Glossory for Land & Open Space 

Agricultural Security Area, or ASA

An Agricultural Security Area is a Pennsylvania tool that helps protect farming operations and agricultural land from certain types of local nuisance complaints and municipal restrictions. ASA enrollment may also help land qualify for farmland preservation consideration, but it is not the same as permanent preservation.

Example: Upper Allen Township established an ASA in 2002 and states that more than 902 acres were enrolled as of 2024.
Source: Upper Allen Township ASA page; Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture ASA guidance.

Agricultural Conservation Easement, or ACE

An Agricultural Conservation Easement is a legal agreement that limits future non-agricultural development on farmland. The land usually remains privately owned, but development rights are restricted or purchased to preserve the land for agricultural use.

Example: Cumberland County’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program uses county, state, federal, local, and other funds to purchase easements on prime agricultural land from willing landowners.

Conservation Easement

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that limits certain uses of land to protect conservation values. The landowner keeps ownership and control of the property, but the easement restrictions continue even if the property is sold in the future.

Example: WeConservePA explains that conservation easements can be held by a nonprofit land trust or government and may be donated, sold, or bargain-sold by the landowner.

Development Rights

Development rights are the legal rights associated with developing land, such as subdividing it or constructing homes, commercial buildings, or other improvements. In preservation programs, a landowner may sell or donate development rights while keeping ownership of the land.

Example: A farmland preservation program may purchase development rights so that the land remains available for agriculture instead of future development.

Purchase of Development Rights, or PDR

Purchase of Development Rights refers to a public or nonprofit program that pays a landowner for the right to restrict future development on a property. The land remains private, but development potential is reduced or removed.

Example: County farmland preservation programs often operate through purchase of agricultural conservation easements.

Preserved Land

Preserved land is land that has legal restrictions protecting it from certain types of future development. Preserved land may be farmland, woodland, wetlands, stream corridor, open space, or another conservation area.

Important note: Preserved land is not always public land. It may remain privately owned and may not be open for public access.

Open Space

Open space is a broad term that can include farmland, forests, meadows, wetlands, stream corridors, undeveloped land, scenic areas, parks, greenways, and conservation areas.

The term can mean different things depending on the program. In some cases, open space may be privately owned and preserved. In other cases, it may be public parkland or trail land.

Farmland Preservation

Farmland preservation focuses specifically on protecting agricultural land from conversion to non-farm development.

Example: Cumberland County’s farmland preservation program states that its purpose is to protect viable agricultural lands by acquiring agricultural conservation easements that preserve land for agricultural production in perpetuity.

In Perpetuity

In perpetuity means permanently or forever. When a conservation easement says land is preserved “in perpetuity,” it generally means the restrictions remain with the land even after the property changes ownership.

Example: Cumberland County describes its ACE program as preserving agricultural land “in perpetuity.”

Land Trust

A land trust is a nonprofit organization that works to conserve land. Land trusts may help negotiate, hold, monitor, or enforce conservation easements.

Examples: Natural Lands, Lancaster Farmland Trust, and other conservation organizations often work with municipalities and landowners on preservation projects.

Willing Landowner

A willing landowner is a property owner who voluntarily chooses to participate in a preservation program. Most farmland and conservation easement programs are voluntary; the government does not simply take development rights without agreement and compensation.

Example: Cumberland County describes its agricultural conservation easement program as purchasing easements from willing landowners.

Land Preservation Board

A Land Preservation Board is a local advisory board that may help review, rate, and recommend land preservation projects.

Example: Silver Spring Township established its Land Preservation Review Board in January 2014 after a voter referendum supported dedicated funding for land preservation.

Environmental Advisory Council, or EAC

An Environmental Advisory Council is a local advisory body that may advise a municipality on environmental matters, natural resources, open space, sustainability, stormwater, trails, and related issues.

An EAC is different from a Land Preservation Board, though some topics may overlap.

Referendum

A referendum is a question placed on the ballot for voters to decide. Some municipalities use referendums to ask voters whether they support dedicated funding for land preservation.

Example: Silver Spring Township states its Land Preservation Review Board was created after a successful November 2013 voter referendum.

Earned Income Tax, or EIT

Earned Income Tax is a local tax on earned income, such as wages. Some municipalities use a dedicated portion of EIT to fund land preservation.

Example: Silver Spring Township’s land preservation program was created after voters approved an increase of one-tenth of one percent, or 0.1%, for land preservation.

Millage / Property Tax Mill

A mill is a property tax rate. One mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. A municipality may use property tax millage to fund specific public purposes, depending on legal authority and adopted budgets.

Example wording for a webpage:
“Any proposed preservation millage should clearly explain the tax rate, expected revenue, eligible uses, and whether the funding would continue, sunset, or require voter approval.”

Bond Issue

A bond issue is a way for a municipality to borrow money for a public purpose, often repaid over time through taxes or other revenue.

In land preservation, a bond could provide upfront funding to preserve land sooner, but it also creates long-term repayment obligations.

Matching Funds

Matching funds are dollars contributed by another program or organization to help pay for a project. Land preservation projects may combine township, county, state, federal, nonprofit, and private funding.

Example: Cumberland County notes that its easement program uses county, state, federal, local, and other funds.

Priority Ranking / Scoring

A priority ranking or scoring system is used to decide which properties should be considered first for preservation. Criteria may include soil quality, farm size, development pressure, location, natural resources, public benefit, and landowner readiness.

Example: Silver Spring Township’s Land Preservation Review Board page describes a local board structure for reviewing land preservation opportunities.

Public Access

Public access means residents can enter or use the land, such as for trails, parks, fishing, recreation, or education.

Important distinction: A conservation easement does not automatically create public access. Public access must be specifically included in the agreement or through separate ownership/management arrangements.

Passive Recreation

Passive recreation generally means low-impact recreational use, such as walking, birdwatching, nature observation, fishing, or trails. It usually does not involve large buildings, athletic fields, lights, or intensive infrastructure.

Greenway

A greenway is a connected corridor of protected open space. Greenways may follow streams, trails, ridgelines, utility corridors, or natural landscapes.

Greenways can support recreation, wildlife movement, stormwater management, and scenic protection.

Comprehensive Plan

A Comprehensive Plan is a long-range planning document that guides future land use, growth, transportation, housing, parks, open space, utilities, and community priorities. It does not automatically change zoning, but it helps guide future policy decisions.

Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan

A Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan is a planning document focused on parks, trails, recreation facilities, open space needs, and long-term investment priorities.

Example: Upper Allen Township lists a Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan, Spring 2016, among its official planning documents.

Zoning

Zoning is the local law that controls how land may be used and developed. Zoning districts can regulate residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, conservation, and mixed-use areas.

Land preservation does not replace zoning. It is a separate tool that can permanently restrict development on specific properties.