Maryland Conservation Lands
Overview
This polygon shape file is a merge of 7 protected lands files available from the State of Maryland. It includes, DNR Lands and Conservation Easements, Rural Legacy Properties, Private Conservation Properties, State Wide County Owned Properties and Open Space, Maryland Environmental Trust Easements (MET), State Wide Forest Conservation Easements, and Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Easements. Efforts have been made to remove identical, overlapping parcels that were present in more than one layer, however, there are likely overlapping parcels and slivers. This file should not be used for totaling acres as there would likely be substantial double counting.
Data Layer Description
Source
These data layers are all maintained by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In some cases DNR has worked with other state agencies including the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation and the Maryland Department of Planning to develop the data.
Location
Maryland
Scale: Data is approximately accurate to a scale of 1:24,000. Due to multiple sources of data, the user should use caution.
Description
DNR lands were created for the planning purposes of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Private Conservation data is a collection of properties that are protected from development by ownership of a Private Conservation group or society. The purpose of the Rural Legacy Program is to protect Maryland's best remaining rural landscapes and natural areas through the purchase of land or conservation easements. The Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) is a statewide local land trust governed by a citizen Board of Trustees. MET's main goal is the preservation of open land, such as farmland, forest land, and significant natural resources through conservation easement. The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF), housed within the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), protects agricultural lands through the use of perpetual easements. To preserve productive agricultural land and woodland in Maryland to provide for the continued production of food and fiber, curb the extent of random urban development, and protect these lands as open space. State Wide Forest Conservation Easements represent the private forested lands that are under conservation easement, generally held by a county entity. The County Owned Properties and Open Space data consists of land areas that are run and maintained by county and municipal authorities.
How to get the data layer
Download separate layers from the following links:
DNR Lands
Rural Lands
Private Conservation
Country and Open Space Lands
Maryland Environmental Trust (MET)
Forest Conservation Easements
Agricultural Conservation Easements
How to get more information
Download metadata for individual layers from the following links:
DNR Lands
Rural Legacy
Private Conservation
County and Open Space Lands
Maryland Environmental Trust (MET)
Forest Conservation Easements
Agricultural Conservation Easements
Access and use constraints
DNR – no access constraints. The Department of Natural Resources makes no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the use or appropriateness of Spatial Data, and there are no warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use.
Credits
Maryland Dept of Natural Resources - Land Acquisition and Planning
Rural Legacy and County Lands are attributed to the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP)
Document preferred citation information. Keep consistent with the citation in the prepared metadata, which will include this credit line along with the layer name in the legend.
Sample Map
© Maryland Dept of Natural Resources Conservation Lands
