Since its inception in 1990, the Agricultural Land Preservation Board has preserved over 119 farms and approximately 8,000 acres of agricultural land in Monroe County. Preservation is accomplished through the purchase of perpetual conservation easements. An agricultural conservation easement is an agreement which is made between a landowner and a government agency that conveys the development rights to the easement holder. It is the purpose of this program to protect and promote continued productive agricultural use on viable agricultural lands. Funding for this program is provided by both the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Farmland Preservation and the Monroe County Open Space Bond.