The Reserve, however, is much more than a
to Montgomery County restricting development
place to visit. It is a working landscape of over 540
in perpetuity to no more than one residence for
farms and 350 horticultural enterprises, which
each 25 acres. Today, almost three-fourths of the
generate more than a quarter billion dollars a year
Reserve’s farmland is protected in perpetuity by
in income, making agriculture one of the county’s
TDR easements granted to Montgomery County
most important businesses. The Reserve’s coun-
or by other easements granted to the Maryland
try villages and communities, historic homes,
Environmental Trust (MET) or the Maryland Agri-
barns, and churches embody much of the county’s
cultural Land Preservation Fund (MALPF).
cultural heritage. Encompassing a third of the
The result for Montgomery County is the sus-
county’s land area, it provides an array of critical
tenance of landscape of beauty, cultural richness,
environmental services for the region. Its fields
and abundance. The Agricultural Reserve made it
and forests sequester carbon, helping clean the
possible for the county to grow more efficiently,
air. Forested headwaters and
reducing sprawl and its ef-
stream buffers, combine with
fects while accommodating
Unlike
much
of
the
land
near
best practices by farmers
the same amount of growth
to protect water quality in
that would have occurred if
great metropolitan areas, the
Potomac tributaries, helping
it had been otherwise open
Agricultural Reserve is not just
restore the Chesapeake Bay.
for subdivision.
Unlike much of the land
When the Reserve is
temporarily open, waiting to be
near great metropolitan ar-
added to the 37,000 acres
eas, the Agricultural Reserve
of parkland managed by the
developed. Established nearly
is not just temporarily open,
Maryland-National Capital
40
years
ago
as
an
essential
waiting to be developed. Es-
Park and Planning Commis-
tablished nearly 40 years ago
sion and 17,000 acres of state
feature of the county’s “Wedges
as an essential feature of the
and national parks, almost
and Corridors” comprehensive
county’s “Wedges and Cor-
half the land area of Mont-
ridors” comprehensive plan,
gomery County is in public
plan, it is the nation’s best
it is the nation’s best example
or private open space. This
example
of
land
permanently
of land permanently protect-
great resource adds immea-
ed for farming in a large and
surably to the quality of life
protected for farming in a large
growing metropolitan area.
for our residents, making
This was done by a combina-
the county one of the best
and growing metropolitan area
tion of public policies. Zoning
places in America to live. It
that made agriculture the
adds value to homes and is
preferred use and limited residential development
an important feature that attracts and helps retain
to no more than one house per 25 acres. Public
one of the nation’s most talented workforces.
water and sewerage service was not extended
When the County Council approved the
into the Reserve, respecting its natural “carrying
master plan for Preservation of Agriculture and
capacity.” Landowners, however, could sell their
Rural Open Space in 1980, it protected the green
former right to build a house for each five acres
lungs of the county. The Reserve set the national
to builders in other parts of the county that were
standard for effective protection of farming on the
planned for more intensive development.
metropolitan edge. Its bounty is displayed annu-
As they sold these Transferable Development
ally at the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. It
Rights (TDRs), landowners recovered equity in the
is directly available in season on Reserve farms,
land earned by years of husbandry and invest-
at farmers’ markets in communities across the
ment. This allowed farming to continue. When de-
region, through farm-to-table cooperatives, and
velopment rights are sold, an easement is granted
at grocery stores that feature locally-grown foods.
PLENTY I SUMMER GROWING 2019
5