Anne C. Sieling, Executive Secretary

50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-5863

The State Soil Conservation Committee was
established by Chapter 436, Acts of 1937, as
amended to date. The Committee has organized
soil conservation districts that cover the entire
State except Baltimore City. The Committee coor-
dinates the work of the twenty-three districts to
further the application of scientifically sound and
practical conservation measures to the lands in
Maryland, which will result in a retardation of
erosion and the advancement of soil and water
conservation.

The State Committee also assists districts in
securing the advice and help of State and federal
agencies that have resources that can be brought to
bear on soil and water problems and on certain
phases of related land use programs and problems.
Relevant areas of concern include agricultural
non-point source pollution, watershed protection
and flood prevention, siltation of streams and
reservoirs, shore erosion control, highway erosion
control, forest and woodland conservation and
development, the protection and development of
wildlife, and the development of public land areas.

The Committee consists of six ex officio and five
soil conservation district supervisors representing
five geographic areas of the State. District supervi-
sor members are appointed to five-year terms by
the Secretary of Agriculture from recommenda-
tions made by the districts represented (Code
Agriculture Article, secs. 8-101 through 8-501).

SOIL CONSERVATION
ADMINISTRATION

Rosemary Roswell, Administrator

50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-5863

The Soil Conservation Administration is respon-
sible for administering the Department's soil and
water conservation program and implementing
State policies that further the control of soil
erosion and agriculturally related non-point source
water pollution.

The Administration provides resources to the
twenty-four Soil Conservation Districts in the
State. Financial assistance and State personnel are
made available to support programs that provide
technical assistance to the agricultural community.
Through these programs, soil and water conserva-
tion plans are developed for agricultural landown-

Agricu Itu re/159

ers and farm operators, and agricultural best
management practices are promoted.

The Administration includes a Water Quality
Cost-Share Program, which provides financial as-
sistance to individuals and landowners installing
agricultural best management practices in order to
reduce water pollution caused by nutrient and
sediment erosion, animal wastes, or agricultural
chemicals.

An Agricultural Water Management Program
protects water quality through oversight of the
design, construction, operation, and maintenance
of agricultural drainage projects by public drain-
age associations. Financial aid is made available to
public drainage associations through drainage
maintenance cost-share agreements.

MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL LAND
PRESERVATION FOUNDATION

Chairperson: William I. Guy, 1985

William E. Burall, 1985; Bradford Reeves, 1985;
Roland B. Heilman, 1987; Constance Leider,
1987; T. Allan Stradley, 1987; Erna R.
Chapman, 1988; Donald Dell, 1988; Leonard E.
Lowry, 1988.

Ex officio: Wayne A. Cawley, Jr., Secretary of
Agriculture; William S. James, State Treasurer

Gerald F. Talbert, Executive Director

50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-5860

The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation
Foundation was created by Chapter 784, Acts of
1977. The Foundation implements the Agricultur-
al Land Preservation Program. The intent of the
program is to preserve productive agricultural land
and woodland in Maryland, provide for the contin-
ued production of food and fiber, curb the extent of
urban sprawl, and protect agricultural land and
woodland as open space.

The program is voluntary on the part of land-
owners and is dependent upon the cooperation of
local governments, which appoint five-member
Agricultural Preservation Advisory Boards.

By agreement with the Foundation, landowners
may initiate the creation of an Agricultural Preser-
vation District, in which subdivision and develop-
ment are restricted for at least five years. The
creation of such a district results in the protection
of normal agricultural activities and in the eligibili-
ty of landowners to make application to sell a