2009 DELAWARE ENVIROTHON

“Biodiversity in a Changing World”

Presenter Scott C. Blaier, P.G.

Agricultural Lands Preservation

How does it Support Biodiversity ?

Nationwide Loss of Farmland 2002 to 2007: 2007 USDA Census of Ag.

StateAcres Lost Percent Acres Lost

New Jersey 72,232 - 8.97%

New York 486,226 -6.35%

Virginia 520,904 -6.04%

Delaware 29,827 -5.52%

Maryland 25,874 -1.25%

Vermont 11,596 -0.93%

Massachusetts 691 -0.13%

Florida 1,183,307 -11.36%

United States 16,183,216 -1.72%

Delaware Statistics

Total Land Area 1,954 sq. miles (1,250,560 acres)

Total Water Area 536 sq. miles (343,040 acres)

Total Preserved Land 150,000 acres (12%)

Permanent Preserved Land 89,682 acres (7%)

Permanent Forest Land 23,882 acres (1.9%)

Permanent Other (i.e. Wetlands)

9,098 acres (0.7%)

Leading the Nation

• Delaware First in Percentage of Land Permanently Preserved

• Delaware has almost 150,000 acres enrolled in the Farmland Preservation Program (12%)

Land Types Permanently Preserved

• Cropland – 56,702 acres (63%)

• Forestland – 23,882 acres (27%)

• Other Land – 9,098 acres (10%)

• Total – 89,682 acres

How Farm Preservation Contributes to Biodiversity

• Preserves Land Next to Existing Public Lands (i.e. State Parks, Forests, Federal and State Wildlife Preserves, etc.)

• Especially East Coast of State

How Farm Preservation Contributes to Biodiversity

• Creates Contiguous, Un-fragmented, Habitat with Open Space, Forests, and Wetlands

How Farm Preservation Contributes to Biodiversity

Un-harvested Crop Residue Important Source of Food and Forage (i.e.

migrating birds)