|  Maryland
has 2.24 million acres of farmland, over one-third of the state’s
land area. Fifty years ago, however, over half the state’s land
area was used for farming. As farmland and forests vanish, Maryland
and its communities and counties lose valuable assets. Farming
and working forests (forests used for forest products)
-
Supply food, and fiber and forest products
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Provide job and business opportunities
-
Support many rural, urban, and suburban community economies
-
Provide habitat for wildlife, flood control and ground-water
recharge
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Maintain scenic, cultural and historic landscapes
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Forests serve as environmental strainers, protecting waterways
from pollution
Farming
is highly dependent on fertile soils, which take thousands of
years to develop. Creating them requires a combination of climate,
geology, biology and luck. Likewise, the harvesting of forest
products relies on the availability and diversity of forests stands.
Thus, productive agricultural and forested land is a finite and
irreplaceable natural resource. Some of the most fertile and productive
land in the state, however, is rapidly being fragmented or lost
to dispersed development. Between 1973 and 1997, 376,600 acres
of Maryland’s agricultural and forestland were developed, primarily
to low-density residential use. A recent report predicts the state
could lose 400 of 12,400 (3.2%) remaining farms and 40,000 acres
of farmland to suburban sprawl in the next decade unless current
development trends and patterns are changed.
Development
pressure is only one piece of the puzzle. The average age of Maryland’s
farmers, 54, is increasing each year. As farmers retire, many
find that their grown children choose careers other than farming.
Farming is not easy. Low profit margins and changing industry
dynamics make it hard to make a living. Selling land becomes a
tempting option since the development value of many farms far
exceeds the return from farming.
This
lesson plan will challenge students to examine the benefits of
Maryland’s resource based economies, the challenges of maintaining
them. Students will also explore the many public and private preservation
tools available to landowners
Activity
1: A Changing Landscape
Review background materials and lead students in discussion.
Discussion
Questions:
· What are the pros and cons of having farmland and large
forest tracts near urban areas?
· How do farms and forests positively contribute to the
quality of life of an area?
· What are the impacts of sprawl on farming and working
forests?
· What resource protection and land preservation tools
are available in Maryland?
Activity
2: Local Lands
Have the students review the Agricultural Profile for your county.
Using the information available at www.nass.usda.gov/census,
have students graph the number of acres in your county of agricultural
lands in 1987 and 1997. Compare the information to state and national
data. Information can be found at www.nass.usda.gov/census.
The data can be found in the middle column under the link “farms
and land in farms”. For national data click on “all counties”
under the map, and for state and county data, click on “Maryland”
under the map.
Discussion
Questions:
- In
your county, has the acres of farmland increased or decreased?
- Has
the size of farms increased or decreased? Why do think this
has happened?
-
What are the similarities and differences between trends in
your county, the state and the nation?
- Find
out even more about your county’s agricultural industry. What
products are produced?
- How
many farms exist and how much income is derived from these farms?
Activity
3: Trees over Time
Have students read the article “Eastern
Shore Tree Pact Reached,” Washington Times, January 3, 2003
Discussion
Questions:
- How
can preserving land and forests help the environment?
-
How can preserving land and forests help the economy?
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Why is the partnership that protected this land unique?
- Why
is the land that was protected unique?
-
What other strategies can be used to protect Maryland’s forests?
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What are the pros and cons or forest harvesting?
- What
criteria should be used to determine if harvesting is an appropriate
land use?
-
Should these criteria be different on public lands? (Federal,
State and local parks, wildlife management areas)
For
more information on the value of forest land and forestry in Maryland
visit the “Strategic Forest Lands Assessment” web-site at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/conferences/sfla/intro.htm
 Activity
4: A Plan for Action
Read “Building Urban-Rural Connections” from “Smart Ag and Smart
Growth” http://www.cals.cornell.edu/agfoodcommunity/fap/
. Ask students to imagine that they work for their local County
Council. The County Council has a goal of supporting the local
resource based economy, and wants to protect farms and forests
in their county.
Writing
Exercise: Have students draft a mock memo to a the County
Council about the proposed land preservation strategy. Students
may break up into groups or partners to discuss possible recommendations
and then present their recommendations to the entire class. The
memo should include the following elements:
- Why
is protecting agricultural land and forest resources important?
-
What tools should the county use to protect these resources?
- What
other partners will be involved in the strategy? (local, national
or state groups)
-
What are three advantages to the proposed plan?
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What are the costs and obstacles to the plan?
-
Have students anticipate and provide answers to three questions
that elected officials would ask about the plan.
Extending
the Lesson/Taking Action:
Contact your local planning department, soil conservation district,
and/or land trust to find out what methods are being used in your
county to build a strong farm or forestry economy.
Visit
a local farmers’ market and interview participating farmers with
the attached questionnaire. Have the students break into small
groups so that each group interviews someone different. Compare
results in the classroom. Identify the benefits of farmers’ markets
for urban residents and for farmers.
How
can you support local farmers? Purchase food items at a local
farm, farmers’ market or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
Urge your school or local grocer to purchase food directly from
Maryland farmers.
Additional
Resources:
Activity
4 reading materials developed by the NETSN Smart Growth Study
team with support of the “Community Food and Agriculture Program
at Cornell University and the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture
Workgroup. Smart Growth Study Team. Study Team Members: Richard
J. Burke, USDA/ Rural Development, CT, Stephanie Gilbert, American
Farmland Trust, MA, Kent Lage, Farm Viability Program, MA Department
of Food and Agriculture, Ora Rothfuss, Wayne County Planning Board,
Kathy Ruhf, NE Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Jonathan
Thomson, NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets,
Roger Clapp
Contents
| Putting
the Land to Work
|
Picture Maryland: Where Do We Grow From
Here? Keeping Open Space Open
|
National
Geographic Maryland Smart Growth Map
| Article
'Eastern Shore Tree Pact Reached
|
A Look at Maryland Agriculture
| 'Econoag'
University of Maryland Publication
Maryland County Agricultural Profiles
| National
Farm data
| State
Farm data
| 'Smart
Ag & Smart Growth' Article
|
Previous Lesson
|
Students
will be able to: