As one takes a look around at what used to be lush green pastures full of cows and old farmhouses, they are often appalled to find in their place walls of steel and glass and miles of endless pavement serving a multitude of automobiles. Our natural areas, farmlands, and open spaces are being destroyed daily in the name of progress for new monotonous development. Traditional land use control techniques such as zoning have proved to be rather ineffective growth management tools allowing the encroachment of development on agricultural lands. One preservation tool that can aid in preserving these threatened open spaces is the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. This thesis examines the legitimacy and successfulness of the TDR program for the protection of farmlands, natural landscapes, and historic properties.