HAGERSTOWN, MD — 173 acres will be preserved permanently in Washington County.
The Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning announced this week the permanent preservation of a 173.54-acre farm located on Shepherdstown Pike in Sharpsburg. The easement, brings the county’s protected land number to more than 42,000 acres.
The easement was finalized May 27th.
The announcement from Washington County government lauds the property as “a predominantly wooded tract with abundant scenic and natural features.”
It was preserved through the Rural Legacy Program (RLP). “This easement not only safeguards the land’s environmental and visual value but also adds to a large, contiguous block of preserved properties in the area,” according to Washington County government. “The preservation effort strengthens the potential for neighboring properties to also pursue permanent easements.”
The Rural Legacy Program, funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is administered locally by the Land Preservation Office of the Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning, has accounted for the permanent preservation of over 9,400 acres—representing 22% of all permanently preserved land in the County.
Farm owners interested in participating in the program must submit applications by January 31 each year, with easement offers typically extended the following fall. This particular easement was part of the Fiscal Year 2024 application cycle.
“The Rural Legacy Program is one of several tools Washington County uses to preserve land with agricultural, historical, and environmental significance. Other key programs include the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPF), the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the County’s Installment Purchase Program (IPP), local forest conservation easements, and federal programs such as the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and Federal Scenic Easements,” says the announcement, adding that Washington County also works with various nonprofit and land trust organizations including the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), Antietam Battlefield Trust (ABT), and Mid-Maryland Land Trust (MMLT).
While most preservation funding is provided through State sources, Washington County has taken additional financial steps in recent years to strengthen and expand these programs locally.
For more information about land preservation programs in Washington County, contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or [email protected].
