State and Federal Land Preservation Programs

Maryland Environmental Trust

Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) promotes the protection of natural, historic and scenic resources through its Land Conservation Program, Stewardship Program and Land Trust Assistance Program and provides grants to non-profit organizations for environmental education projects through its Keep Maryland Beautiful Program.

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977 and is part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. MALPF purchases agricultural preservation easements that restrict development on prime farmland and woodland in perpetuity.

Rural Legacy Program

Rural Legacy was created in 1997 and is administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. It seeks to set aside large blocks of rural lands for the protection of natural and scenic resources and the fostering of natural resource economies such as agriculture and forestry.

Forest Legacy Program

The Forest Legacy Program is a federally funded program established under the 1990 Farm Bill that promotes the long-term integrity of forest lands and protects environmentally and commercially important forest lands that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses.

Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program

Established in 2002 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program preserves military missions by supporting cost-sharing agreements between the Military Services, other Federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations to avoid land use conflicts near military installations, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities, and increase military installation resilience.