Forest Management

For centuries, Maryland's forests have provided wood, wildlife habitat, clean water and air, aesthetic and recreational enjoyment, and many other benefits. This fact sheet briefly describes Maryland's past, present, and future forests and demonstrates that the forest is a renewable natural resource whose future can be ensured by sound forest stewardship.

As a landowner, you can learn how to measure property boundaries, ground slope, standing timber size, log volume, and other important measurements with a few simple tools.

Forest land can be managed for a variety of benefits, including timber, wildlife, recreation, and soil and water conservation. This publication describes services offered to private forest owners by public agencies and private organizations in Maryland.

Many landowners have only a vague idea of where their property boundaries lie or unwisely assume that existing fence lines or walls accurately define their property boundaries. This fact sheet provides the basic information needed to locate and mark property boundaries from a deed description.

In this issue, read about the challenges facing the Maryland forestry industry, and about Marylanders being nominated for Outstanding Tree Farmers of the year. Our regular features include the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight" and "Invasives in Your Woodland," as well as the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge. 

November 2020 issue features profiles of the Eastern wild turkey and Japanese privet.

Learn about Maryland's Recreational Use Statute and how it applies to your woodland property. Our regular features include profiles of the Chuck-will's-widow and Winged euonymus.

There are a number of federal and state programs available that will help defray a significant portion of the cost to implement forest practices. This section provides an overview of the different types of cost-share programs available as well as how they are implemented.

Enrollment in a forest management program is one way private forest owners in Maryland can reduce their property tax burden.

Resources for information about common diseases found in woodlands of Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region.