Preserving land starts with landowners who want to make an impact and leave a legacy. Preservation easements compensate landowners for giving up development rights. The preserved land remains private property. Depending on the type of land, the landowner may get money, tax credits, or tax deductions.

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How We Conserve Land

OUR PROCESS | The Manor Conservancy conserves land in partnership with landowners through conservation easements held by the Conservancy and other qualified land trusts. We also work with landowners to ensure that the standards outlined in the easement are upheld in perpetuity. We maintain relationships with public policymakers, conservationists, and experts in land preservation so we may keep the community informed and advocate positions supporting our mission.

The land is preserved using an instrument called a Deed of Conservation Easement. This is a legal agreement between a landowner and a government organization or a land trust, recorded in county land records. It identifies conservation values on a property and spells out the landowner's commitment to protect the property's existing character.

Briefly, easements:

  • Apply to all future owners of the property

  • Limit such things as the amount of subdivision that is allowed on a property or the number of houses that may be built

  • Do not grant public access to a property unless that is what the landowner wants

  • Are tailored to fit a landowner's situation

There are two primary steps involved in land conservation:

1. Legally protecting the land from future development by putting property under easement.

The Manor Conservancy provides expertise, information, and support to landowners interested in land preservation through donated and purchased easements. Generally, granting an easement - including some or all development rights - is an option for landowners who can benefit from the tax incentives available.

Another option is to apply for a purchased easement through a local, state, or federal program. This is desirable for those who use the funds received to keep land in the family or make needed improvements. In all cases, provisions of easements provide for safeguarding conservation values present on the property. More specific information about options is on our Conserve Your Property page.

2. Providing ongoing stewardship to support the easement agreement.

The Manor Conservancy is your conservation and stewardship partner. We work to help you continue to protect the conservation values you choose to preserve when you put your property under easement. We keep you apprised of developments in conservation policy and organize visits from our volunteer stewards to assist you in the ongoing conservation process.

Interested in Conserving Your Property?

Thank you for thinking about how you might take steps to protect your property from development.

You might be considering conservation for many reasons, but know that The Manor Conservancy values and supports our landowner partners and the legacy they defend.

If you do decide that a choice of conservation is wise for you, you will contribute immense benefits to your community, including:

  • A natural legacy of land to current and future generations

  • Improved quality of life

  • Protection of scenic views and wildlife habitat

  • Support of the future viability of farming and forestry

  • Protection of cleaner water and air

  • Preservation of the rural character and natural beauty of communities in the Manor area

Preserving the land is the sole method to guarantee lasting protection, regardless of changes in zoning or ownership.

See the Resource Links provided for more detailed information about the conservation process.

Please contact our office with any questions specific to your situation at info@themanorconservancy.org or 240-389-2531.

Options for Conserving your Land

Since 1993, The Manor Conservancy (TMC) has helped landowners identify the right voluntary land protection tool to permanently preserve their lands for generations of landowners, farmers, foresters, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts. The following overview briefly outlines some conservation options available to Manor area landowners.

Donated Conservation Easement:

One standard tool TMC employs is the donated conservation easement. In this permanent agreement between a landowner and a qualified land trust (such as TMC), the development of a property is limited to protect the land's "conservation values." These agreements aim to be flexible, allowing customization of specific items such as forestry terms, habitat buffers, and reserved residential rights to align with the goals and objectives of each landowner under TMC policies and IRS guidelines (specific easement terms are necessary for the easement to qualify for various tax benefits).

Therefore, each conservation easement is unique. Landowners who donate conservation easements swiftly complete the process, typically within two to three months. This streamlined timeline is significantly shorter than the process for most purchased easement programs, which can take much longer to complete. As landowners donate easements, they receive compensation through tax benefits and can have confidence in their perpetual commitment to protecting the land.

Potential tax benefits may include:

  • An enhanced federal income tax deduction.

  • A state income tax deduction.

  • A Maryland income tax credit.

  • A Maryland property tax credit.

  • A reduction in estate taxes.

Rural Legacy:

The State of Maryland created the Rural Legacy Program to protect large contiguous blocks of open/undeveloped land and other strategic areas, such as essential habitat areas and scenic vistas, from sprawl development. This program encourages local governments and private land trusts to identify Rural Legacy Areas and apply for grant funds to permanently protect properties within these areas.

The Manor Rural Legacy Area, defined by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and TMC, extends south and east to Corbett and Clynmalira and north into Harford County and White Hall.

The State restricts funds allocated for this program to purchasing easements or other interests within our designated Rural Legacy Area. For more information, please get in touch with TMC. You may also visit Maryland's Rural Legacy Program website at www.dnr.state.md/us/rurallegacy/.


Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF):

The MALPF program was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977 and is part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. MALPF purchases agricultural preservation easements that forever restrict prime farmland and woodland development. The MALPF program is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country. To qualify for the program, a property must meet minimum size and soil eligibility criteria and be located outside a ten-year water and sewer service area. Easement purchases are made through a competitive application process.

After selling an easement to MALPF, a landowner continues to own and operate the farm as before. The owner may sell or transfer the property, but the land will be permanently preserved for agricultural use. Limited residential rights may be retained. The MALPF program is administered locally by the counties, and each county has a designated program administrator who acts as the liaison between the agricultural community and MALPF. County program administrators are also responsible for monitoring easement properties and helping landowners prepare easement applications and subsequent requests for review by the county and MALPF. Each county administers its program based on a slightly different set of guidelines, so landowners should contact their county administrator for specific details about the program. To find your local administrator, please visit MALPF’s website at www.malpf.info./PAContact.html.