HAGERSTOWN, MD (April 28, 2025) – The Washington County Division of Planning & Zoning is proud to announce the preservation of two separate farms in March, totaling more than 365 acres, adding to the more than 42,000 acres of permanently preserved land in the County.
On March 11, 2025, a 186.5-acre cattle operation on Rocky Meadow Road in Clear Spring was preserved, and on March 28, 2025, a 178.94-acre crop farm on Lappans Road in Boonsboro was permanently protected. The easements were procured through Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP) easements. Funding for both easements was provided by Washington County and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF). Both farms feature rolling hills, scenic views, and historic structures, and their preservation strengthens a growing block of thousands of acres of permanently protected farmland in the County. These easements will also assist neighboring landowners pursuing similar conservation efforts.
MALPP is the County’s most prolific land preservation program, accounting for over 16,000 acres and 39% of the permanent land conservation easements in the County. It is funded and administered by the Maryland Dept. of Agriculture’s (MDA’s) Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and locally by the Land Preservation Office of the Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning. Each year, farm owners in the County have the ability to apply for this program which concentrates on preserving productive agricultural land in the County. This easement was part of the fiscal year 2024 cycle and was the second property of that cycle to settle an easement. Easement applications are submitted before July 1st of each year and offers are usually extended the following March.
MALPP is just one of many programs that make up the Washington County Land Preservation strategy. Other programs include the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) Rural Legacy, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and Project Open Space Stateside programs, the County’s Installment Purchase Program (IPP), local forest conservation easements, the federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and Federal Scenic Easements, as well as easements through agencies like MARBIDCO, Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), Antietam Battlefield Trust (ABT), Mid-Maryland Land Trust (MMLT) and others. While the majority of funding is generally earmarked through State funding sources, in recent years, the County itself has taken significant additional financial steps to bolster its programs.
For more information about Washington County’s land preservation programs, please contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or via email at [email protected].
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