Governor O'Malley Announces BPW Approval Of Preservation Of 363 Acres Through Rural Legacy Program

Easements in Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Carroll Counties

Annapolis, Md. (February 23, 2011) — Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works (BPW) approval to preserve 363 acres of Maryland’s landscape, including 184 acres in the Anne Arundel Rural Legacy Area, 136 acres in the Piney Run Rural Legacy Area and 44 acres in the Upper Patapsco Rural Legacy Area.

“By protecting these properties we are preserving Maryland’s heritage and working landscapes for future generations and providing important storm water runoff protection to our waterways,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.

Anne Arundel Rural Legacy Area (Anne Arundel County) – Preservation of the Campbell property will permanently protect 184 acres of agricultural and forest land and will extinguish 11 development rights. Water quality will be protected through 6,520 feet of forested and grass stream buffers along Smith Creek and John’s Creek, both tributaries of the West River.

“Acquiring the development rights on the Campbell Farm adds a critical 185-acre farm to complete a 2,160 acre contiguous block of preserved properties,” said Barbara Polito, Agricultural Program Administrator for Anne Arundel County’s Recreation and Parks. “This farm will continue to be a typical grain operation with future components in organic farming and agricultural education.”

Piney Run Rural Legacy Area (Baltimore County) – Preservation of the 136-acre Wheeler Property will extinguish seven development rights while protecting 1,800 feet of scenic road front on Mt. Carmel Road and 750 feet of scenic road front on Falls Road. Water quality will be protected through 3,000 feet of stream channel buffers along Peggy’s Run, which drains into Prettyboy Reservoir.

The property lies adjacent to a block of more than 13,000 acres conserved by the Rural Legacy Program, Maryland Environmental Trust and Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundations before joining with Gunpowder Falls State Park.

“The Wheeler farm exemplifies the multiple resources protected in the Piney Run Watershed Rural Legacy Area and contains highly productive agricultural land that contributes to the local economy,” said Ann Jones, administrator for Land Preservation Trust, Inc. “Members of the Wheeler family have owned it for more than 200 years.”

Upper Patapsco Rural Legacy Area (Carroll County) – Preservation of the 43-acre Henderson property, a livestock farm that straddles the east branch of the Patapsco River, will extinguish eight residential lots with septic systems. Water quality will be protected through 2,491 feet of stream buffers along the east branch of the Patapsco River. The property is located within a Targeted Ecological Area and a designated Stronghold Watershed.

“The Henderson farm is a unique example of property owners voluntarily placing their land into multiple conservation programs to perpetuate agricultural and natural resource uses,” said Jeff Everett, Preservation Specialist with Carroll County’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program.

Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides funding to preserve large tracts of forestry and agricultural land and natural resources, and for environmental protection while sustaining land for natural resource-based industries. Enacted by the General Assembly in 1997, Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program has to date provided over $214 million to protect 69,038 acres of valuable farmland, forests, and natural areas. The 11-member Rural Legacy Advisory Committee and the Rural Legacy Board, which is comprised of Maryland’s Agriculture, Natural Resources and Planning Secretaries, reviews grant applications annually. For additional information, visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/land/rurallegacy.

The three-member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor O’Malley (chair), Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. The BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultant contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement actions.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov