Data Story
Conservation Land and What It Means for Growers
Sources: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.0, USDA NRCS conservation easement records, and state conservation registries.
Analyzed by Growable Ground, May 2026.
PAD-US Version
4.0
USGS GAP, 2024
Geographic Scope
All 50 states
+ DC, territories
Easement Lifespan
30 yrs - perpetual
USDA NRCS programs
What “Protected” Actually Means
“Protected” covers a wide spectrum. A National Wildlife Refuge restricts most building and tilling. A Wetlands Reserve easement restricts drainage and grading but permits compatible growing. A state agricultural-preservation easement specifically encourages farming — it just blocks subdivision into housing lots.
The label matters less than the deed. Each protected parcel carries a specific easement document spelling out what is and isn’t allowed. Knowing the status before you plant — or before you buy — saves expensive surprises.
Key Statistics
US Conservation Land Coverage
- USGS PAD-US 4.0 is the authoritative inventory of protected lands in the United States, covering federal, state, local, and private easements across all 50 states plus DC and US territories.
- USDA NRCS administers several conservation easement programs — including the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Wetland Reserve Easements, and Grassland Reserve Easements. Each carries its own grower-relevant restrictions and incentives.
- Many state-level agricultural preservation programs specifically encourage active growing. They restrict residential subdivision, not cultivation — a critical distinction for anyone evaluating a parcel.
- Conservation easements travel with the deed. A grower buying a parcel inherits all restrictions and obligations of the recorded easement, regardless of who signed it.
- Protected proximity also matters for what surrounds a parcel — a National Wildlife Refuge next door means stable pollinator populations and few pesticide drift sources, but also limits aerial spraying options.
Why Conservation Status Matters
Conservation status determines what you can do with the land — and sometimes opens doors rather than closing them. A parcel in an agricultural-preservation easement may qualify for cost-share programs that pay for cover cropping, hedgerow planting, or pollinator strips. A parcel inside a wetland easement may forbid drainage but permit native-edible foraging and selective harvest.
Knowing the conservation context of your land — and of the land next door — clarifies which growing approaches fit, which programs you may already qualify for, and which constraints you need to design around.
See Your Parcel’s Conservation Context
See PAD-US protected areas and NRCS easements on your parcel and within a one-mile ring
Enter your address for conservation overlays, easement context, and 1,112 plant matches for what you can grow under the restrictions that apply.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PAD-US?
The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the USGS Gap Analysis Project’s authoritative national inventory of protected open space. Version 4.0 includes federal, state, local, and private easements with standardized attributes for management intent and allowed uses.
If my parcel has a conservation easement, can I still garden?
Usually yes, and often explicitly. Agricultural-preservation easements are designed to keep land in active production. Wetland easements may restrict drainage but permit compatible growing. The specific easement document recorded with your deed is the authoritative answer — growing intentions are best confirmed with the easement holder before major investment.
What does conservation land next door mean for my growing?
Adjacent protected land typically means stable pollinator populations, lower pesticide drift risk, and a buffer against future commercial or industrial development. Some easements restrict neighboring activities like aerial spraying — worth knowing before you commit to a spray-dependent crop plan.