On October 19th, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved the FY2017 Rural Legacy Program grants, including $1.25 million for Frederick County’s Mid-Maryland Frederick-Carrollton Manor Rural Legacy Area.
Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides the focus and funding necessary to protect and preserve large, contiguous tracts of rich land from sprawl development. The program preserves large tracts of agricultural and forested lands by partnering with local governments and private land trust sponsors across the state who work with willing property owners to acquire conservation easements.
The Maryland legislature appropriated approximately $17.663 million for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ program. The program saw a 70 percent increase in funding between Fiscal Year 2016 ($10 million) and Fiscal Year 2017 ($17 million). Rural Legacy purchases conservation easements or fee simple interests in real property from willing property owners, based on Rural Legacy Plans that have been reviewed by the Rural Legacy Board.