Farmland worth saving (photo essay)
- Kaid Benfield
- Director, Smart Growth Program, Washington, DC
- Blog | About
- Posted June 24, 2009 in Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
These wonderful photographs of Frederick County, Maryland, are all by my friend Kai Hagen, writer, photographer, conservationist, entrepeneur, and County Commissioner. Kai is concerned that development is sprawling out onto prime soils even while there are ample sites within the bounds of existing development to accommodate the county's growth. (Kai's campaign web site - now archived, take a look - was headlined, "We don't have to sacrifice what we love about where we live!")
Some of these sites - including the one immediately above - are themselves either proposed for, or squarely in the path of, encroaching office parks and subdivisions.
I wrote about farmland in a somewhat lengthy post back in April. As I noted then, "Every single minute of every day, America loses two acres of farmland," and we're losing our best land - the most fertile and productive - the fastest, according to the American Farmland Trust.
Our food is increasingly in the path of development: 86 percent of the nation's fruits and vegetables, and 63 percent of our dairy products, says AFT, are produced in urban-influenced areas.
The solution to providing the best protection for the resource is to keep cities and suburbs as intact and dense as possible, to limit their spread across the rural landscape. Low-density suburban development is the most inefficient in its incursions on farmland, as it is with regard to watersheds, wildlife habitat, and transportation efficiency.
My friend, developer Daniel Hernandez, says, "Finally, after so many decades, policies for smart agricultural policy are just now emerging into some level of coherence, and building support. It is clear that agricultural land preservation is critical to the economic future of our country and to feeding our country. Anything that undermines that would be irresponsible."
Daniel continues: ""Recognizing that much of this prime land around the country has unfortunately already been infringed upon, there is every reason to still support the complete preservation of these spaces."
Kai's photographs remind us why.
Kaid Benfield writes (almost) daily about community, development, and the environment. For more posts, see his blog's home page.
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Comments
Lee Epstein — Jun 24 2009 10:43 AM
These photographs are absolutely stunning. I know Frederick County, and the problems it is facing because not enough has been done to protect this rich farmland with strong zoning and aggressive conservation easements. As you note, Kaid, it is precisely this fringe, ex-urban agriculture that is most at risk. Hats off to Kai (whom I don't know) for his good work.
Alison Cain — Jun 24 2009 04:05 PM
Out of the blue, while looking at these wonderful pictures, I thought of that iconic television ad from 40 (?) years ago of the American Indian standing on the side of a highway with a teardrop rolling down his face as litter was tossed from a passing car. I'm afraid that here in Frederick County it won't be long before all we have left of this beautiful land is pictures. What a shameful, stupid loss.
Kai Hagen — Jun 24 2009 07:50 PM
It's a big challenge, Alison, in the face of great pressures. But there is more than a little hope for Frederick County, despite what has not been done well, and mistakes and losses yet to come.
Thank you, again, Kaid, for your kind words about my photographs, and for putting them to good use!
You are right that we don't know each other, Lee. But I believe we have met a couple of times - not recently. Thank you for your compliments, and for all the work that you have been doing over the years.
Alan Feinberg — Jun 24 2009 11:40 PM
I am fortunate enough to live in one of the most beautiful historic small cities anywhere in this country -- Frederick.
A big part of that is being so close to scenes like Kai has here. There is great threat and also great opportunity. Look at a project that we are launching right now - SEE - www.eastfrederickrising.org that is in the planned to concentrate growth in the right place and thwart the destruction of all this beauty. Kai Hagen is a great friend and one of the true heroes here.