American Agricultural Heritage Areas (AAHAs)

The American Agricultural Heritage Area (AAHA) is a proposed place-based designation that recognizes and supports working agricultural landscapes of national significance. It brings together farmers, landowners, communities, and public partners to conserve farmland, sustain local economies, and celebrate agricultural heritage. AAHA emphasizes voluntary participation, local governance, and market-based strategies rather than regulatory control. By aligning conservation, production, and regional identity, it helps strengthen value chains, promote agritourism, and attract investment. The approach integrates stewardship with economic viability, ensuring that agriculture remains a living, productive asset while preserving the cultural and ecological foundations that define these landscapes.

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The following individuals are sharing their expertise in the exploration of the AAHA concept

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AAHA Working Group Members

• Brenda Barrett — Editor of the Living Landscape Observer and member of the international scientific committee on cultural landscapes. Has served as manager and coordinator of national and state Heritage Area programs.​

• Dr. Teresa Bertossi — Sentinel Landscapes Support Advisor, LegacyWorks Group; supports coordinators across the United States at the intersection of conservation, community resilience, and working lands, specializing in biocultural landscapes and farmer livelihoods.

• Dr. Thomas Daniels — Professor, City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania; teaches Land Use Planning and Land Preservation. Co-author of Holding Our Ground: Protecting America's Farms and Farmland.

• Julia Freedgood — Senior Fellow, American Farmland Trust.

• Chadley Hollas — Founder and principal consultant at Cultivating Tourism, working at the intersection of tourism, agriculture, and living landscapes to strengthen agricultural heritage and rural livelihoods. He is a co-founder and Secretary (2024–2026) of the Global Agritourism Network and a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia.

• Dr. Jane Lennon — Dr. Jane Lennon AM, Hon ICOMOS; member of the ICOMOS Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes and the Australian Garden History Society; former honorary professor at the University of Melbourne in landscape heritage.

• Dr. Phil Loring — Global Director, Human Dimensions Science, The Nature Conservancy.

• Dr. Joshua Merced — Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation at Northern Arizona University. His research engages with placemaking, politics of space, critiques of the cultural economy, and innovations in geographic education.

• Dr. Nora Mitchell — Adjunct Professor, University of Vermont; Network for Landscape Conservation.

• Dr. Sara Scherr — President & Founder, EcoAgriculture Partners (USA-based NGO)

• Dr. Amy Trubek — Professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Vermont and Director of the Climate Kitchen; author of The Taste of Place: A Cultural Journey into Terroir.

• Krisztián Varsa — Farms Fund Director at The Conservation Fund, where he leads efforts to transition threatened farmland to the next generation of farmers and strengthen sustainable regional food systems. He previously served as Conservation Director at Athens Land Trust, where he launched innovative programs supporting youth and historically underserved farmers.