Land Preservation Resources

If you are interested in learning about other land preservation possibilities, an excellent place to start is the Maryland Land Conservation Center web site, a central point of information about land protection resources sponsored by the Maryland Environmental Trust.

Created in 1997, this Program located within the Department of Natural Resources seeks to set aside large blocks of rural lands for the protection of natural and scenic resources and the fostering of rural industries such as agriculture and forestry.

The Maryland Environmental Trust was created in 1967 to protect Maryland’s natural environment and is the State’s primary recipient of donated conservation easements. It seeks farms and forest lands, wildlife habitat, waterfront acreage, natural areas, historic sites, and valuable scenic features.

This federal-state partnership program offers landowners attractive land rental rates to take environmentally sensitive cropland out of production for 10 to 15 years and install conservation practices to protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat. It provides a one-time signing bonus of up to $1,000 an acre for new enrollments (through 2031) of riparian forest buffers, and cost-share assistance to install streamside buffers, watering systems, livestock fencing, and more. Landowners can also sell a permanent easement on their property to the State of Maryland.

The Forest Legacy Program is a federal program established under the 1990 Farm Bill which seeks to promote the long-term integrity of forest lands. Its purpose is to identify environmentally important forest lands that are threatened by present or future conversion to non-forest uses and protect them from conversion.

Maryland’s Program Open Space, within the Department of Natural Resources, is charged with helping acquire state and local parks and conservation areas, including the purchase of easements on land to protect unique historic properties (battlefields or historic structures and landscapes) or scenic vistas.

TEP is part of the Federal Surface Transportation Program. Several provisions of this legislation can provide resources to land trusts and local government to help fund projects that enhance roadsides, encourage and protect scenic byways and vistas, and protect historic landscapes and properties adjacent to State and Federal highways.

The Maryland Historical Trust, within the Maryland Department of Planning, grants easements to protect the state's valued historic structures and preserve local heritage and folklore. Eligibility stems from owning property listed on, or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or in a locally certified historic district.