Maryland Rural Legacy Program

State funding that lets land trusts and local governments buy conservation easements on large, contiguous blocks of working farms, forests and natural areas inside designated Rural Legacy Areas. There is at least one Rural Legacy Area in every county, covering more than 1.3 million acres. Landowners in those areas sell easements to the local sponsor.

• Sponsors: local governments and private land trusts that designate a Rural Legacy Area and apply annually

• Landowners: property inside a designated Rural Legacy Area, working with the area's sponsor

Perpetual conservation easements acquired by sponsors under a Grant Agreement with the Rural Legacy Board after Board of Public Works approval.

Sponsors use the Rural Legacy Program Grants Manual (Full Application for new areas; Abbreviated Application plus Property List Form for established areas) and meet with the RLP program administrator. Landowners contact the sponsor or the area administrator for their Rural Legacy Area.

Deadline text on the page: Local Sponsors must apply annually to the Rural Legacy Board for participation in the Program and to receive funding. (Landowner sales to sponsors are ongoing within designated areas.)