HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 5, 2025) – The Washington County Division of Planning & Zoning is proud to announce the recent preservation of a 50-acre farm in Williamsport, bringing the County closer to achieving nearly 43,000 acres of permanently preserved land.
The easement, which was settled on September 16, was secured through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) program with joint funding from both the County and the State. The preserved farm, located on Hawks Landing Lane in Williamsport, is used entirely for crop and equestrian operations. This easement contributes to a growing block of thousands of acres of permanently preserved land in the area and will support neighboring property owners in pursuing their own permanent conservation easements.
The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP) remains Washington County’s most prolific land preservation initiative, having preserved over 17,000 acres — nearly 40% of all permanent conservation easements in the County. The program is funded and administered at the State level by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and locally managed by the Land Preservation Office within the Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning.
MALPP provides eligible farm owners with an opportunity to permanently protect productive agricultural land through annual application cycles. Applications are due by July 1 each year, with offers typically extended the following March. The recently completed easement was part of the Fiscal Year 2024 cycle and marks the 11th property from that cycle to finalize the preservation process.
Washington County’s land preservation efforts are comprehensive and multi-faceted, encompassing a variety of programs designed to protect agricultural, historic, scenic, and environmentally significant lands. In addition to MALPP, these programs include:
- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) initiatives such as the Rural Legacy Program, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and Program Open Space Stateside
- The County’s Installment Purchase Program (IPP)
- Local forest conservation easements
- Federal programs such as the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and Federal Scenic Easements
- Partner-supported easements through organizations like MARBIDCO, the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), Antietam Battlefield Trust (ABT), and Mid-Maryland Land Trust (MMLT)
While State programs have traditionally provided the majority of funding for these initiatives, Washington County has taken proactive steps in recent years to contribute additional local funding in support of long-term land conservation.
For more information about Washington County’s land preservation programs, please contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or via email at [email protected].
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