Governor O’Malley Signs Landmark Forest Legislation
Maryland establishes first in the nation policy
Photo by Gayle Ryan
Governor Martin O’Malley today signed into law first-of-its-kind legislation that amends Maryland’s forest conservation policy to maintain the State’s current 40 percent tree canopy ─ a no-net-loss. The bill establishes new and expanded reforestation incentives and tools to help landowners and local governments meet and surpass the statewide goal. Read more 
Natural Resources Careers Camp Accepting Applicants
High school students with an interest in forestry, fisheries, wildlife or parks management are invited to join teens from Maryland and surrounding states at Natural Resources Careers Camp, July 21 to 27 in Garrett County. Experts from a variety of conservation fields will provide campers with a firsthand look at what a career in natural resources is all about. Read more
Governor O’Malley Announces State Reaches 2013 Marylanders Plant Trees Goal
Citizens plant and register more than 100,000 trees
Governor O’Malley helping Maryland students plant.
Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that citizens have exceeded the three-year statewide goal of planting and registering 100,000 trees by 2013 through the exciting, interactive Marylanders Plant Trees program. Governor O’Malley encourages everyone to keep the momentum going strong, planting trees this spring to continue to enhance the health and beauty of Maryland. Read more
States in Bay Watershed Sign Chesapeake Forest Restoration Strategy
Monica Lear, DC state forester; Carl Garrison, Va. state forester; Steve Koehn, Md. state forester; Tom Tidwell, U.S. Forest Service chief; Nick DiPasquale EPA Chesapeake Bay Program director.
Maryland State foresters and their state and federal partners have signed a historic new plan to increase tree cover and improve water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Maryland joined the Chesapeake Bay Program Director Nick DiPasquale and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to sign the Chesapeake Bay Forest Restoration Strategy.
Fort Frederick Hosts Ghost Walk
Who: Open to the Public
When: Saturday, October 20, Tours run from 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Fort Frederick State Park, 11100 Fort Frederick Road, Big Pool
Cost: $5 per person. Ages 5 and younger are free.
Contact: 301-842-2155
Costumed guides will lead visitors on a haunted tour of the park grounds and fort, where they will encounter ghostly characters and tales of war, torture and imprisonment. Reenactors will also depict scenes from the fort’s past, including the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and the American Civil War.
DNR Dedicates Fred W. Besley Demonstration Forest
Fred Besley, Maryland’s First State Forester
To honor Maryland’s first State forester, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officially dedicated the Fred W. Besley Demonstration Forest in Dorchester County on April 20. The ceremony, held in Linkwood, recognized Besley for his influence on the future of forestry conservation.
“As Maryland’s first State Forester, Fred Besley built a legacy of conservation and sustainable forestry management, which the Maryland Forest Service still follows to this day,” said State Forester and Director Steven Koehn. Read more
DNR Welcomes Public Input on State Forest Annual Work Plans
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is calling on the public to help establish the best, most efficient management plan for Potomac Garrett, Green Ridge, Savage River, Chesapeake and Pocomoke State forests for 2014. Read more