HAGERSTOWN, MD (July 1, 2025) – The Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning is proud to announce the permanent preservation of a 71.85-acre farm on Downsville Pike in Williamsport. Finalized on June 2, 2025, this achievement was made possible through funding from Washington County and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF).
The preservation was achieved through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP), which enables landowners to sell agricultural easements that protect productive farmland from development. The farm is a high-intensity cattle and crop operation and contributes to a large block of conserved land in the region. This easement supports neighboring landowners in their efforts to protect their farms permanently.
MALPP is Washington County’s most significant land preservation program, safeguarding nearly 17,000 acres—approximately 39% of the County’s total conserved land. The program is funded and administered by MALPF through the Maryland Department of Agriculture and locally managed by the Land Preservation Office within the Washington County Division of Planning & Zoning. Each year, local farm owners may apply to the program to protect their land, with application deadlines by July 1 and easement offers typically extended by the following March. This farm represents the seventh easement settlement in the fiscal year 2024 cycle.
Washington County’s land preservation efforts also include other programs such as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Rural Legacy Program, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Project Open Space, the County’s Installment Purchase Program (IPP), local forest conservation easements, and federal initiatives like the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP). These combined efforts reflect the County’s strong commitment to conserving its agricultural heritage and rural landscapes.
For more information about land preservation programs in Washington County, contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or [email protected].
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