Branching Out - Spring 1998

Sources of Information

Where does a woodland steward get information to help manage that woodland and the wildlife in it? Forest professionals and other woodland owners are good sources of information. In addition, there are publications on forest and wildlife management. Unless noted, all of the following are available from your county Extension office and single copies are free to Maryland residents.

Of general interest

Natural Resources Income Opportunities on Private Lands. Proceedings of April=s conference in Hagerstown attended by 290 people from 23 states. Includes 38 papers related to forest farming and forest utilization, recreational tourism, recreational access, opportunities assessment, challenges, management, estate and tax considerations, and integration of natural resources into farm and woodlot management. [ Eds: Kays, Goff, Smallidge, Grafton, Parkhurst; 275 pages, $20, bulk rate available for 4 or more copies; order from Washington County Cooperative Extension Service, 1260 Maryland Ave, Hagerstown MD 21740; 301-791-1304.]

Recreational Access and Landowner Liabilty in Maryland: Guidelines for Managing Free or Fee Access. Previewed in Branching Out, Fall l997, this gives details on landowner liability, trespass and property rights, recreational use along tidal and nontidal waterways, controlling recreational use, controlling timber trespass, and developing a lease hunting enterprise. It also has examples of a hunting lease; sources of liability insurance for hunt clubs and other recreational enterprises; and sources of additional information. [Bulletin 357, 27 pages, $2.50.]

Newly published

NEW! Seven fact sheets on riparian forest buffers can help you plant streamsides. This is timely for Maryland woodland owners who will participate in the effort to plant 600 miles of Chesapeake Bay tributaries by 2010. These fact sheets explain forest riparian buffer terms, systems, installation, maintenance, and plants to use: An Introduction to the

Riparian Forest Buffer [Fact Sheet 724, 2 pages.]

Riparian Forest Buffer Design, Establishment, and Maintenance [FS 725, 8 pages.]

Trees for Riparian Forest Buffers [FS 726, 4 pages.]

Understory Plants for Riparian Forest Buffers [FS 727, 4 pages.]

Grasses for Riparian Buffers and Wildlife Habitat Improvement [FS 728, not yet available.]

Soil Bioengineering or Streambank Restoration for Riparian Forest Buffers [FS 729, not yet available.]

Riparian Buffer Systems [FS 733, 2 pages.] [Eds: Tjaden and Weber.]

In addition, a video Riparian Forest Buffers---The Link Between Land & Water, explains and illustrates the functions and values of the riparian forest habitat. Designed for landowners, it is appropriate for individual or group viewing. 21 minutes; closed-captioned. Borrow from a MD, PA, or VA Extension service office, state forest or wildlife agency, or Natural Resources Conservation Service, or purchase for $15 from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service Wye Research and Education Center, 401-827-8056.

Forest Management

Sources of Information and Guidance for Forest Stewards. [FS 624, 12 pages.]

Maryland's Forests---Past, Present, and Future. [FS 627, 7 pages.]

Developing a Forest Management Plan---The Key to Forest Stewardship. [FS 625, 4 pages; available on the Internet; see below.]

The Forest Stewardship Planning Guide (FSPG) is a Windows-based computer software program to help private forest owners determine goals for their woodland. [Free from _________.]

Glossary of Forestry Terms. 175 forestry terms and definitions, from Aall-aged stand@ to Awolf tree,@ including agency acronyms and seven illustrations. [FS 620, 7 pages.]

How to Determine Your Property Boundaries. [FS 619, 7 pages.]

Measuring Your Forest. [FS 629, 8 pages, illustrations and charts.]

Marketing Forest Products: The Sales Contract. [FS 628, 8 pages.]

How to Produce and Market Paulownia. [Bulletin 319, 21 pages, thirty illustrations, $2.00.]

Alternative Income Enterprises---Resource List.[FS 626, 12 pages.]

Wildlife Management

Wildlife Management Series. Set of eighteen illustrated fact sheets. The first four (4-7 pages each) present an overview of wildlife management and steps for managing wildlife and the last fourteen (seven pages each) detail wildlife species= physical characteristics, abundance and distribution, life history, management, and ecological roles. Topics are Introduction to Wildlife Management, Planting Crops for Wildlife, Brush Piles for Wildlife, Field Border Management, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, Bobwhite Quail, Ring-necked Pheasants, Ruffed Grouse, Mourning Doves, Eastern Wild Turkeys, Tree Squirrels, Black Bears, Wood Ducks, Dabbling Ducks, Diving Ducks, Canada Geese, and Songbirds Life History and Management. [WMP; $10 for set.]

Wildlife Damage Management

Controlling Deer Damage in Maryland. [EB 354, 22 pages, $1.50]

Resistance of Ornamentals to Deer Damage. [FS 655, 8 pages; available on the Internet,; see below.]

Reducing Vole Damage to Plants. [FS 654, 8 pages.]

Related topics

Several family resource management publications may be useful to forest owners. Among them are

EstatePlanning: Owning and Transferring Property. [FS 410.]

Estate Planning: Gift, Estate, and Inheritance Taxes. [FS 421.] Ask your Extension office about others.

For the above publications, contact your county Extension service office, under Acounty government@ in the telephone blue pages. Two of the publications, FS 625 and FS 655, can be downloaded from the Internet. Access them at www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications.

Tour Farm of 1998 Tree Farmer of the Year

Forest owners and others can tour the tree farm of 1998 Maryland Tree Farmer of the Year, Bill Slagle, Garrett County, Saturday, June 6.

As featured in the last Branching Out, Bill's Walnut Meadows tree farm has managed hardwoods, evergreens, ginseng, shiitake mushrooms, a recent timber stand improvement, and a nature trail. The tour also may include Bill's current project, a Ahouse of the 21st Century, featuring foam construction forms and geothermal heating.

All are invited to the tour which is sponsored by the Maryland Chapter of the Walnut Council and the Maryland Tree Farm Committee. For details, including information on overnight accommodations at the new Rocky Gap Conference Center, contact Vera Mae Schultz, 301-972-0848, treefarmer@compuserve.com; or Jeff Bracken, 304-258-4681.

New Cost-sharing for Habitat

A new Wildlife Habitat Improvement (cost-sharing) Program, WHIP, had its initial enrollment in February. WHIP is the first program targeted exclusively at improving wildlife habitat on America=s private lands.

Conservation practices eligible for WHIP cost-sharing are the restoration of grassland habitat in field borders and fields, the restoration of riparian buffers with trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants, and the stabilization of adjacent streambanks with trees and shrubs. The area must contain at least one acre of grassland, shrub, or tree plantings, or at least 150 feet of streambank stabilization plantings.

Practices installed must be in the landowner=s conservation plan as developed by the landowner, the Soil Conservation District, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. This plan is separate from the forest management plan developed by a forester. Participants agree to maintain the practices for five to ten years, with NCRS providing technical assistance and up to 75 percent of the cost of installing the conservation practices.

WHIP was created in the 1996 Farm Bill. Maryland receives $180,000 this year. WHIP can help you increase and improve wildlife habitat. Although the first signup has passed, there will be other signup periods. Contact your local NRCS or Soil Conservation District office, under AUnited States Government, Agriculture@ in the blue pages of the phone book.

RESOURCES for Forest Landowners

A draft of the Department of Natural Resources' 68-page deer management plan "Charting the Course for Deer Management in Maryland" can be reviewed at most public libraries, downloaded from www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/dmp.html or purchased for $10 from DNR.

Branching Out - Vol. 6, No. 2, Spring 1998

Editors: Vera Mae Schultz, Jonathan Kays, and Pam Townsend
Contributor: Anne Hairston-Strang