Forest
Conservation Law
This law, enacted in 1991, requires specific levels of forest
conservation to be maintained during land development. Those involved
in land development may need to conduct a detailed forest inventory
and prepare a forest conservation plan for the site prior to construction.
This inventory will locate important forest types, wetlands, streams
and critical wildlife habitats and provide the information needed
to allow development to occur while retaining the best forest
areas. A Forest Conservation Plan will locate areas of forest
to be retained or replanted. To learn more about this law and
the specific procedures and requirements that will have to be
followed call your Planning and Zoning Department or the DNR
Forest Service Project Forester for your county.
Reforestation
Law
Established in 1988, this law, administered by the DNR Forest
Service, requires that any state-funded highway construction project
that clears one or more acres of forest must replace an equal
amount of forest in the county and watershed where the clearing
occurred.
Roadside
Tree Care Law
Established in 1914, this law requires all tree planting, tree
removal and tree care conducted in the public right-of-way of
a road to be done under a permit from the Department of Natural
Resources Forest Service. Individuals, community associations,
municipalities and utilities desiring to have public trees treated
in any manner, must call the county Project
Forester to request an application. If the application is
approved, a permit is issued to the applicant usually within a
seven-day period. All work done under the permit must be done
by a Licensed Tree Expert.
Can
I trim a roadside tree?
A roadside tree is any tree that grows all or in part within a
public road right-of-way. You must obtain a permit in order to
trim, remove or plant a new roadside tree. To request a permit,
a request must be made to the Maryland DNR Forest Service office
in the County where the tree exists. Requests must include location
(street address) of tree or grouped trees, adjacent property owner(s)
name and address, the type of tree care requested and why. Please
note that any work to be performed on a roadside tree must be
done by a licensed tree care expert. www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/landplanning/roadside.html
Seed
Tree Law
The cutting of timber for commercial purposes from five acres
or more of land on which Loblolly, Shortleaf, or Pond Pine constitute
25 percent of the live trees on each acre cannot begin unless
seed trees have been reserved or a reforestation plan has been
approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Forest Service.
Landowners and forest product operators in all counties in which
the above mentioned trees grow are affected by this law. Foresters
can assist to determine if the forest area involved is impacted
by this law and assist in the preparation of a reforestation plan.
Tree
Expert Law
A person is not permitted to engage in the work or business of
a tree expert in Maryland without a license issued by the Department
of Natural Resources Forest Service. A "tree expert"
is a person who holds himself/herself out as being skilled in
the science of tree care and, in any way, engages in the business
of the treatment and care of trees for compensation by making
diagnoses, prescribing, and supervising the treatment of trees.
Educational Programs
