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The Santa Rosa County Agricultural Legacy Lands Protection Program is open to applicants starting July 1 through July 31 for the fiscal year 2026/27, marking the start of a conservation initiative aimed at preserving the land, culture and industry of some of the county's most precious land.
The program's purpose is to permanently protect agricultural, timber, ranch, and open-space lands through voluntary conservation easements that limit future development while keeping properties privately owned and actively managed for allowable uses (farming, ranching, timber, hunting, conservation).
"This is an exciting step in the long-term vision of our county preserving our agricultural industry," District 3 Commissioner Rhett Rowell said. "The Legacy Lands Protection Program will preserve farmland in perpetuity for our future generations. Food security is national security."
Program Core Principles:
• Voluntary participation; landowner retains ownership and management.
• Perpetual deed restrictions (easements cannot be reversed).
• Growth guided toward targeted urbanized areas (program helps slow urban sprawl, not stop all building).
To apply or learn more about the application ranking criteria, visit the Agricultural Legacy Lands website here.
Watch the video below to hear about the benefits of Legacy Lands from the program founders, Commissioner Rhett Rowell and USDA Conservationist Trent Mathews.
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