Rural Legacy is the preservation counterpart to Priority Funding Areas. The State of Maryland targets funding for land preservation to Rural Legacy Areas and other preservation areas. Priority Funding Areas and Rural Legacy Areas work together to ensure that Maryland's communities and natural resource lands continue to function as healthy places and contribute to the vitality of Maryland's economy.

This policy recognizes that spending money to support new development far from existing communities can reduce the long-term viability of these established communities and the resource lands near this new development.