By Drew Harmon

The Edmond Sun

A unique partnership involving two nonprofit organizations, a local development company and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will soon result in the preservation of a family farm in eastern Edmond.

On Wednesday, the Chitwood Farm property in Edmond will officially enrolled in the Farm and Rand Land Protection Program (FRPP), which is designed to preserve working farms and ranches across the nation.

The farm will become only the second property in Oklahoma to be enrolled in the program, which is administered by the USDA according to a press release.

The dedication of the property will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The brief ceremony will occur at the Chitwood Farm itself, located a quarter mile south of the intersection of Post Road and Southeast 15th Street in eastern Edmond.

"This is a historic event for conservation in Edmond and across Oklahoma," said Edmond Mayor Saundra Naifeh. "it shows the commitment that this community has to preserving open spaces, including farmland."

Through the FRPP, qualifying farms and ranches are protected through conservation easements, which prevent subdivision and development but allow for continued private ownership and open space uses such as farming and ranching.

The USDA provides half the funds necessary for the purchase of easements by nonprofit conservation organizations. Land Legacy, a statewide organization located in Tulsa, and the Edmond Land Conservancy, a local nonprofit will acquire the easement and then monitor it for future compliance.

"This project is a perfect example of conservation and compatible development," said Derek S. Turner, president and owner of the Turner and Company Inc., which contributed funds for the project and is developing a residential community on adjacent land.

"As communities grow and new homes are constructed, it is essential that we preserve open lands and natural resources such as the Chitwood Farm."

Darrel Dominick, NRCS State Conservationist, believes protection of farmland is a top priority in Oklahoma.

"Each year, out state is losing over 30,000 acres of farms and ranches, including some of our best and most productive agricultural land," he said.

The conservation easement to be acquired on the farm will be held by Land Legacy, which is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving open spaces across Oklahoma.

The Edmond Land Conservancy is assisting Land Legacy by taking an active role in maintaining the property as open space.

"We appreciate Land Legacy's help in preserving this farm," said Rand Phipps, chairman of the Edmond Land Conservancy. "This project represents a significant step forward for conservation in the Edmond area."

Robert Gregory, director of Land Legacy, agrees that the project is unique.

"Seldom do developers, the federal government and conservation groups unite to protect open space and natural resources," he said.

"We're grateful to the Turner Company for their support to conserve this land next to a future residential subdivision."

The project exemplifies the goals of the FRPP, Dominich stated.

"Urban sprawl is the primary source of loss of farm and ranch lands," he said.

"Whenever conservation objectives can be attained in combination with economic growth, it's a win-win."