Bay Restoration - Land Conservation

<body> <ul> <li><a href="#molc">Methods of Land Conservation</a></li> <li><a href="#bocl">Benefits of Conserving Land</a></li> <li><a href="#wicb">What is the Chesapeake Bay Program doing?</a></li> </ul> <hr> <p>The historical landscape of the Chesapeake Bay evokes images of meandering streams, lush green forests, sweet-smelling farms and sun dappled open waters. This vision has receded in recent years, at an alarming rate: there is now compelling evidence that the entire landscape and character of the Chesapeake Bay watershed is being threatened by the effect of development. Land conservation is a key tool being used to preserve some land from development. </p> <p><img src="../images/landconserve.jpg" width="233" height="158" align="right" alt="A river flows through the forest at Susquehanna State Park">Lands important as natural, economic, cultural or historic resources are often targeted for land conservation. Land conservation includes </p> <ul> <li>County, town, city, state and federal parks</li> <li>Designated open space and recreational land</li> <li>Publicly owned ranges, forests and wetlands</li> <li>Working landscapes such as farms or forests with easements or management programs</li> <li>Historically important land such as scenic drives, battlefields, colonial towns and farms.</li> </ul> <h4><a name="molc"></a>Methods of Land Conservation</h4> <p>Land conservation is supported through federal, state, local and privately funded programs. Conservation or protection of land can be achieved through various methods: </p> <ul> <li>Fee purchase</li> <li>Easement purchase</li> <li>Easement donation</li> <li>Purchase of development rights</li> <li>Outright land donation</li> </ul> <h4><a name="bocl"></a>Benefits of Conserving Land</h4> <p>Land conservation is improving lifestyles and saving money for people and municipalities that understand its value as a resource.</p> <ul> <li>Productive forests and farms are maintained through easements and similar programs that provide alternatives to development for farmers/foresters who wish to keep their land in production.</li> <li>Residential development consistently costs more in services provided (schools, sewers, streets, water) than in taxes collected. Many municipalities have realized the high costs of residential development and purchase land for open space protection. After a number of years the land pays for itself because they municipality does not have to provide costly services.</li> <li>Land conservation provides infiltration sites for precipitation, which reduces runoff, protecting water quality, streams, and aquatic habitats.</li> <li>Biodiversity and ecosystem services are protected for community benefit.</li> <li>Close proximity to preserved land or "open space" increases real estate values.</li> <li>Recreation tourism supports community economies.</li> <li>Historic and cultural resources are protected.</li> <li>Natural lands provide free infrastructure and earth capital.</li> </ul> <h4><a name="wicb"></a>What is the Chesapeake Bay Program doing?</h4> <p>Chesapeake Bay Program partners committed to permanently preserve 20% percent of the land in the watershed from development by 2010. (Link to Preserved lands indicator) The protected lands will reflect the watershed's resource lands.</p> <p>The Bay Program partners are conducting an assessment of the resource lands in the watershed. This assessment will be used to advise future land acquisition and analyze protected lands for</p> <ul> <li>habitat value</li> <li>water quality/watershed integrity protection</li> <li>cultural value</li> <li>economic value (forest/farm production) </li> <li>vulnerability to development</li> </ul> <p>Many times, conservation of open space, forests and farms provide benefits to new developments. These cost saving benefits include natural infrastructure retention and the higher market value of homes adjacent to protected lands. To help achieve this desirable development, the Bay Program sponsors the Builders for the Bay Roundtables. At the Roundtables, representatives from the Center for Watershed Protection, The National Home Builders Association and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay lead a discussion between builders and environmentalist. They are working together to revise local codes and ordinances, so that new developments can conserve open space and protect water quality while meeting market demand and builders' needs.</p> </body>