The Bluegrass Conservancy reached an important milestone recentlyÑ10,000 acres of farmland protected from future commercial development in Central Kentucky. This means that a substantial chunk of land being used for agriculture today will continue to be used for agriculture by future generations. This is good news for those of us who value the area’s horse farms and general rural character, bad news for fans of housing developments, shopping malls, and urban sprawl.

How did this happen? Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the Bluegrass Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit land trust that for the last 15 years has encouraged area land owners to donate conservation easements for their property. There can be immediate and long-term benefits for the land owners and for their communities