Agricultural Conservation Easements (ACEs) have become a common tool to protect viable farmland threatened by urban sprawl. A hedonic pricing study shows that when a conservation easement is placed on a farm, the value of surrounding residential properties increases. However, because ACE programs target the most productive farmland, the land chosen for ACE’s tends to generate fewer amenities and more disamenities than average farmland. To maximize the public benefits from protecting farmland through ACEs, preservation programs should consider the amenities generated by farmland in their ranking process.
