These toolkits are designed to equip municipalities and other stakeholders with valuable resources for advancing natural and cultural resource conservation, enhancing recreation and transportation systems, and fostering resilience.
Each tool includes an overview that outlines the relevant issues it addresses, a guide on how to implement it, its regional applicability, and a list of case studies. Some toolkits include an additional technical bulletin that provides more detailed guidance such as a step-by-step implementation process and supplementary resources for deeper exploration.
Agricultural Easements
Agricultural easements are voluntary agreements that permanently protect farmland for agricultural use. These easements help preserve working farms, promote responsible land stewardship through conservation planning, and support landowners in implementing best management practices that enhance the productivity and sustainability of their operations.
Agricultural Security Areas (ASAs)
ASAs are designated farming areas that help preserve Pennsylvania’s agricultural lands and support the long-term success of local farms. This designation protects farmland from incompatible development and reinforces agriculture as a primary land use.
Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a way for landowners to permanently protect the natural, agricultural, scenic, and open-space values of their property. By establishing a conservation easement, a landowner retains ownership and management of their land while placing voluntary restrictions on future development and land use, in perpetuity.
Cost of Community Services
Cost of Community Services (COCS) studies help communities understand the financial impact of different land uses by comparing the cost of local government services to the tax revenue each land use category generates.
Open Space Planning and Prioritization
Open space plans help municipalities plan for the preservation of land by setting clear goals and priorities, enabling them to focus resources on high-impact projects.
Open Space Referenda and Bonds
An open space referenda allows local citizens to vote on creating a dedicated tax for open space protection.