The resources below briefly describe Maryland's
tree laws and regulations and numerous reports and publications
that document the past, present, and future of Maryland's forests.
The overall message is to impress upon all woodland owners and
citizens that the forest is truly a renewable natural resource
whose future can be ensured by sound forest stewardship.
1) Maryland Tree Laws
& Regulations Maryland
Tree Laws - A number of forest related tree laws apply to Maryland
forests, landowner, managers, professionals, and others. They are
detailed on the this link to the Maryland Forest Service. The laws
include: 1) forest conservation act, 2) reforestation law, 3) roadside
tree care 4) seed tree law, and 5) tree expert law.
A
Guide To Maryland Regulation of Forestry and Related Practices
- The Guide tracks the separate parts, and phases, of all forestry-related
industries. Part I addresses the harvest, manufacture and sale of
wood products. It includes a discussion of general harvesting requirements,
and the rules applicable to harvests in special areas, such as non-tidal
wetlands. Part II discusses the use of licensed professionals in
the harvest planning process, i.e., licensed foresters and qualified
professionals. Part III identifies the requirements for the care
and treatment of trees, e.g., use of a licensed tree expert. Finally,
Part IV identifies the general requirements for doing business in
Maryland, including financial assistance and tax benefits.
State
Income Tax Modification for Reforestation and Timber Stand Improvement
Programs - Maryland allows owners or lessees of forest
land to subtract certain amounts of direct costs of reforestation
and timber stand improvement from their federal adjusted gross
income on their Maryland tax returns. Eligibility and certification
requirements, and deduction limitations, apply.
Reduced
Property Tax Assessment for Forest Land - Maryland provides
two options for owners of at least 5 contiguous acres of woodland
to lower their property tax assessment: 1) freeze tax assessment
for landowner who places the land into a Forest
Conservation and Management Agreement (FCMA) with the DNR for
a minimum of fifteen (15) years, or 2) lower tax assessment that
may change over time, when a Forest Management Plan (FMP) is submitted
to the county assessor and monitored for compliance.
2) Federal Reports on Maryland's
Forest Statistics, Forest Health Trends
in Maryland's Forests - (NE-INF-152-02) - this nine-page publication
(in PDF format) summarizes all the current forest inventory data
from 1999 and compares it with previous inventories to show trends
and changes in Maryland's forests. This is the most concise document
you can find. Developed by the USDA Forest Service Northeastern
Research Station.
Maryland
Health Report - this Forest Health Report provides information
to help Marylanders take appropriate actions to enhance forest
resources for the present and for future generations
Forest Statistics
for Maryland: 1986 and 1999 - (Resource Bulletin NE-154) -
every decade or so the USDA Forest Service does an inventory of
the forest resources of Maryland. This is the fifth inventory
done of Maryland and provides statistics for forest area, numbers
of trees, wildlife habitat, tree biomass, timber volume, growth,
and change for the state and county level. A great resource. A
hard copy is available from: Brett Butler, USDA Forest Service,
11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200, Newtown Square, PA 19073. (610) 557-
4045. bbutler01@fs.fed.us;
3) Reports on Maryland's
Private Forest Landowners Private
Forest-land Owners of the Northern United States, 1994- (Resource Bulletin NE-136) - this publication by the USDA
Forest Service provides estimates of the numbers of private forest
landowners, ownership objectives, expected benefits, harvest experience,
intention to harvest, and management planning. This report reviews
trends. Very useful information for those seeking to better understand
those who own forestland. The actual information for Maryland
for this larger study was collected in 1989. A hard copy is available
from: Brett Butler, USDA Forest Service, 11 Campus Blvd., Suite
200, Newtown Square, PA 19073. (610) 557- 4045. bbutler01@fs.fed.us;
New
National Woodland Owners Survey - To gain insight into this
vital component of our forest resource, a new National Woodland
Owner Survey (NWOS) has been implemented in conjunction with the
Forest Inventory and Analysis annual inventory program. Over 50,000
individuals and groups that own woodland will eventually be sampled.
Maryland
State Fact Sheet developed by USDA Economic Research Service
- This 2002 publication contains frequently requested data for
Maryland. These include current data on population, per-capita
income, earnings per job, poverty rates, employment, unemployment,
farm and farm-related jobs, farm characteristics, farm financial
characteristics, top agricultural commodities, top export commodities,
and the top counties in agricultural sales. Since most forest
properties are a mix of farm and forest, this information can
be relevant to forest landowners. State fact sheets for other
states can be accessed as well.
5) In-State Reports on
Maryland's Trees & Forests Maryland
Forestry Task Force Final Report - On February 24, 1998 Governor
Parris N. Glendening signed an Executive Order which created the
Maryland Forestry Task Force. The Task Force developed a result-oriented
report with recommendations that was submitted in December 2000.
This report is filled with useful information.
Maryland
Working Landscapes: A Common Vision For 21st Century Farms, Forests,
and Local Communities - On May 6, 2002 a conference was sponsored
by the Maryland Center for Agroecology, Inc. that convened a select
group of more than 100 agricultural, environmental, government
and other leaders. The goal was to: 1) Increase awareness, educate,
and elicit innovative ideas from participants on working landscapes.
The proceeding highlights the ideas shared at the conference.
The
Big Tree Champion Book - No complete record of Maryland's
tree species exists, but from the best information available,
there are probably more than 160 species. This book lists the
biggest trees in Maryland and it is updated regularly.
Maryland's
Strategic Forest Lands Assessment - Maryland faces many challenges
in sustaining health, ecologically functional and economically
viable forests in the face of rapid urban development. This report
was printed October 2003. This publication is very large and
will require a long time to download on most servers.
Riparian
Forest Buffer Survival and Success in Maryland - this report
has useful information on the riparian buffer planting program.This publication is very large (10mg) and will require
a long time to download on most servers.
6) Maryland's Forest History Maryland's
Forests: Past, Present, & Future - this publication (fact
sheet 627) includes information on the following topics: 1) The
Past: History of Maryland's Forests: Forest Clearing, Cycles of
Use and Abuse; 2) The Present: A Patchwork of Forest Ownership
and Management; Forest Coverage; Forest Zones and Types; Forest
Ownership; Forests, Population and Development; Forest Health;
and the Forest Products Industry; and 3) The Future:Putting Forest
Stewardship into Practice References
The
Importance of Maryland’s Forest: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
- This publication is a primer on the history of our forest, its
environmental and economic importance, its scientific management,
and the challenges facing our continued stewardship This publication
is very large (879KB) and will require a long time to download
on most servers.
7) Reports on U.S. Forests Forest
Certification in North America - This 8-page publication
provides up-to-date information on forest or "green"
certification programs in a simple to read and concise format.
All this information would apply to Maryland forests.
Educational Programs
