Maryland's Rural Legacy Board
The Rural Legacy Board consists of the Secretaries of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (Chair), the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and the Maryland Department of Planning.
The Rural Legacy Board administers the Rural Legacy Program with assistance and advice from the Rural Legacy Advisory Committee. The Board annually designates Rural Legacy Areas and recommends areas for funding to the Board of Public Works.
The Rural Legacy Program encourages local governments and private land trusts to identify Rural Legacy Areas - delineated areas within a county that include both working farms and ecologically significant landscapes - and to competitively apply for funds to complement existing land conservation efforts or create new ones. Local Sponsors must apply annually to the Rural Legacy Board for participation in the Program and to receive funding.
The Rural Legacy Board will meet on
Monday, September 28, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. virtually via the Google Meet platform to discuss and vote on recommendations to the Board of Public Works for Rural Legacy Area boundary expansions, funding of the FY 27 Annual Grant Awards, and Other Business.
The agenda and meeting link will be posted at a later date.
Please note that Frederick County has requested that action on the proposed 1,118-acre reduction to the Carrollton Manor Rural Legacy Area be tabled. It will not appear on the Agenda for this year's meeting of the Rural Legacy Board.
Pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, the Rural Legacy Board meetings are open to the public; however; part of a meeting may be conducted in closed session pursuant to § 3-305(b)(3). During the open portion of a meeting, when invited by the Chair to participate, the public may comment on the discussion. Please contact Katrina L. Tucker at [email protected] if you have questions.
The Rural Legacy Board consists of the Secretaries of the Department of Natural Resources (Chair), the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Planning. The Rural Legacy Board administers the Program with assistance and advice from the Rural Legacy Advisory Committee. The Rural Legacy Board designates Rural Legacy Areas and recommends areas for funding to the Board of Public Works.
Rural Legacy Board Chair:
Josh Kurtz
Secretary, Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building
580 Taylor Avenue, C-4
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-8100
410-260-8111 (fax)
Kevin Atticks
Secretary, Department of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-5880
410-841-5914 (fax)
Rebecca Flora
Secretary, Department of Planning
301 West Preston Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-767-4510
410-767-4480 (fax)
Maryland's Rural Legacy Advisory Committee
Rural Legacy Program Staff Contacts
