Branching Out - Spring 2021 | University of Maryland Extension

Lesser Celandine. Photo by Ansel Oommen, bugwood.org

Updated: October 23, 2024

By Andrew Kling

In our Spring 2021 issue...

There's news about our new website, as part of the University of Maryland Extension's rebranding efforts. There's also information about the Spotted Lanternfly and about the rebounding forestry industry in Maryland. Our regular features include profiles of the striped skunk in the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight" and lesser celandine in "Invasives in Your Woodland," as well as our events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge. Plus, tidbits you may have missed, in the News and Notes section.

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Maryland's Forest Industry Improving!

Jonathan Kays, Forestry Specialist

The Maryland forest industry and many partners have come together over the last few years to develop an Economic Adjustment Strategy (EAS) for countering the economic impact of recent forest industry closures and for securing the future of Maryland’s forest industry.

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Forest Pests: Spotted Lanternfly

Nancy Stewart & Agnes Kedmenecz, Woodland Stewardship Education Program - Wye Research & Education Center

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a colorful non-native, invasive pest native to Asia that was first detected in the United States in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In addition to Pennsylvania, it has been confirmed in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Virginia. In Maryland, Cecil and Harford Counties are under a quarantine.

This article contains outdated information. Please visit Extension's Home & Garden Information Center's page "Spotted Lanternfly for Residents" for current conditions in Maryland.

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Adult Spotted Lanternfly with wings extended

A striped skunk in Wicomico County Maryland, 2011. Photo by Photo by Mike Ostrowski, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Woodland Wildlife Spotlight: Striped Skunk

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

The striped skunk is found throughout Maryland and is actually a very successful species, with a range that occupies a large portion of North America. They prefer habitat with a variety of woodlands and open fields, which means they can also be found in both rural and suburban settings.

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News and Notes

The News and Notes roundup for this issue features more news about the Brood X periodic cicada, how 200-year-old oaks in France are aiding the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, a new playlist on our YouTube channel, and advice about tree workers from the Maryland DNR Forest Service.

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Invasives in Your Woodland: Lesser Celandine

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

Lesser celandine can be an ecological threat. It was introduced to the United States as an ornamental plant in the late 1800s. Although its sale was banned in Maryland in 2017, it may still be available for sale in other states.

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Lesser celandine infestation. Photo by Leslie Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, bugwood.org

New Website for Woodland Stewardship Education Program

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

After several years of planning, designing, testing, and developing, the new Woodland Stewardship Education (WSE) website went live in early April 2021. The successful rebranding of the site is part of a larger part of University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and University of Maryland Extension (UME) to create a more user-friendly interface.

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Screenshot of new website banner and photo

An historic home related to the birth of American forestry

This issue's Brain Tickler...

For this issue, consider the photo at left. This was once the residence of an important figure in American forestry. Name the individual (and get extra credit if you name the house).

** We have a correct answer for this issue! The results will be announced in our Summer 2021 issue, due to be released in August. Thank you for participating! **

Congratulations to Jane Burner for her correct answers to last issue's Brain Tickler. The two acorns pictured were the white oak (on the left) and the bur oak (on the right).