So he is proposing that the Land for Maine's Future program buy the development rights to his property. We're making a commitment that's going to be for future generations. Once the board purchases development rights, the land is protected by the state and can never be developed or subdivided. Its owner hopes to prevent the land from being used for housing developments. It's important to protect agricultural soils.
Maine only has a certain amount of agricultural soils.
If we destroy it, if we allow it to be destroyed, it won't come back. It is the potential loss of agricultural lands like McDougal Orchards that encouraged the start last November of a land trust in interior York County. Madge Baker, one of the founders of Three Rivers Land Trust, said the organization hopes to provide an outlet for people like McDougal who want a better option than turning their land into subdivisions. The trust serves Sanford, Alfred, Shapleigh, Acton and Lebanon. With the exception of the Mousam Way Land Trust in Sanford, these towns have primarily gone without a land steward.