Land can be preserved by gifting or sale of a conservation easement or the actual property to the Township or a conservation agency such as The Natural Land Trust or The Brandywine Conservancy. A willing landowner is required to preserve land. There cannot be a successful preservation effort unless the landowner is willing to sell or ease his/her property. Happily, a number of Franklin Township landowners have been willing to discuss preservation of their land. Funding also must be available to purchase the property or easement unless the landowner is willing to donate it for tax benefits or for altruistic or other reasons. Township voters approved a referendum in 2003 for an additional tax to be used for Open Space preservation.
A major strategy for stretching Franklin Township’s Open Space funds further is to apply for matching funds from state, county and other sources. Preservation funds are limited and competition for them is tough. Early on, the Open Space Committee decided to follow the lead of the funding agencies in establishing criteria for selecting property for possible preservation to increase our competitiveness with the funding agencies. We have contacted many Township landowners: several have elected not to pursue preservation at this time; several have property that would not meet preservation criteria; several have agreed to pursue preservation.
Agricultural Lands Preservation
– September 24, 2007