Last week, the Partners for Open Space released the results of a recently conducted poll which found that Program Open Space was exceedingly popular among Maryland residents. 
The poll questioned Maryland voters who are likely to participate in the November 2022 election. Results indicate that 90 percent of participants approve of Program Open Space, and prefer the State maintain its current funding. Program Open Space has been a historically successful program, providing an immense public benefit that has only increased in value during the COVID-19 pandemic as residents seek more places to exercise and relief from cabin fever.
From the Partners for Open Space press release:
Organization co-chairs, Rural Maryland Council Executive Director Charlotte Davis and Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn, stated that poll results showed that a staggering “90% of Maryland voters support Program Open Space” and furthermore, “more than three in five Maryland voters oppose diverting funding away from Program Open Space to unrelated programs.”
Created in 1969, Maryland’s Program Open Space is funded through a transfer tax of 0.5 percent of every real estate transaction in the state and has helped create parks and green space in every
county across the state – which has become a vital asset during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current health crisis led to dramatic increases in local and state park visitation. According to Governor Hogan, 2020 was a record year with more than 17 million visitors by October, and in July alone, Maryland state parks more than doubled normal visitation with 3.4 million visitors. “This January 2021 polling data shows how much residents not only cherish parks but how much they also value the preservation of agricultural lands and natural areas,” said Co-Chair Davis.
The Partners for Open Space is a coalition comprised of stakeholder organizations including the Maryland Association of County Parks and Recreation Administrators (MACPRA) who are invested in protecting public access to open space across the state through conservation and preservation programs like Program Open Space.
To learn more visit the Partners for Open Space website.
