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Celebrating
and Advocating for a Rural Montgomery
Montgomery
Countryside Alliance is a non-profit organization committed
to the preservation of agricultural lands, rural open space,
and the rural wedge by promoting sound land use, preservation
of open space, protection of air and water quality, and
enhancement of transportation alternatives. We work to support
and celebrate Montgomery County's historic commitment and
to ensure the recreational opportunities, rural beauty and
economic value of the Agricultural Reserve for current and
future generations of residents in the Washington Metropolitan
area. Montgomery Countryside Alliance mobilizes citizens
to be involved in land conservation, land use planning,
and other issues that affect the quality of life in Montgomery
County.
The
work of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA) is focused
on the following two program areas:
Solutions
Not Sprawl advocates for smart growth policies that enhance
our neighborhoods, protect our dwindling environmental
treasures, open space and working lands, and provide real
travel options. Solutions Not Sprawl promotes balanced
land use and transportation policies in the Agricultural
Reserve and throughout Montgomery County through: public
outreach and mobilization; advocacy with elected officials
and policy makers; delivering public testimony; and conducting
and responding to policy research.
In
2005, Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve commemorated
its 25th anniversary. Inspired by this milestone, Celebrate
Rural Montgomery seeks to reaffirm the County's support
for the preservation of Montgomery County's working lands.
Through a calendar of public events, media presence, educational
presentations and partnerships with local organizations,
farmers and government agencies, Celebrate Rural Montgomery
is sustaining the vision of past and present Montgomery
County officials. These public officials have worked to
ensure that residents have easy access to rural landscapes
and fresh produce and a guaranteed legacy of working farms.
Beyond 2005, the Montgomery Countryside Alliance is committed
to raising awareness about the benefits of the Agricultural
Reserve.
Top
Benefits of the Agricultural Reserve
- 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. Residents
of more densely populated areas can "recharge"
by visiting this beautiful countryside.
- 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.
- The
pastoral acreage of the "Ag Reserve" serves
as a "green lung" for the Washington, D.C. area,
cooling and cleaning the air. The Ag Reserve also protects
our groundwater and stream and river watersheds.
- 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, the County saves millions of dollars
and can use these limited resources to improve existing
communities.
- The
Ag Reserve offers a wealth of recreational opportunities,
including horseback riding, cycling, hiking, canoeing,
kayaking, fishing and hunting in addition providing critical
habitat for wildlife.
- 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
and, each year, thousands of school children visit the
Reserve to learn about their agricultural heritage.
For
more information, please visit Celebrate
Rural Montgomery.
Major
Threats to the Agricultural Reserve
and Rural Wedge
- The
Techway
- This proposed bridge over the Potomac River represents
a $1 billion expenditure which would not only aggravate
the traffic problem it is purported to fix, but would
also spread development into semi-rural and rural areas
in Virginia and Maryland.
- Sand
Mounds
- Sand mounds are alternatives to a traditional septic
system and have been used to facilitate the development
of previously pristine areas of the Agricultural Reserve.
- Private
Institutional Facilities (PIFs) - The scale of these
proposed facilities dramatically contrasts to the rural
character of the Agricultural Reserve. If built, these
institutions threaten to take acres of land out of agricultural
production, increase traffic and degrade our watersheds
with polluted run-off from large parking lots.
- Child
Lots - Originally created to allow children of farmers
to build homes and to live on family property, the child
lot provision has been abused so that additional houses
are built and then sold on the open market.
For
more information, please visit Solutions
Not Sprawl.
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