Conservation Options for Connecticut Farmland - A Guide
American Farmland Trust (AFT), with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, has developed a guide to assist landowners, land trusts and communities identify options available to help protect and conserve farmland. The guide, Conservation Options for Connecticut Farmland, is available free of charge on AFT's web site at www.farmland.org.
To obtain copy via U.S. mail, call the Farmland Preservation Program at (860) 713-2511 or AFT at (413) 586-9330 ext. 29.
"Many landowners, land trusts and town officials are not aware of state and federal programs available to help them conserve farmland and improve its environmental stewardship," said AFT New England Policy Director Cris Coffin. "American Farmland Trust's new guide identifies these programs and helps landowners understand the process of donating or selling their development rights."
Conservation Options for Connecticut Farmland describes farmland protection tools and programs available in Connecticut and answers some frequently asked questions about agricultural conservation easements, which are deed restrictions that protect land from development. The guide also identifies state and federal incentive-based programs for conserving wetlands, wildlife habitat, soil and water and other natural resources on farmland.
The guide should prove to be a helpful tool for communities looking for ways to protect their rural heritage and quality of life by sustaining agriculture and conserving working lands.
Farmland offers many important environmental benefits, from wildlife habitat and flood control to recreational opportunities and access to fresh, locally grown foods. "Farmland also generates a key source of tax revenue for communities-revenue that often subsidizes the cost of residential development," Coffin said.
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