Bordering the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and the Merkle Wildlife Management area, the Riggleman parcel is home to substantial amounts of wild rice and other such vegetation that fuel the existence of the property's fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. "The acquisition of the parcel will increase the total number of protected acres on Jug Bay to over 5000 and will permanently prevent the possibility of incompatible development from compromising the integrity of the already preserved properties," Anne Arundel County officials note. The county culled funds for the purchase from the state program Open Space, local preservation programs, and a National Park Service's Land and Water Conservation Fund grant.