Maryland Association of
Forest Conservancy
District Boards

Allegany
Anne Arundel
Baltimore
Baltimore City
Calvert
Caroline
Carroll
Cecil
Charles
Dorchester
Frederick
Garrett
Harford
Howard
Kent
Montgomery
Prince George's
Queen Anne's
Somerset
St. Mary's
Talbot
Washington
Wicomico
Worcester

Maryland Trees
ArborDay Foundation
Maryland Forests Assn.
Maryland Forestry Board
    Foundation
Project Learning Tree
Project Wild
MFA Loggers Field Day
Waterkeeper'Alliance
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Chesapeake Bay Trust

History

For more than fifty years, Maryland's Forest Conservancy District Boards have been working to perpetuate Maryland's forest resource. As volunteer advocates for forestry, Forestry Board members focus their attention on Maryland's trees and forests...our renewable natural resource.

The goals of the State Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards are:

• Public Education: to increase public awareness of environmental concerns and good forestry practices.
• Self-Education: to assure that board members stay informed of new forestry programs and practices.
• Forestry Board Newsletter: a quarterly newsletter to keep Association members informed of Board activity.
• Legislative Network: to coordinate activities of Boards in promoting good forest management through the legislative process.

We see a lot of different words when we read about natural resources. Conservation and preservation are just two of them, but they represent opposite views of how we should treat natural resources.

Preservation means locking resources away and affecting them as little as possible. This approach is necessary when unique ecosystems or the habitat of endangered species are involved. These are treasures that cannot be replaced, so preservation of their living space is a valid means of ensuring their future.

   
Conservation is sometimes confused with preservation, but by definition and proper usage it is totally different. Conservation is the wise use of natural resources to attain the maximum benefit possible from the resource base now, and for all future generations. In the United States we have looked at our natural resources as commodities for exploitation rather than as legacies to be husbanded for future generations. Only in recent generations have people started to look at conserving natural resources.

   
Renewable resources have the capacity of regenerating themselves. So, through conservation there can be a sustained use of the resource over a long period of time. Conservation of wildlife, fisheries and forests means getting a maximum sustainable yield without adversely affecting the resource base.

This is often easier said than done. Having for so long treated our resources as commodities, we have only limited experience with effective conservation measures. Most renewable resources take a very long time to renew themselves, and adverse effects are often not seen for decades. While it may take twenty years for a single tree to grow, a forest might not regenerate itself for centuries. How much confidence can we have that our current actions and plans will not have an adverse effect?

Programs: Each of the separate district boards has adopted a variety of programs designed to educate and inform the public and to promote good forest management practices. Basically the programs fall under two types: Urban and Community Forestry and Stewardship.

• Natural Resources Careers Conference - to educate high school students interested in pursuing forestry and other natural resources careers. Online Resources: Video, Power Point Presentation.
• Patch Program - In 2006, the Maryland Forest Service celebrated 100 years of assisting Maryland landowners with their forestry needs. A patch program was one of the many projects created for that celebration. The DNR, along with the Maryland Forestry Boards, are happy to continue offering the program as the Maryland Junior Forest Ranger Patch Program.
• Education & Teacher Resources
• "Greening" Programs: provide assistance to local communities in establishing and caring for street trees. Planting trees and distributing free.
• Arbor Day Activities: promoting Arbor Day by planting trees and distributing free seedlings. 
• Poster Contests: involve local county schools in the preparation of posters designed to inform and educate the general public about forests, planting programs, fire prevention and other programs.  (http://www.baltocfb.sailorsite.net/BCFB.html) Poster

• Workshops and Symposia: forest landowner workshops cover various aspects of federal and state laws as they pertain to forestlands. 
• Forest Resource Protection Initiative: inform landowners and the public about funding and measures available to protect Maryland's forests from the gypsy moth. 
• Master Woodland Manager Program: active training of woodland owners on forest management and silviculture practices.
• Timber Harvest Reviews: review and approve specific timber harvest plans to ensure that protection is provided for water quality, wildlife habitat and other forest management goals.
• Tree Farm Tours: provide demonstrations of good forest management practices in timber harvesting, sediment and erosion control. 
• The Health of our Forest 
• Maryland Forest Association: It’s mission is to promote the maintenance of a healthy and productive forests land base so as to enhance the economic, environmental, and social well-being of all who live in Maryland.
• Legislation:  The Maryland Association of Forestry Conservation District Boards recommends the Maryland Forests Association's analysis of current. To view this analysis go to: http://www.mdforests.org/bills.html