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15 r,. � almland preservatio a" ors reff -0 rt Covering the policies, practices and initiatives that save farmland and open space .r Since 1990 • Deborah Bowers, Editor ANNUAL NATIONAL SURVEY OF LOCAL PROGRAMS Sonoma, Berks, Lancaster gain most acres; top 12 named SANTA ROSA, CA — One of the nation's leading local land preservation efforts approved for purchase July 10 a conservation easement on one of the largest contiguous privately owned ranches in Northern California, valued at $12 million. The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District approved $6 million to pur- chase at bargain sale the 19,064 -acre ranch owned by the Cooley family for almost a century. Of the acres protected, 4,700 will be reserved for agricul- tural use, with the remainder protected under forever wild and natural area provisions. With the purchase, Sonoma logged an addi- tional 7,313 acres, the largest preserved acreage gain in the nation over last year's national survey conducted by Farmland Preservation Report . Sonoma County encompasses over one million acres of hills, mountains and valleys and impor- tant agricultural lands including prosperous vineyards and wineries. Voters decided in 1990 to protect the county's striking landscapes and thriving agriculture by approving a one - quarter percent sales tax over 20 years. The result is a land preservation effort that is secured by an acquisi- tion plan and a current $49 million to implement it. It is the only such source of funding in the top 12 ranking. Sonoma's gain has shifted the ranking since last July, resulting in Carroll County moving downward from fourth to fifth place. Montgom- ery, Lancaster and Chester Counties retain their first, second and third spots respectively. Marin, Baltimore and Harford. Counties also retain the places they held last year as sixth, seventh and eighth in the 12 -slot ranking. Howard County, Md. But the program in Howard County, Md., first in the nation to use installment purchases, slipped from ninth place to ,12th: while it spent part of the last year without an administrator to lead a pro- gram out of a four -year hiatus with $15 million in new bond money, Berks, York and Burlington Counties were busy with applicants who were ready, willing, and able to do preservation. Howard County hired Jeff Everett in early March and he has been busy reviewing and revamping the program to gear up for major promotion of conservation easements in a county with intense development pressure from both the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore regions. please turn to page 2 Volume 11, Number 9 July -Aug. 2001 inside this issue ... NATIONAL SURVEY CENTERFOLD ..................... p. 45 MALPF cancels Round 2 offers, seeks funds .............. p. 6 Michigan Rural Development Council gets boot .........p. 7 JobPostings ........................................ ............................... p. 8 Farmland Preservation Report is published 10 times per year. Subscription rate of $185 includes index and hotline service. Editorial and Bowers land r circulation offices: 900 La Gran a Rd., Street, Ma Publishing, Inc. g �' 21154 (410) 692 -2708 ISSN: 1050 -6373. ©2001 by Bowers Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in any form, or forwarding o{ this material electronically without permission from the publisher is prohibited.