The Maryland Department of Natural Resources yesterday awarded $3.8 million in state grants to four Baltimore County organizations committed to land preservation in the county.
The grants were awarded through the department’s Rural Legacy Program, which was created in 1997 in an effort to protect rural lands for environmental and agricultural purposes.
Through the program, area organizations work with landowners who are interested in protecting their lands.
There are currently five state-approved Rural Legacy areas: Coastal, Gunpowder, Long Green, Manor, and Piney Run.
The grants were awarded to support four of these areas.
The Department of Natural Resources awarded $1,271,000 to the Long Green Land Trust, $1,062,000 to the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, $1,013,208 to the Land Preservation Trust, and $498,311 to the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy and Baltimore County government.
In addition to the grants, Baltimore County yesterday announced that the county will permanently preserve a 23-acre farm in the Piney Run area.
The preservation will protect pasture and woodlands, as well as preserve the water quality of Piney Run and the view from Mt. Zion Road, which is a Baltimore County Scenic Route.
“Ensuring the permanent preservation of this farmland supports Baltimore County’s rich rural legacy for generations to come,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said in a statement.
“Our administration has made land preservation a key priority and this latest effort further supports our ongoing commitment to protecting land across Baltimore County,” he said.
Landowners in Baltimore County interested in preserving their lands can learn more here.
