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Welcome to the Maryland Land Conservation Center, a central point of information on the web about private land protection in the state. Maryland's efforts to protect its farmland, forests, and open spaces are some of the most comprehensive in the Country.
This online Center is meant to guide users through the abundance of programs, activities, and resources at the state, local government and private land trust level to help individual landowners save their lands for future generations.
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In the words of Royce Hanson, Chair of the Maryland Environmental Trust,
"Once open space is lost to development, it's gone for good. Pressures on land resources are constant and have been chronic in Maryland for the past four decades -- well over 1.5 million acres of precious farmland now hold housing tracts and strip malls. Such sprawl has led to drastic change in our lifestyle: More traffic, less natural resources like water and open space and a vanishing way of rural life so vital to the state's unique culture. Protection of farmland is key. A working landscape is an irreplaceable cultural resource. It offers living examples of land-based traditions, rural communities and the great variety of ways of living on and working land from communities of everyday people to multi-million dollar agribusinesses. These landscapes contain some of Maryland's great historic homes, churches and other architectural treasures. Altogether -food and fiber production, land stewardship, and cultural heritage-represent values that cannot be maintained except by a working landscape. As stewards and citizens, we must strive to pass these treasures to future generations."
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Click on any of the 'tabs' below the photo at
the top of this page to see outlines of the subjects covered in each category.
If you're not sure where to start, look in the bar to the right for some
suggestions based on who you are. For a 'snap-shot' of who to contact in
your own county, click on it on the map below. The Center offers links to
many other web sites. They will appear as a new window on your screen.
Simply close the window and you will be back in the Center.
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| NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Posted: 8-1-07
Maryland Land Trust Alliance Training Session: Mission, Planning and Capacity - August 10, 2007
Read More
Posted: 8-10-06
Great news for Land Conservation!
The Congress has approved a tremendous expansion of the federal conservation tax incentive for conservation easement donations!
Read More |
| WHO ARE YOU? |
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Are you a private landowner considering protection of your own land? Take a look at the land protection decision tree at the bottom of this page for an overview of land protection options you might consider whether you intend to keep your land or not. Listen to what others like yourself have done and why in their own words. Familiarize yourself with what a conservation easement is and, depending upon whether you decide to explore donated easements or purchased easements, be sure that you have your local county contact information to keep going in the process.
Are you a staff member or volunteer at a local land trust? Perhaps you're thinking of organizing a land trust in your area. Check out the resources for local land trusts and learn about the tools available for donated and purchased easements.
Are you a land use planner interested in where and how to direct landowners to conservation opportunities? Be sure to see donated and purchased easements. Or perhaps you're interested in the public policy support for land protection included in the statewide "Smart Growth' initiatives. Check out the stats - statewide or by individual county.
Are you a professional advisor to a landowner wishing to protect their land? Follow the links under donated easements for tax benefits, copies of model conservations easements, appraisal guidelines, and lists of professionals familiar with land conservation. |
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If the size of the text is too small or too large, remember that you can adjust this for your own comfort by going to 'View' on your tool bar and then 'Text size'. |
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