Maryland Forest Action Plan and Strategy Finalized

Focus on Growing Forests, Habitats, Markets, and Jobs

Photo by Patricia Klein, submission to 2016 Maryland Natural Resources Photo Contest,

The Maryland Forest Service has released its Maryland Forest Action Plan, which contains an assessment of statewide forest conditions and a strategy that identifies major goals and actions to reach them.

Working collaboratively with partners and stakeholders, the Maryland Forest Service developed a Forest Action Plan Strategy, which is based on the seven principles of sustainable forestry: biodiversity, forest productivity, ecosystem health, soil and water health, global carbon, socioeconomic support, and legal and institutional frameworks.

Strategy goals of the Forest Action Plan are to grow forests, habitats, markets and jobs; manage forest health and fire; provide clean water; create healthy, livable communities, and adapt to climate change. The plan will be used as a basis for the state to propose needed investments of state and federal dollars, in combination with other available income streams.

The Forest Service encourages Maryland residents to help grow the state’s tree canopy through the Marylanders Plant Trees program.

A national land conservation program for working forests is also featured in the plan through the federal Forest Legacy program.

The Maryland Forest Action Plan is available on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.