A piece of land in northern Johnson County will be protected from development in the future.
The owner of Hide-A-Way Farms, a horse farm that spans both Marion and Johnson counties, worked with the Central Indiana Land Trust to protect the land from development in the future.
Through a conservation easement, the owner was able to ensure the land would not be developed even if it is sold.
The Central Indiana Land Trust, which works to preserve land, will watch over the property in the future to be sure that agreement is upheld, according to a news release from the land trust.
Conservation easements are legal agreements between landowners and land trusts that put restrictions on a property based on what the owner wants, and those restrictions are attached to the title of the property.
The 88-acre property is located near the intersection of Baker and Maze roads. Part is in Marion County, and the other part is in the far northeastern corner of Johnson County. The land has fields, a stream and wooded bluffs featuring ancient oak trees, the release said.
Under the agreement, the property will remain private, and will not be open to the public, but preserving it will benefit others, Central Indiana Land Trust Executive Director Cliff Chapman said in the release.
“By setting aside this property forever, we not only retain a slice of what defines Central Indiana’s landscape, but we also protect wildlife habitat, help to preserve water quality and keep the land in its traditional use,” Chapman said.
“Everyone benefits from this, as it will remain an open, beautiful area,” he said.
