The Rural Legacy Program will receive $16.03 million in Fiscal Year 2015 grants to permanently preserve working farms and other important natural lands throughout Maryland. Governor Martin O’Malley and the Board of Public Works approved the funding at a meeting in Annapolis.

“This year, through the Rural Legacy program, we are again pleased to protect thousands of critical acres – acres vital to the prosperity of Maryland and its citizens,” said Governor O’Malley. “Never to be developed, these lands will work in perpetuity enhancing air and water quality, providing habitat to plant and wildlife, hosting working farms and showcasing their beautiful scenery.”

Fiscal Year 2015 grants recipients:

Agricultural Security Corridor (Kent, Cecil, Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties) $650,000      

Anne Arundel South (Anne Arundel)   $1,203,000

Coastal Bays (Worcester) $1,060,000

Deer Creek (Harford County) $1,265,000

Dividing Creek (Somerset and Worcester) $600,000

Gunpowder (Baltimore) $179,000

Lands End (Queen Anne’s County) $555,233

Little Pipe Creek/Upper Patapsco (Carroll) $800,000

Manor (Harford) $698,500

Mattapany (St. Mary’s) $212,979

Mid-Maryland Frederick (Frederick) $2,100,000

Mid-Maryland Washington (Washington) $1,445,000

Mountain Ridge (Allegany) $575,000

Nanticoke (Dorchester) $690,000

Patuxent (Prince George’s) $1,080,000

Piney Run (Baltimore) $1,390,288

Quantico Creek (Wicomico) $300,000

Zekiah (Charles) $1,230,000

Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides funding to preserve large tracts of natural lands and their natural resource-based industries. Enacted by the General Assembly in 1997, the program has to date provided more than $250 million to protect approximately 80,000 acres of valuable farm, field and forest land. The 11-member Rural Legacy Advisory Committee, and the associated Board, is comprised of Maryland’s Agriculture, Natural Resources and Planning Secretaries who review grant applications annually.

The three member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor O’Malley (chair), Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultation contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement transactions.