HLT President Harry Webster has long been an advocate of establishing new partnerships within the community. Reaching out to the community expands our thinking, gets our success stories out to a broader audience, provides us with land stewardship volunteers, and creates new opportunities to promote land conservation.

On March 7^th, 2009 the Board of Directors held a special meeting at the Abingdon Library to review the new changes to the Harford County Transferable Development Rights (TDR) program, learn from knowledgeable sources what makes a good program work, and examine its potential role in a future program. 

The presenters and panel of the mini-seminar consisted of Peg Niland, HLT Director, who has had extensive and successful use preserving land with TDRs in Calvert County; Charles Day, Deer Creek Watershed Association and co-author of a proposed revision of Harford’s program; Pat Barth, Friends of Harford and expert on Maryland and nation-wide successful programs; Val Twanmoh, Special Assistant to Senator Barbara Mikulski for Harford County and an attorney with hearing examiner experience; and Bob Ward, Ward Homes, representing the building industry.