Washington County Preserves 50 Acres of Farmland By way of Land Preservation Program

HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 5, 2025) – The Washington County Division of Planning & Zoning is proud to announce the current preservation of a 50-acre farm in Williamsport, bringing the County nearer to attaining practically 43,000 acres of completely preserved land.

The easement, which was settled on September 16, was secured via the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) program with joint funding from each the County and the State. The preserved farm, situated on Hawks Landing Lane in Williamsport, is used solely for crop and equestrian operations. This easement contributes to a rising block of hundreds of acres of completely preserved land within the space and can assist neighboring property house owners in pursuing their very own everlasting conservation easements.

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP) stays Washington County’s most prolific land preservation initiative, having preserved over 17,000 acres — practically 40% of all everlasting conservation easements within the County. The program is funded and administered on the State stage by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) via the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and regionally managed by the Land Preservation Office throughout the Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning.

MALPP offers eligible farm house owners with a chance to completely shield productive agricultural land via annual utility cycles. Applications are due by July 1 every year, with gives sometimes prolonged the next March. The not too long ago accomplished easement was a part of the Fiscal Year 2024 cycle and marks the eleventh property from that cycle to finalize the preservation course of.

Washington County’s land preservation efforts are complete and multi-faceted, encompassing a wide range of applications designed to guard agricultural, historic, scenic, and environmentally vital lands. In addition to MALPP, these applications embody:

• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) initiatives such because 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 applications such because the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and Federal Scenic Easements
• Partner-supported easements via organizations like MARBIDCO, the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), Antietam Battlefield Trust (ABT), and Mid-Maryland Land Trust (MMLT)

While State applications have historically offered the vast majority of funding for these initiatives, Washington County has taken proactive steps lately to contribute extra native funding in assist of long-term land conservation.

For extra details about Washington County’s land preservation applications, please contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or by way of electronic mail at [email protected].

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