TOWSON, MD—The Maryland Board of Public Works has unanimously approved $27.1 million in FY2023 Rural Legacy Program grants, including $5.575 million towards five Rural Legacy Areas within Baltimore County.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Rural Legacy Program is designed to preserve large blocks of contiguous open space that are among the State’s most valuable because of the existence of a multitude of agricultural, forestry, natural and cultural resources.

“Ensuring the permanent preservation of these open spaces supports Baltimore County’s rich rural legacy for generations to come,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “Our administration has made land preservation a key priority and approval by the Maryland Board of Public Works solidifies our ongoing commitment to protecting land across Baltimore County.”

To protect these resources, the Rural Legacy Program, acting through local government or private land trust sponsors, purchases conservation easements or fee simple interests from willing property owners, based on Rural Legacy Plans that reviewed by the Rural Legacy Advisory Committee and approved by the Rural Legacy Board.

The State BPW approved the following funding for areas within Baltimore County:

• Coastal Rural Legacy Area: $2,081,689
• Gunpowder Rural Legacy Area: $235,467
• Long Green Rural Legacy Area: $994,001
• Piney Run Rural Legacy Area: $1,597,310
• Manor Rural Legacy Area: $666,611

Baltimore County’s Coastal Rural Legacy area received the most funding of any of Maryland’s 35 Rural Legacy Areas. In awarding the funding, the State cited the resiliency benefits of land preservation in coastal areas, such as maintaining riparian buffers and protecting ecosystem functions. Between August 2021 and January 2022, Baltimore County Land Preservation staff coordinated with residents of Essex, Middle River, and Dundalk communities to prioritize land preservation funds by updating the Costal Rural Legacy Area’s boundaries.

The Baltimore County Department of Planning administers the County Rural Legacy program which compliments the State program and works with area sponsors to identify projects and work with interested landowners to protect their lands through the voluntary program. In addition to these State funds, Baltimore County also funds easements and fee simple acquisitions within any of the five designated Rural Legacy Areas.

Baltimore County is a leader in land preservation with nearly 70,000 acres preserved.

Information about the Rural Legacy program, and about all of the agricultural preservation programs in the county, may be found online here.