PERRYSBURG – Why is now the ideal time to focus on agricultural land preservation?
That question was the main focus of an Agricultural Land Preservation Summit hosted by the Black Swamp
Conservancy on Sept. 8 at the Holiday Inn French Quarter Meeting Center.
According to the American Farmland Trust, Ohio loses more than 40,000 acres of agricultural land each
year to development. That’s five acres every hour.
Panel member Bob Wagner, senior policy and program adviser of the American Farmland Trust, spoke on why
this land loss issue is so detrimental to Northwest Ohio, where soils, infrastructure and location are
ideal for agricultural businesses.
Other panel members included Shane Farnsworth, development director from the Fairfield County Economic
Development Office, and Krista Magaw, executive director of the Tecumseh Land Trust.
Emphasis was placed on how the connection needs to be made between agriculture and jobs.
Farnsworth was quick to stress that "agriculture has to be included on the talks about economic
development."
Kevin Joyce and Rob Krain of the Black Swamp Conservancy, which serves 13 counties in northwest Ohio,
presented an overview of the Black Swamp Conservancy’s Agricultural Land Preservation Plan.
The plan highlights preservation priorities with the desired outcomes of greater awareness among the
public regarding the Black Swamp Conservancy’s initiative, greater diversity among protected properties,
and preserving northwest Ohio’s rural heritage, amongst other goals.
It will be a tool to improve the efficiency and effectiveness in which the Black Swamp Conservancy serves
the agricultural community.
Following the presentations, discussion was held by all in attendance to address the issues of land
preservation.
For more information, visit www.BlackSwamp.org.
