Branching Out is the free, quarterly, forest stewardship newsletter
published by Maryland
Cooperative Extension to provide current information to forest
landowners, natural resource professionals, and the public. The newsletter
has a simple 4-page format that provides an in-depth story on a selected
topics, along with a calendar of events, information on new resources,
and short stories of upcoming educational programs.
To view the Spring 2007 issue of Branching Out
in pdf/printable format, click
here.
Be Proactive About Protecting Your Forests This Spring
The spring is a great time to stroll along wooded paths and take
in the fresh sights and sounds newly released from winter's
grasp. It's also a great time to look for ways to improve
the health of your trees and prevent problems that could appear
in the summer. The emerald ash borer and gypsy moth are two potential
problems you should learn to identify and manage.
Emerald Ash Borer
The emerald ash borer (EAB) was brought to the US in the 1990's,
but wasn't a problem until 2002 when they were found to be killing
ash trees in the Detroit area. The pest has now killed more than 20
million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. The EAB was introduced
into Maryland when infected ash trees were shipped to a nursery in
Prince George's County. Currently, there is a quarantine of firewood
for Prince George's County, and infected trees have only been reported
inside the quarantine area. There is an eradication zone of 13,700
acres in which ash trees are being harvested and ground into pieces
less than one inch.
The EAB is a metallic green beetle one-third to one-half inch long.
Adult beetles can fly and will feed on foliage, but it is the larvae
that seriously harm trees. It is only ash trees that are affected.
Larvae hatch from eggs laid on the bark and tunnel into the cambium,
which is between the tree’s bark and wood. When the larvae make
their S-shaped tunnels in the cambium, water and nutrient transport
is disrupted. Thus, the tree cannot transport life-sustaining materials
to the branches. The canopy begins dying back, and in one to four
years, the whole tree may be dead.
Although the EAB is only known to be in Prince George’s County,
it is good to be familiar with how to identify the EAB and know
what to do if you find it. Signs of infestation include:
• D-shaped adult beetle exit holes in bark
• Curvy tunnels under the bark
• Canopy dieback
Infected trees should be removed and ground into pieces less than
1 inch in diameter. Stumps should be killed to prevent suckers from
growing and becoming infested. Should you find evidence of EAB,
call the Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5920. To
read the latest news on EAB, go to www.emeraldashborer.info or www.mda.state.md.us/plants-pests/eab/current.php.
Is there a future for ash trees?
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has a plan for
storing ash seeds for future planting in case the infestation of
the emerald ash borer expands and decimates more of the ash population
in the US. They are asking volunteers to collect batches of about
500 healthy seeds from ash trees. Seeds should be collected directly
from the tree in late summer when they can easily be removed. If
you are interested in helping collect seed, go to www.ashseed.org.
Gypsy Moth
The gypsy moth has been called Maryland's most destructive
forest pest. Since 1987, these pests have infested forests throughout
the northeast United States. In the eastern US, there were over
732,000 acres of defoliation from gypsy moth recorded in 2005. Gypsy
moth caterpillars damage trees by feeding on leaves, sometimes leading
to extensive defoliation. They usually attack oaks, but will also
feed on other deciduous hardwoods mixed with oaks. Infested trees
are weakened by the loss of so many leaves, resulting in slower
growth and susceptibility to disease. Preventative silvicultural
treatments can be used to make trees less susceptible to infestation.
This usually involves timber harvesting to remove percentage of
the oak trees in the forest area, making it less inviting to the
moth. Around homesites, stress can be reduced by watering trees
during droughts and fertilizing.
Beginning mid-June, look for large caterpillars on trees and buildings,
under decks, and among leaf litter. New egg masses will begin appearing
mid-June, but you may be able to spot last year's masses before
then. The egg masses are light brown to off-white, about 1-2 inches
long, and have a fuzzy appearance. Caterpillars molt into moths
near the end of June. The female moth does not fly and will remain
in areas where caterpillars were found. In August, egg masses will
start appearing on wood piles, man-made objects, and where caterpillars
were seen. A good source for information about gypsy moth is www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth.
Controlling gypsy moth
When egg masses are spotted, they should be removed and burned or
disposed of in the trash, not just left on the ground where they
can still hatch. For larger infestations or where egg mass removal
is not practical, approved insecticides such as "Dimilin"
and “Gypchek” can be applied to leaves in early May
for caterpillar control. This can be done using ground spray equipment
around homes, but aerial sprays are used for larger areas. Many
counties with large egg mass counts that are bracing for a bad defoliation
are considering county spray programs that landowners may be able
to participate in, reducing aerial spray costs. Contact the Home
and Garden Information Center at 800-342-2507 or www.hgic.umd.edu
for control recommendations.
Sources: www.pestid.msu.edu, www.mda.state.md.us/plants-pests/eab,
www.na.fs.fed.us.
Introducing Nevin Dawson
We are happy to welcome Nevin Dawson as the University of Maryland
Cooperative Extension’s new forest stewardship educator. His
office is located at the Wye Research and Education Center at Queenstown,
Maryland on the Eastern Shore.
After earning a bachelor's in forestry from Penn State, Nevin
went on to earn a master's degree in forestry from NC State.
Nevin's experience in extension includes working for the USDA
Forest Service, as well as the Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa.
Low-literacy audiences are of special interest to Nevin. He wants
to provide materials and services for this "important but
often underserved audience," and help other extension professionals
to do the same. Another interest of Nevin's is the promotion
of agroforestry for small farmers. Nevin is currently working to
improve the management of community forests created by the Maryland
Forest Conservation Act.
If you would like to contact Nevin, email him at ndawson@umd.edu
or call 410-827-8056 ext. 125.
MALPF Buys Ag & Forest Land Easements
The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) was
created in 1977 to preserve farmland. Since 1980, they have been purchasing
easements on agricultural land, preserving over 250,000 acres. Their
mission is "to preserve productive agricultural land and woodland
in Maryland to provide for the continuing production of food and fiber
for the citizens of Maryland."
Putting an easement on your land means selling the rights to develop
the land, although you can still work the land as farm and harvest
forest products. Property eligibility is based on the land's
location, size, and soil productivity. The property must be outside
of a 10-year water and sewer service area, at least 50 acres (or
adjacent to preserved land), and have at least 50% Class I, II,
or III soils and/or Woodland Group 1 or 2.
The funding for the purchasing of easements comes from real estate
and agricultural transfer taxes, the federal farm and ranch land
preservation program, and MALPF's matching funds program.
In June 2006, 15,530acres were approved for easement statewide with
32% being wooded acres. Part of the reason for the lower percentage
of land with wooded acres is that many forest owners incorrectly
assume the MALPF program focuses mainly on agricultural land. In
fact, MALPF is very interested in receiving applications from forest
landowners, as well as owners of agricultural land. Last year, 70%
of applications were funded last year, so if you are interested
in selling an easement for your forested land, go ahead and apply!
This is a great opportunity for forest landowners. You may receive
more money than you expect – easements usually sell for about
70% of the land’s fair market value.
Each county has an Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board.
To contact the program administrator in your county and learn more,
go to www.malpf.info/PAcontact.html. For more information, you can
also visit www.malpf.info or email info@malpf.info.
2007 MFA Logger/Forestry Field Days
Featuring Something for Everyone!
The Maryland Forests Association's 2007 Western Maryland Loggers/Forestry
Field Days and Equipment Show will be held on Friday and Saturday,
June 8 & 9, at the Garrett County Fairgrounds in McHenry. Among
this year's exhibitors will be band saw mills, wood splitters, engines,
log trucks, skidders, loaders, chainsaws, feller bunchers and more.
Back by popular demand will be the only SKIDDER PULL COMPETITION in
the Mid-Atlantic Region scheduled for Saturday afternoon, June 9th.
Professional skidder operators will compete for prize money in four
classes to pull a weighted sled. A Game of Logging® Regional Final
will be held Saturday morning to pit professional loggers against
each other in events that measure skill, accuracy, efficiency and
safety.
The two-day event also features educational displays, programs,
and demonstrations on many different aspects of forests, forestry
and the forest products industry, plus old-fashioned craft exhibits.
Family events include presentations of Birds of Prey, Scales and
Tales, Allegany College Woodsmen's Team, Chainsaw Carver Shelly
Upole, and Smokey Bear.
Tickets are $5 at the gate with children under 12 admitted free.
Exhibitor booths are available. For more information contact the
MFA office in Grantsville at 301-895-5369 or e-mail mdforests@hereintown.net.
Further details are at mdforests.org/fieldays.htm.
Protecting Your Home from Wildfire
In recent years, forest fires in the western U.S. have received much
attention in the media. These fires are awesome spectacles of nature’s
raw power. But destructive wildfires can occur throughout the US,
including in our state. In fact, over 650 wildfires are ignited in
Maryland in an average year, burning over 3,000 acres.
There have been an increasing number of homes built in or near the
forest, creating what is known as the "Wildland/Urban Interface".
Homeowners in these areas can implement the following precautions
to minimize the chance that their home will be damaged or destroyed
by wildfire.
Remove accumulations of flammable debris and leaves from
your roof, gutters, yard, and under or around decks and patios.
Maintain a fuel break at least 30 feet wide around all structures
by removing combustibles such as firewood, picnic tables, easily
ignited vegetation, etc.
Clearly label all roads and intersections leading to your
home and have your house number posted with clearly visible 4-inch
reflective numerals.
Space landscape shrubs at least 15 feet apart and remove
highly flammable evergreen plants next to the house.
Dispose of woodstove ashes properly in a metal container,
soak with water, and wait three days before dumping.
Burn debris safely, especially during spring and fall. Follow
all open air burning regulations.
For more information contact David Robbins, Maryland DNR Forest
Service at 301-791-4010, or e-mail drobbins@dnr.state.md.us.
Changes to Tree Expert Law
If you perform tree care or tree removal as part of your job (except
commercial loggers), or are hiring someone for tree care, you should
be aware of a recent change.
Senate Bill 123 was signed into Maryland law in April 2006. The
law requires that persons performing tree care or removal for hire
have a Tree Expert license. To obtain a license, one must qualify
under experience requirements or pass an exam. The license must
be renewed annually on the first of the year. To register for the
exam or for more information, go to www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/programapps/tel.html
or call Romcesa Estep at 410-260-8531.
Use Paint along with No Trespassing Signs
Posting conventional no trespassing signs can be an expensive and
time-consuming project. A law passed in 1989 makes posting much easier
and cheaper by allowing the use of vertical strips of oil-based blue
paint as an alternative to signs.
Paint marks must be at least 2 inches wide, 8 inches long, and centered
from 3 to 6 feet from the ground or water surface. Make marks close
enough that a person standing in front of one mark would be able
to see the paint marks to their right and left.
Low-Interest Loans for Rural Projects
The Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development
Corporation (MARBIDCO) is now offering low-interest (2% fixed APR)
loans to rural entrepreneurs. These loans are to be used for working
capital or purchasing equipment, or to finance environment or water-quality
enhancement projects. For more information and application forms,
please visit www.marbidco.org.
The Woods in Your Backyard
Several workshops are being held for those interested in learning
more about the publication The Woods in Your Backyard. The workshops
are held from 7-9 pm and cost $15, which includes the publication
and CD. Pre-registration is required
Have you seen www.naturalresources.umd.edu
lately? We've redesigned the website to make it easier to find the
information you're looking for. Find information about rural enterprises,
upcoming educational courses, managing deer, and more. Check it
out!
Publications
Developing a Custom Portable Sawmill Enterprise (NRAES-134) will soon
be released. This publication is for rural entrepreneurs seeking information
on business planning, financial analysis, etc. $12. www.nraes.org.
The USDA National Agroforestry Center’s Inside Agroforestry
newsletter has the latest agroforestry information. The current
issue covers biomass potential of perennial woody crops and reducing
costs through energy efficient improvements in your farm and home.
Find it at www.unl.edu/nac/insideagroforestry.htm.
Upcoming Stewardship Events
March 28 The Woods in Your Backyard workshop,
Salisbury. See article on pg. 4.
April 21 Forestry 101: Reforestation, Riparian
Forest Buffers and Their Influence on the Health of our Waterways
and the Chesapeake Bay. Stronghold Property 8:45am-noon. Contact
Terry Poole at tepoole@umd.edu or call 301-631-3577.
April 27, 28, 29 GPS Training for Beginners.
Keedysville, MD. Contact Cindy Mason at cmason@umd.edu or 301-432-2767x301
to register.
May 3, 10, 12 Advanced GPS Training. Keedysville,
MD. Contact cmason@umd.edu or 301-432-2767x301.
May 5 Forestry 101: Invasive Weed Species Control.
Stronghold Property 8:45am-noon. tepoole@umd.edu.
May 17 Forestry 101: The Role of Fire in Forest
Management. Frederick County MCE office 6:45-9:00pm. tepoole@umd.edu.
June 2 Forestry 101: Forest Management from the
Wildlife Perspective and Forest Ecology. Stronghold Property 8:45am-noon.
Published four times a year and distributed to forest landowners,
resource professionals, and other interested in forest stewardship.
Issues are posted online at www.naturalresources.umd.edu/BranchingOut.cfm.
To sign up for online updates, e-mail listserv@listserv.umd.edu.
In the body of the message, type SUB branchingout your name (ex:
SUB branchingout John Doe). For a hardcopy subscription ($10 per
year - make checks payable to University of Maryland) or to send
news items, e-mail cmason@umd.edu;
call 301-432-2767x338; or mail
Branching Out
Maryland Cooperative Extension
18330 Keedysville Road
Keedysville, MD 21756-1104.
The sponsoring agencies' programs are open to all citizens without
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orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.
Educational Programs
