Envirothon &
Maryland Links
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Canon Envirothon -
Maryland 2003
Environmental Issue
Agricultural Land Conservation &
Preservation
Maryland has been in a strong period of commercial,
economic, and residential growth. This has caused Maryland to be one of the fastest
growing states in the country. At the same time, Maryland has been a leader in its efforts
to preserve agricultural farmland and the family farm. However, the issue for Maryland and
many other communities across the country is to sustain viable farmland for agricultural
production.
Through years of dedication & commitment to
farming, local Soil Conservation Districts are a key partner to soil stewardship and
natural resources conservation. In Maryland as other jurisdictions, the Maryland
Department of Agriculture, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provides
assistance to the local farming communities and Soil Conservation Districts. These
resource professionals provide farmers and landowners the technical assistance needed for
the installation of best management practices on the land. By doing so, the agriculturist
is able to conserve and protect the soil and other natural resources that is needed to
produce a quality product for the consumer.
Through the efforts of the Maryland legislature, the
Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland farming community, two major pieces of
legislation has helped the Maryland Farmer. The first one is the Maryland Agricultural
Cost Share (MACS) program and the other is the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation
Foundation (MALPF). The first program, MACS, helps the farmer with the cost of the
installation of the best management practice that is recommended to conserve the
agricultural land and the soil. The USDA, NRCS also provides cost sharing and technical
assistance or covers best management practices that MACS does not serve. The latter,
MALPF, is a mechanism where the farmer or landowner has an easement placed on their land.
The farmer is provided with monetary funds so as not to develop the property into
residential housing or other nonagricultural uses. The intent is to preserve the
agricultural farmland perpetually.
We will provide opportunities for students to
experience and gain knowledge about the management and stewardship of our natural
resources through hands-on activities, authentic assessment, and personal contacts. The
students will take home with them an understanding of how the quality of life interacts
with the quality of our natural resources and the need to conserve and preserve
agricultural farmland. |
