forest stewardship extension faculty jonathan kays, extension specialist natural resources...
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Forest Stewardship Extension Faculty Jonathan Kays, Extension Specialist
Natural Resources (presenting)Nevin Dawson, Forest Stewardship
EducatorBob Tjaden, Extension Specialist Natural
ResourcesEllen Green, Faculty Extension AssistantNancy Stewart, Faculty Extension
Assistant
Forest Sustainability & Nutrient Management
Forests are the best land use to protect water quality and we need to encourage creation, enhancement, & longevity.
Forests cover 42% of Maryland but it varies widely.
76% of the forests are owned by over 150,000 private landowners
What We Know!
Most forests are in small parcels. 85% of ownerships are from 1-9 acres in size.
So… the future of our forests depend on the cumulative decisions of these many landowners!
How to address the challenge?
What We Know!
The Woods in Your Backyard: Creating and Enhancing Natural Areas Around Your Home Sale of over 5,000 self-assessment manuals
MD, VA, PA Extension collaboration since 2006. Delivered to thousands of landowners through
workshops & webinars Acres of lawn converted to natural area.
Natural areas enhanced. Nutrient reduction.
Woods In Your Backyard ProgramTargeting small acreage owners
Teaching volunteer woodland owners how to improve wildlife habitat and other forest benefits using sound forest management practices
Since 1990, trained 409 volunteers who own or manage 69,040 acres.
Information one-to-one to an average of 2,326 people per year.
Over 20 years, more than 40,000 hours in outreach & education
Maryland Woodland StewardsLeveraging limited resources
Organized by University of MD Extension & Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology
Annual program offered since 2007 for local government officials from 5 W MD counties
Create network of information sharing between local gov’t officials on land use & conservation issues
Built an engaged steering committee with credible impacts
Program being implemented on Eastern Shore
W. MD Local Government ExchangeEducating Local Gov’t officials
Biosolids applied & buried in trenches on mine spoils Hybrid poplar trees utilize the nutrients in 6-8 yearsProduce forest products, wildlife habitat and restorationAfter 10 years of research, nutrient losses less than that
of a well-managed corn field using much smaller acreage
Short Rotational Forests & BiosolidsTrees solving environmental challenges
Forestry Correspondence Course - onlineGPS TrainingMaster Logger Training programMaryland Rural Enterprise Development Center
www.mredc.umd.edu
Other Efforts!
