Land Preservation

Baltimore County is a national leader in land preservation. It has consistently ranked in the top 10 counties for land preserved. Building on the first easement of 34 acres in 1975, the County now has over 68,000 acres of protected farmland, waterfront, stream valleys and natural lands. This successful effort is built upon the County’s growth management program, support for the farm industry and collaboration with the land preservation community.

For additional information, please take a look at our Easement Locator to see the progress the County has made preserving agricultural and forested land. Additionally, you can learn more about our work by reading our regulations and policies and our frequently asked questions page. 

• The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) is a cooperative program with the State and County and is the main Agricultural Land Easement Program in the County.
• Baltimore County Agricultural Land Preservation Program uses innovative and collaborative funding mechanisms for land preservation in Baltimore County’s Agricultural Preservation Protection Areas.
• Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides funding to preserve large, contiguous tracts of land and to enhance natural resource, agricultural, forestry and environmental protection while supporting a sustainable land base for natural-resource-based industries.
• Maryland Environmental Trust works with landowners, local communities and citizen land trusts to protect Maryland's natural, historic and scenic resources.

The Department of Planning is currently undertaking the Coastal Rural Legacy Area (CRLA) Remapping Community Engagement Project. A community engagement meeting for residents of Baltimore County’s southeastern communities will occur on December 14, you can find registration and more information on the event page. 

Resources

• Easement Programs
  Related to various State, County and private land preservation programs.
• Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board
  Citizen input into agricultural easement and agricultural use decisions.
• Land Preservation Forms
  Used by land preservation, such as adding a tenant building, child’s lot, subdivision, etc.
• Compliance Under Easement
  Requirements for easement holders in accordance with the Deed of Conservation Easement.
• Center for Maryland Agriculture and Farm Park
  The center for the support services for agriculture and Maryland Agricultural Resource Council Inc. (MARC) that seeks to foster agriculture in the region.

Contact

Land Preservation
Phone: 410-887-3480
Email: landpres@baltimorecountymd.gov