[Joint news release with Triangle Land Conservancy]
A 32-acre family farm in eastern Wake County is now permanently protected following the completion of an agricultural conservation easement that will preserve its pastures, woodlands and vital water resources for continued agricultural use.
“Johnson Farm represents the kind of working landscape that we are dedicated to protecting,” said Donald Mial, vice chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners. “Preserving this land helps ensure that future generations can continue to benefit from its agricultural, ecological and community value.”
The protection of Johnson Farm was made possible through a partnership between landowners Thurman and Jan Johnson, Triangle Land Conservancy and the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Farmland Preservation Program. Triangle Land Conservancy will hold and monitor the conservation easement and ensure the terms of the agreement are permanently met.
Wake County’s contribution of $603,032.50 came from the annual Deferred Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestlands Tax fund. The total project cost is approximately $1.25 million, with the majority covered by a generous donation from the Johnson family.
The property features a mix of open pasture and hardwood forest, supports a small sheep operation and includes a pond and more than 2,000 linear feet of stream. The Wake Soil and Water Conservation District has confirmed that about 96% of the farm’s soils are classified as prime or of statewide importance, highlighting the land’s high agricultural value.
“The partnership between Wake County and Triangle Land Conservancy has been instrumental to protecting family farms in one of the most rapidly growing areas of the State,” said Leigh Ann Hammerbacher, director of Land Protection and Stewardship East. “We are so thankful to farmers like the Johnsons who make these projects possible.”
This action supports Wake County’s Growth, Land Use and Environment Goal 3: Protect 1,000 acres of green space, including open space, parks, greenways, farmland and forests by 2029.
