Tracking the progress of so many diverse land protection efforts, with different record-keeping methods, definitions, partnerships, etc. is formidable. The following chart is the result of a recent effort (December 2002) by the Department of Natural Resources to summarize the state of land developed and protected in the State of Maryland. For more up-to-date statistics, individual programs and organizations should be contacted.
CHARTS POSTED April 09, 2003
Note: That in the charts and tables below, that the amount of land protected is as of December 2002, while the amount of land developed is as of 1997.
SUMMARY OF MARYLAND'S PROTECTED LANDS
Lands Protected and Development
Acres Sub-Totals % of State
(Dry Land)
Total land area
6,208,025 100%
Total land area developed
(2000) Land Use/Land Cover MDP)
1,226,024 19.75%
Total land protected (2003)
1,186,129 19.11%

protected by Federal Govt
86,797
1.40%

protected by private land conservation groups
33,226
0.54%

protected by state and local agencies
1,066,106
17.17%
  • DNR Lands
438,776
7.07%
  • County/municipal parkland
136,929
2.21%
  • Rural Legacy Fee (state & local)
3,319
0.05%
  • Rural Legacy Easements (state & local)
35,988
0.58%
  • MALPF Easements
228,854
3.69%
  • MET Easements
75,543
1.22%
  • POS Easements
16,302
0.26%
  • DNR GreenPrint Easements
17,389
0.28%
  • MHT Easements
9,583
0.15%
  • County PDR/TDR easements
103,423
1.67%
      Sub total Easements
487,082
7.85%
Unprotected Open Space Resources
3,795,872
61.14%
    Privately owned farmland
2,142,000
34.50%
    Privately owned forest lands
2,140,954
34.49%
    (less private farm and forest lands protected by easements)
(487,082)
    (Note: approx. 1,500,000 acres of unprotected land is in Green Infrastructure)
State Goals for land preservation:
    Rural Legacy Program
200,000
    House and Senate Joint Resolutions
1,030,000
    3 x existing 343,333 acres by 2022 (HJ22/SJ10, 2002)
    Green Infrastructure
1,500,000
    Bay Agreement (20% of Md. Watershed by 2020)
1,241,605
CHARTS POSTED April 09, 2003
PROTECTED LANDS in MARYLAND - December 18, 2002
Acres % of Total % of State
Federal Land 86,797 7.3% 1.40%
Private Preserves 33,226 2.8% 0.50%
DNR Land 438,776 37.0% 7.1%
Local Parks 136,929 11.5% 2.20%
Rural Legacy Fee 3,319 0.3% 0.1%
Easement Private 487,082 41.1% 7.8%
TOTAL PROTECTED LANDS: 1,186,129 100% 19.1%
PROTECTED, UNPROTECTED AND DEVELOPED LAND IN
MARYLAND - DECEMBER 18, 2002
Protected Acres % of Total % of State
Federal Park Land 86,797 7.3% 1.4%
Private Preserves 33,226 2.8% 0.5%
DNR Land 438,766 37.0% 7.1%
Local Parks 136,929 11.5% 2.2%
Rural Legacy Fee 3,319 0.3% 0.1%
Easements Private 487,082 41.1% 7.8%
Sub total protected lands 1,177,094 103.4% 19.0%
Developed, unprotected
Developed 1,226,024 24.4% 19.7%
Unprotected Private 3,795,872 75.6% 61.1%
Sub total developed and unprotected private 5,021,896 100.0% 80.9%
TOTAL LAND AREA: 6,208,025
100.0%
Protected (for Chart 2 only) Acres % of Total % of State
Federal Park Land 86,797
1.4%
Private Preserves 33,226
0.5%
DNR Land 438,776
7.1%
Rural Legacy Fee 3,319
0.1%
Local Parks 136,929
2.2%
Easement Private 487,082
7.8%
Developed 1,226,024
19.7%
Unprotected Private 3,795,872
61.1%
Sub total protected, developed and unprotected private 6,208,214
81.0%
TOTAL LAND AREA: 6,208,025
100.0%
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