2023 Maryland Sustainable Growth Award Goes To Howard County For Pilot Program

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The county has earned the 2023 Maryland Sustainable Growth Award in the preservation/conservation category for its landmark Purchased Conservation Easement Pilot Program, which was launched last year in partnership with the Howard County Conservancy.

The award, which recognizes individuals, organizations and government agencies for their accomplishments in protecting or improving farms, forests and natural resources in the state, celebrates the Conservation Easement Program’s commitment to sustainable growth and conservation in Maryland.

“Howard County leads, particularly when it comes to protecting our environment and becoming more energy independent. This award is an affirmation of the hard work of the Howard County Conservancy and our Department of Planning and Zoning,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Leveraging the strengths of the county and the Conservancy, this innovative program helps us protect our environment for generations to come.”

In 2022, Howard County dedicated $2 million to the innovative Conservation Easement Pilot Program, the first of its kind in Maryland to specifically target nonprofit property owners with environmentally sensitive land and provide them with financial incentives to protect environmentally sensitive areas on their property.

“County cooperation and initiatives are imperative to ensuring we reach the State’s sustainability goals, and the Purchased Conservation Easement Pilot Program launched by Howard County is a great example of the innovative ideas that will make sure those goals become reality, said Maryland Secretary of Planning Rebecca Flora. “Preservation and conservation are cornerstones of meaningful sustainable work, and we are happy to highlight the work Howard County is engaged in with this award as their deep care for these cornerstones is clear.”

The initiative advances resource conservation, environmental protection and stewardship in Howard County by maximizing community partnerships between Howard County government, the Howard County Conservancy and local nonprofit organizations to protect environmentally sensitive areas in the county. Easement purchases are funded by Howard County and secured by the Conservancy, which then monitors easement properties for compliance with environmental protection goals.