Conserving Our Valleys |
“Conserving Our Valleys” is a collaborative project initiated by the Maryland Environmental Trust, the Land Preservation Trust, and the Valleys Planning Council to increase the land base of permanently protected acreage in the Green Spring, Worthington , Western Run, and Belfast Valleys in Baltimore County . The initiative is a response to increased community concern over rapid development and loss of rural character and treasured open spaces. The hallmark of the initiative’s innovative tools is the conservation easement. A conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust which protects the special features of a property by restricting development. The land remains in private ownership while the land trust assures that the terms of the agreement are followed in perpetuity. It is flexible in nature and structured to meet a landowner’s financial and preservation objectives. The severe cutbacks in public funding for land conservation programs underscore the importance of donated conservation easements to conserve our remaining open spaces. |