Jim Wirt said he wanted to make sure the property, located just off state Route 83 south of Moreland and near the Killbuck Marsh State Wildlife Area, wasn't leveled and developed for houses. He farmed the land almost 50 years, and the property now is farmed by a tenant. It belonged to my great-grandfather. Wirt last week talked to Wayne County officials and representatives from the Ohio Department of Agriculture about the donation, which would be accomplished through the Ohio Agricultural Easement Program. It is intended to keep your land as a farm forever.
Donors also receive some tax benefits.
The state initiative was launched last year. Joe Daubenmire, assistant manager of the Office of Farmland Preservation, said comparable programs exist in states that have had bigger problems with urban sprawl. He said the Ohio program is designed as a land-use tool that will guide building, not stifle development altogether. Daubenmire said the state finalized its first easement donation in January and there are several others in the works. He said he expected the number to grow as more people found out about the program.