MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A farmland preservation group in Berkeley County will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this month.
The Berkeley County Farmland Protection Board was created on June 15, 2000 after enabling legislation was approved by state lawmakers.
Berkeley County was the first to establish a board after the statewide bill was signed into law.
Resa Ingram-Orsini, who heads up the board, said the efforts have been successful.
“In this county we are right at just over 9,100 acres right now and we have about 300 more acres in the process that should close in the next year or so,” Ingram-Orsini said on ‘Panhandle Live’ on WEPM Radio in Martinsburg.
She said they’ve been able to protect farmland.
“What we do is we purchase, accept donations, of conservation easements and what that does is protect farmland in perpetuity. What we’re doing is purchasing subdivision rights so the farmland can never be subdivided again,” Ingram-Orsini said.
A celebration for the board’s 25th anniversary is scheduled for June 17.