Annapolis, Md. – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works approval of a federally funded Forest Legacy Conservation Easement to preserve a 376.65-acre property within the Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation in Harford County. The Baltimore Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America owns the Reservation, a 1,666-acre property primarily comprised of forestland.
“This property will not only protect significant forest resources and riparian buffers, but will also allow local Boy Scout troops to convene and learn about stewardship, wildlife and our natural resources,” said Governor O’Malley.
The USDA Forest Service will fund DNR’s acquisition through a federal Forest Legacy Conservation Easement of $3,255,000. This Easement will allow the property owner to use up to 28 acres for structures associated within the use of Broad Creek as a Boy Scout camp. The perpetual easement will be held by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
(Bel Air, MD) – - Harford County has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to community forestry. This is the sixth year Harford County has received this national recognition.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.
The county has successfully met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community including, having a tree board or similar department; a tree care ordinance; a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Communities that receive the Tree City USA recognition also recognize that trees promote healthier communities, help moderate climate, conserve water and provide habitat for wildlife. Additionally, trees in urban areas help reduce heat and provide a cooling affect to local residents.
With blades and ropes, they came for her in the night. Neighbors heard only the roar of a motor and the squeal of the getaway, before awakening to find their empress was gone.
It has been several years now since local police have logged reports for any stolen Paulownia trees, also known as the empress or princess trees, but the inconspicuous plant is still widely cherished in the Far East because of its traditional and mystical functions.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Forestry Board recently announced the winners of the 2007 PLANT – People Loving And Nurturing Trees – Awards. A dozen Harford County entities received PLANT awards this year, including local governments, schools, community organizations and even military installations.
People Loving And Nurturing Trees (PLANT) is a statewide award program to recognize communities for their tree planting and tree care efforts. Communities range from schools, homeowner organizations and parks to metropolitan areas, cities and towns.
There are four PLANT award levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Green. Successive levels require more formalized tree care activities. Although a community may remain at any level for an unlimited number of years, the goal of the program is to encourage a community to grow through the award levels by strengthening their commitment and care for their urban trees.
The weekend started like this: me, stopping the car at an intersection in the middle of a 44,000-acre state forest, gray dust rolling past the windows. “Do you want to try it?” I backed up the car and eased the 1997 Nissan Maxima (manual, with spoiler) onto the brown dirt ski slope that is Kirk Road. A Coleman lantern, filled to the brim with kerosene, dangled from the rear view mirror. There was an hour of daylight left, and as battery acid leeched into my veins, I pushed the car harder and harder up and down the impossible rocky hills of the off-road trail.
About five minutes after I had yelled at the guys in the car to shut up, I pulled to a stop at the zenith of a rollercoaster-looking drop-off; I turned off the engine, jumped out and lit ...Continue Reading
