Alan and I enjoyed meeting him and consulting with him on many land issues. Our condolences to his family.