With all the new business and residential development sites being built, surely we’re running out of open spaces, right? Well, while that may seem to be the case, at least on a national level it may surprise many to learn that conservation easements to protect open space now outpace those of development by a sizable 2.2 million acres each year. Indeed, according to the Land Trust Alliance, new private land trusts alone average a hefty 2.6 million acres per year, which totals about half the size of New Jersey. Since most of the growth in land protection is coming from efforts by small volunteer groups, and all regions are experiencing the impact, it appears this new development may help to bulldoze over the growing concerns of urban sprawl.