Frederick County Rural Legacy Program Receives State Grant

It will be used to help preserve agricultural land.
Frederick, Md (KM)  The Maryland Rural Legacy program has awarded a $1.25-million grant to Frederick County to help protect agricultural land, including the Frederick-Carrollton Manor Rural Legacy Area.

The Rural Legacy program provides funding to local jurisdictions to preserve large agricultural and forested tracts from sprawl development. That includes working with local governments, and private land trusts to acquire conservation easements, or development rights, from willing property owners.

The General Assembly appropriated approximately $17.663-million for the program run by the Department of Natural Resources.

The Maryland Rural Legacy Program saw a 70% increase in funding between fiscal years 2016 and 2017, from $10-million to $$17-million.

To date, more than 5,380 acres in Frederick County have been permanently preserved under the Maryland Rural Legacy program. Altogether, the Frederick County Agricultural Land Preservation Program has protected more than 55,000 acres of local agricultural land.

The grant from the state was approved on Wednesday, Oct. 19th by the Maryland Board of Public Works.

By Kevin McManus