Vol. 17, No. 1 Winter 2008 www.naturalresources.umd.edu FOREST STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION WWW.NATURALRESOURCES.UMD.EDU As temperatures cool and days shorten, many trees fade into the background as they begin their annual hibernation. This is a great time to start planning the next growing season of your woods. Do you want to add to the acreage of your woods or convert a portion of your lawn or field by planting seedlings next spring? BUYING SEEDLINGS An inexpensive source of quality seedlings is the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery, run by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, which produces more than 5 million seedlings each year. The nursery offers bare root seedlings that are one or two years old, under two feet in height, and have no soil included. Their small size allows them to be processed and transported efficiently in bulk, and easy to plant. Instead of digging a large hole for a root ball, you create a V-shaped slot in the ground using a shovel or a tree-planting dibble. After inserting the tree, close the slot by inserting the tool a few inches away and pushing soil toward the seedling, and then pressing the soil near the seedling firmly with your heel—a process that takes less than 10 seconds per tree with practice. Bare root seedlings are inexpensive and must be bought in bulk from packs as low as 25 for hardwoods and packs of 50 for conifers. They range in price from five cents each for a thousand or more loblolly pine to 75 cents each for hardwoods. Seedlings must be planted in Maryland or Delaware, and be used for conservation purposes. The nursery ships seedlings during March and April, but orders are being taken now, both online and by mail. Contact the Ayton nursery now at 1- 800-TREESMD or www.dnr.state.md.us/ forests/nursery before popular species sell out. SPACING TREES Common tree spacings range from 10'x10' (435 trees/acre) to 12'x12' (303 trees/acre). The spacing you choose will depend on your objectives for the stand, the species you plant, and the amount of management you plan to do. Once you’ve determined your desired spacing, just use the guidelines for trees per acre above or make your own calculations (43,560 square feet per acre) and multiply by your acreage to get an estimate of how many seedlings you’ll need. Add 10% to your total for seedlings unsuitable for planting. PREPARING THE SITE IS ESSENTIAL First, contact your local extension office (extension.umd.edu/ local/index.cfm) to conduct a soil test, which will let you know if there are problems with the soil pH or nutrient levels, and inform your choice of species. It’s important to control grass or vegetation that will compete with your seedlings for light, water, and nutrients. Failure to do so will result in high mortality. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to spray three-foot strips or spots where you’ll be planting with a glyphosate herbicide like Roundup. Do this the fall and spring before planting and for two years after planting. Disking the soil will both control competition and break up any soil compaction but require constant follow-up. Mowing alone will still provide stiff competition for water and nutrients below the surface, resulting in mortality. Installing tree protection tubes will limit the damage from deer browse and rubbing. While tubes and stakes are expensive, used supplies can sometimes be found for free from other landowners. There are many cost-share programs available that will reimburse you for a large portion of the planting cost. Contact your county forester or Natural Resources Conservation Service office to learn more. You can read more about cost share programs at the Forest Stewardship Education website at www.naturalresources.umd.edu. Many programs require that you have a forest stewardship plan for your land, with which your county forester can also help you. NOW IS THE TIME Don’t let your trees fade into the background this winter. Tree planting is a great way to reduce the time you spend mowing open land or to ensure that an existing forest area regenerates after a harvest to meet your objectives. ² INSIDE IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR PLANTING PLANS….... 1 24 APPOINTED MARYLAND WOODLAND STEWARDS……………………………………... 2 FOREST LANDOWNER PROFILE: RICK AND KATHY ABEND…………………………………. 3 SEASONAL CHECKLIST…………………………. 3 IMPROVED FOREST STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION WEBSITE RELEASED…………………………….. 4 FORESTRY EVENTS CALENDAR…………………. 4 INFO CHIPS……………………………………. 4 IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR PLANTING PLANS BY NEVIN DAWSON, FOREST STEWARDSHIP EDUCATOR
As temperatures cool and days shorten, many trees fade into the background as they begin their annual hibernation. This is a great time to start planning the next growing season of your woods. Do you want to add to the acreage of your woods or convert a portion of your lawn or field by planting seedlings next spring?
BUYING SEEDLINGS An inexpensive source of quality seedlings is the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery, run by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, which produces more than 5 million seedlings each year.
The nursery offers bare root seedlings that are one or two years old, under two feet in height, and have no soil included. Their small size allows them to be processed and transported efficiently in bulk, and easy to plant. Instead of digging a large hole for a root ball, you create a V-shaped slot in the ground using a shovel or a tree-planting dibble. After inserting the tree, close the slot by inserting the tool a few inches away and pushing soil toward the seedling, and then pressing the soil near the seedling firmly with your heel—a process that takes less than 10 seconds per tree with practice.
Bare root seedlings are inexpensive and must be bought in bulk from packs as low as 25 for hardwoods and packs of 50 for conifers. They range in price from five cents each for a thousand or more loblolly pine to 75 cents each for hardwoods. Seedlings must be planted in Maryland or Delaware, and be used for conservation purposes. The nursery ships seedlings during March and April, but orders are being taken now, both online and
by mail. Contact the Ayton nursery now at 1-800-TREESMD or www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/nursery before popular species sell out.
SPACING TREES Common tree spacings range from 10'x10' (435 trees/acre) to 12'x12' (303
trees/acre). The spacing you choose will depend on your objectives for the stand, the species you plant, and the amount of management you plan to do. Once you’ve determined your desired spacing, just use the guidelines for trees per acre above or make your own calculations (43,560 square feet per acre) and multiply by your acreage to get an estimate of how many seedlings you’ll need. Add 10% to your total for seedlings unsuitable for planting.
PREPARING THE SITE IS ESSENTIAL First, contact your local extension office (extension.umd.edu/local/index.cfm) to conduct a soil test, which will let you know if
there are problems with the soil pH or nutrient levels, and inform your choice of species.
It’s important to control grass or vegetation that will compete with your seedlings for light, water, and nutrients. Failure to do so will result in high mortality. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to spray three-foot strips or spots where you’ll be planting with a glyphosate herbicide like Roundup. Do this the fall and spring before planting and for two years after
planting. Disking the soil will both control competition and break up any soil compaction but require constant follow-up. Mowing alone will still provide stiff competition for water and nutrients below the surface, resulting in mortality.
Installing tree protection tubes will limit the damage from deer browse and rubbing. While tubes and stakes are expensive, used supplies can sometimes be found for free from other landowners.
There are many cost-share programs available that will reimburse you for a large portion of the planting cost. Contact your county forester or Natural Resources Conservation Service office to learn more. You can read more about cost share programs at the Forest Stewardship Education website at www.naturalresources.umd.edu. Many programs require that you have a forest stewardship plan for your land, with which your county forester can also help you.
NOW IS THE TIME Don’t let your trees fade into the background this winter. Tree planting is a great way to reduce the time you spend mowing
open land or to ensure that an existing forest area regenerates after a harvest to meet your objectives.
INSIDE IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR PLANTING PLANS….... 1
24 APPOINTED MARYLAND WOODLAND STEWARDS……………………………………... 2
FOREST LANDOWNER PROFILE: RICK AND KATHY ABEND…………………………………. 3
STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION 24 APPOINTED MARYLAND WOODLAND STEWARDS
OCTOBER, 2008
A new class of 24 Maryland Woodland Stewards graduated this October after an intensive three‐day workshop on the upper Eastern Shore. Almost all strangers upon arrival at beautiful Camp Pecometh, the diverse group left tightly knit, brimming with new knowledge, and full of enthusiasm for the work that lies ahead. Participation in the workshop is subsidized with the understanding that participants will volunteer 40 hours of their time in the year following the workshop, extending what they’ve learned about forest stewardship to friends, family, neighbors, and their commu‐nity. Participants also agree to create a forest stewardship plan for their land if they don’t already have one.
The agenda was packed full of great speakers from many agencies and organizations, and two field trips to local examples of sound forest management. Topics covered in the class‐room included forest history in Maryland, wildlife ecology and management, forest ecology and management, and a work‐shop on outreach and event planning. Field sites included DuPont Chesapeake Farms, Bluestem Farms, and Blue Heron Christmas Tree Farm.
The 2009 Maryland Woodland Stewards workshop is tentatively planned for September 17‐20 at Camp Pecometh, Kent County. Contact Nevin Dawson if you are interested in participating, or would like to nominate someone for participa‐tion ([email protected], 410‐827‐8056, ext. 125). A funding search is currently underway.
One participant captured the spirit of the program with the following quote: “No more putting it off—I need to start doing something.”
Branching Out University of Maryland Cooperative Extension
Editors: Jonathan Kays, Nevin Dawson, Ellen Green and Denni Johnson
Published four times a year and distributed to forest landowners, resource professionals, and others interested in forest stewardship. Subscribe: To be notified by email when new issues become available, email ([email protected]). In the body of the message, type SUB branchingout your name (ex: SUB branchingout John Doe). For a hardcopy subscription, mail check or money order for $10 per year, payable to University of Maryland to the address above. Issues are posted online and can be downloaded for free: www.naturalresources.umd.edu. Send news items to Nevin Dawson at [email protected] or 410-827-8056 x125.
Equal Opportunity Programs
More information about Maryland Woodland Stew-ards can be found on our
FOREST LANDOWNER PROFILE RICK AND KATHY ABEND ARTICLE BY NEVIN DAWSON, FOREST STEWARDSHIP EDUCATOR; PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK AND KATHY ABEND Richard (Rick) Abend provides a shining example of all that’s possible both as a Maryland Woodland Steward and as a forest landowner. He and his wife, Kathy, own and manage a 106‐acre farm that they call “Abend Hafen,” German for “evening haven.”
The farm comprises a patchwork of different habitats in‐cluding deep and shallow
water, row crops, pine plantations, and stands of mixed pine and hardwoods. With wildlife habitat as their primary goal, the Abends work hard to create a rich diversity of food and cover sources. This variety ensures that many wildlife species are able to make Abend Hafen their own haven as a rest stop on a migratory voyage or as their perma‐nent home.
To enhance natural food and cover, the Abends have installed more than 75 wildlife feeding and nesting structures, and make additional food available to wildlife through an agreement with a farming tenant, who leaves a portion of the crop for food plots each year. The long list of critters spotted on the property include Delmarva fox squirrel, bobwhite quail, wood‐cock, peregrine falcon, and the first coastal plain milk snake sighted in Dorchester Co. The Abends have been able to capture many of these on film and canvas, as they are
both avid artists (madisonbaystudios.com).
Besides providing high quality wildlife habitat, the 44 forested acres of the farm also supply a source of income and for‐est products. Rick has sold timber for clear‐cutting and thinning. The thinning has included cutting fish trap poles (5" or 6" DBH) for use by commercial
waterman and commercial pulpwood harvests. He has planted thousands of seed‐lings of a variety of species. All management actions are done according to a Forest Stewardship Plan that he pe‐riodically updates with his forester. The Abends are also working with local bed and breakfasts to provide hunting and farm tour packages.
Most of Abend Hafen is enrolled in one or more cost share or conservation pro‐grams. Rick donated a 91‐acre conserva‐tion easement to the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, which ensures that the land will never be developed. Other pro‐grams he has used include the Stewardship Incentive Program, For‐est Incentive Program, Conservation Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat In‐centive Program, and Maryland Wild Acres.
The Abends do not keep their haven to themselves. They’ve hosted many hun‐dreds of schoolchildren, teachers, forest landowners, politicians, and others. He has taken the show on the road as well, giving slide shows and staffing exhibits across the state. He has also starred in a TV spot, and has volunteered with many conservation organizations.
Rick has completed extensive training
by the North American School of Conser‐vation, and was in the very first Mary‐land Woodland Stewards class in 1990. He took his pledge to serve his community to heart and has given back one hundredfold.
When asked what motivates him to put so much time and effort into the stew‐ardship of his land, Rick says that their successes keep him going. “When you try a management practice and you see positive results, it makes you want to do more and to share the knowledge of your success with people who have similar values and stewardship eth‐ics. It's contagious!” His enthusiasm has spread to Kathy, who is a member of our newest class of Maryland Woodland Stewards and is heavily involved in the management of the farm.
PAGE 3
STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION SEASONAL CHECKLIST Forest Roads: Prepare your forest roads for spring rains. Take time this winter to observe the condition of your roads including stability, exposure to sunlight, wildlife impacts, runoff, and slope just to mention a few. Resources for forest roads:
· USDA’s A Landowner’s Guide to Building Forest Access Roads
· Want to create access with aesthetics in mind? See Penn State’s publication, Forest Stewardship, Planning for Beauty and Enjoyment.
· Know your rights and responsibilities when it comes to your forest roads. See Maryland DNR’s webpage, Best Management Practices for Harvests.
Plan for Tax Time: The National Timber Tax Website was developed as a reference resource for timberland owners, accountants, attorneys, consulting foresters and other professionals who work with timberland owners. The website is full of information and latest developments regarding tax treatment of timber related activities.
Delmarva Forestry Seminar: “Yielding the Most from Your Woods” - Classroom sessions 8 am – 2 pm. Field tour 2 pm – 4 pm. Modern Maturity Center, Dover, DE. Contact Dot Abbott: 302-730-4000 or [email protected]. More information available at: www.naturalresources.umd.edu/Documents/NewsAndEvents/Delmarva2009.pdf
1/21/09 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. $25.00
Logging Finance and Business Management—Allegany College, Cumberland. Includes materials. 3 continuing education credits awarded. Preregistration required by 1/15. Contact Carol Taylor: 410-827-8056 or [email protected].
1/31/2009 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Price TBD
The Woods in Your Backyard—Easton. Contact Shannon Dill: 410- 822-1244 or [email protected].
3/25/2009 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. $30.00
Master Logger Core Course: Threatened & Endangered Species/Logger Activism—Queenstown; available statewide via any high-speed internet connection. Recording will be available after event date. 4 continuing education credits awarded. Pre-registration re-quired by 3/18. Contact Carol Taylor: 410-827-8056 or [email protected].
Recording $30.00
Master Logger Core Course: Sediment & Erosion Control (Green Card)/Logging Aesthetics. 4 continuing education credits awarded. Contact Carol Taylor: 410-827-8056 or [email protected].
Recording $30.00
Master Logger Core Course: OSHA Logging Safety. 4 continuing education credits awarded. Contact Carol Taylor: 410-827-8056 or [email protected].
Recording $30.00
Master Logger Core Course: Basic Forestry. No continuing educa-tion credits will be awarded. Contact Carol Taylor: 410-827-8056 or [email protected].
PAGE 4
USEFUL RESOURCES AND EVENTS INFO CHIPS MARYLAND LAUNCHES MAPPING TOOL: GREENPRINT Use a series of maps to see the progress of State programs in conserving and protecting Maryland’s valuable lands. These maps are designed to help citizens in making decisions related to conservation and growth.
http://www.greenprint.maryland.gov
LEED MAY HURT MARYLAND TREE FARMERS Since Maryland follows the green building system mandated by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), wood from Maryland forests may not be used for the Allegany County’s first “green” building for the State Human Resources and Development Commission to be located in Cumberland. Read complete article as printed in the Cumberland Times‐News written by Karen E. Miller, Executive Director; Maryland Forests Association, Inc.
http://mdforests.org/leed_op_ed.htm
2009 NOMINATION FORM AVAILABLE! The Forest Landowners Association is calling for 2009 awards nominations for the following categories: · Lifetime Achievement Award · Forest Landowner of the Year Award · Extension Forester of the Year Award · Young Forest landowner of the Year Award
The nomination form can be downloaded from the Forest Education website.
http://www.naturalresources.umd.edu/
Publications/PDFs/other/2009Nomination.pdf
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COOPERATIVE EXTENSION www.naturalresources.umd.edu
IN EVERY ISSUE IMPROVED FOREST STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION WEBSITE RELEASED! University of Maryland Cooperative Extension proudly announces the release of the improved Forest Stewardship Education website at www.naturalresources.umd.edu. The website has been completely reconstructed with a new layout and navigation structure. New features include better organization of information, a new page about threats to your forest, use of multimedia throughout the site, and updated content. Please visit the new Forest Stewardship Education website today!
