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| 1.
More than 90,000
acres of farmland comprise an aesthetic and historic rural
landscape within an hour's drive of suburban Montgomery
County and metropolitan Washington, D.C. Family farms
and farming are preserved and residents of more densely
populated areas can "recharge" by visiting this
beautiful countryside. |
2.
The Agricultural
Reserve provides fresh produce to area residents at
pick-your-own farms, orchards, and farm stands within
the Reserve, and at farmers markets, grocery stores
and restaurants in nearby cities and suburbs. |
| 3.
The pastoral acreage
of the "Ag Reserve" serves as a "green
lung" for the Washington, D.C. area, cooling and
cleaning the air. |
4.
The spring-fed streams winding through
the Reserve feed into the Potomac, Patuxent and Anacostia
rivers and ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay. Preserving
farmland and open space protects groundwater, drinking
water supplies, and the threatened Chesapeake Bay watershed. |
| 5.
The Ag Reserve offers
numerous economic benefits to the County. Farming in the
County employs 10,000 people and contributes $252 million
to the annual economy. Working farms contribute more to
the economy than the costs of services they require. By
preserving farmland and improving existing communities,
the County saves millions of dollars in schools and other
services. |
| 6.
The Ag Reserve provides children with
the educational opportunity to visit farms and become
acquainted with the way of life of their ancestors and
with the agricultural industries on which humanity continues
to depend. |
| 7.
The Ag Reserve provides a wealth of recreational
opportunities, including horseback riding, cycling, hiking,
canoeing, kayaking, fishing and hunting. |
| 8.
The Ag Reserve preserves historic Civil
War sites, routes of the Underground Railroad and 18th
and 19th century homes, barns, mills and schools. Many
artists, artisans and writers draw inspiration and resources
from the Reserve. |
| 9.
The Ag Reserve adds
crucial green acreage to Montgomery County's park system
and provides critical habitat for plants, birds, mammals,
reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and other wildlife in
its farm ponds, springs, streams, hedgerows, rocky woods,
fields and meadows. |
| 10.
The Ag Reserve contributes to the overall
quality of life in the region, giving residents of the
Washington metropolitan area the opportunity to experience
urban, suburban and rural environments. It serves as a
model for farmland preservation that has informed and
inspired communities across the country. |
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"Butterfly" © 2005 Susan Due Pearcy; "Girl with
Chicken" © 2005 Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary; "Turtle"
© 2005 Judy Stone;
"Canoe" © 2005 Peg Coleman; "Fence," "Cardinal
Flower," "Cemetery," © 2005 Melanie Choukas-Bradley
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