Washington County Preserves 193-Acre Farm, Expanding Agricultural Land Conservation Efforts – LocalNews1.org
Washington County Preserves 193-Acre Farm, Expanding Agricultural Land Conservation Efforts Local.News
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Preservation of 193.61-Acre Farm in Washington County
Introduction
HAGERSTOWN, MD – The Washington County Division of Planning & Zoning announced, on April 22, 2024, with funding from Washington County and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF), a 193.61-acre farm was preserved, adding to the more than 40,000 acres of permanently preserved land in the County.
Easement Procurement
The easement was procured through a Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP) easement that was sold on a crop and dairy farm on Big Pool Road in Clear Spring. The property is a large farm with an historic house and an existing CREP easement that buffers Little Conococheague Creek which traverses the western property boundary. The procurement of this easement has helped to create a 300+ acre block of permanently preserved land in the area and will aid neighboring properties in their pursuit of permanent easements.
MALPP and Land Preservation Programs
MALPP is the County’s most prolific land preservation program, accounting for over 16,000 acres and over 39% of the permanent 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. The Hockenberry easement was part of the fiscal year 2023 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.
Other Land Preservation Programs
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.
Contact Information
For more information regarding the land preservation programs in Washington County, please reach out to Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, by phone at 240-313-2447 or via email at [email protected].
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- SDG 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
- SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 2.4: Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop rotation, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture.
- Indicator for SDG 11.4: Number of natural heritage sites protected or safeguarded.
- Indicator for SDG 15.1: Percentage of land area covered by forest.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop rotation, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. | Number of natural heritage sites protected or safeguarded. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | Percentage of land area covered by forest. |
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Fuente: localnews1.org
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