Branching Out - Fall 2023 | University of Maryland Extension

GPS plots of trees at Wye Research & Education Center

Data from a woodland assessment at the Wye Research & Education Center

Updated: February 1, 2024

By Andrew Kling , and John Hooven

In our Fall 2023 issue...

There are new grant funding sources available for those in the forest products sector in Maryland. Read about the recent Delmarva Woodland Stewards workshop and field trip, and about using the i-Tree app to create woodland assessments. One of our regular features, the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight," looks at the North American river otter, and "Invasives in Your Woodlands" looks at the white mulberry tree. And don't forget the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

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New Funding Opportunities for the Maryland Wood Products Sector

Andrew A. Kling, Branching Out editor

Regular readers of Branching Out recognize that the forestry industry in Maryland is larger than many realize. The forest products sector of the state’s economy is worth more than $3 billion. Two new grant funding sources, one from Maryland and one from the federal government, are providing opportunities to grow the industry further.

Learn more >>

State to Discontinue Successful Wood-Burning Stove Grant Program

The Maryland Energy Administration recently announced that the Clean Burning Wood and Pellet Stove Rebate Program will end with the current fiscal year. First established in 2012, the rebate program was designed to promote effective and affordable renewable energy technology through wood– and pellet-burning stoves. Applications for the rebate program are being accepted until March 31, 2024 for stoves purchased by January 4, 2024 and installed by the March date. More information is available through the MEA.

Read a blog post from the Alliance for Green Heat in support of continuing the program.

Luke Macaulay, UME (center), discusses the importance of early successional habitat for wildlife.

University of Maryland Extension Forestry Completes Another Successful Woodland Stewards Program

John Hooven, UME Forest Stewardship Educator

The Delmarva Woodland Stewards Program wrapped up this October, training 31 volunteers in the fundamental arts and science of ecological forest management. The program focuses specifically on the types of forests found on the coastal plain of the eastern shore and serves those geographically located on the Delmarva Peninsula who are residents of Delaware and Virginia.

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Using i-Tree for Landscape Tree Assessment

John Hooven, UME Forest Stewardship Educator

This past summer, interns and staff used the i-Tree app to create woodland assessments at the Wye Research & Education Center.

Learn more >>

Wye REC interns learning tree ID and other skills

River Otter in Kent Co., MD. Photo by Nancy Wyman, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Woodland Wildlife Spotlight: North American River Otter

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

If you own waterfront property along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, you may have North American river otters in your neighborhood. If your property borders a river, a pond, or a wetland anywhere else in the state, you may have otters in your neighborhood. In fact, any location that has habitat with clean water may be home to otters.

Learn more >>

This Issue's Brain Tickler

For this issue, identify this native plant. It can colonize woodland edges and forest openings, and provides valuable fruit from September to November (and even later) to both local and migratory species. Just don't touch it with your bare hands.

Thanks for reading! We have a winner! Check back in our next issue!

In the summer 2023 issue, we asked for Fred W. Besley’s tree scoring system and its three components. His “Big Tree Champion” system awarded points based on trunk circumference (inches) + height (feet) + 1/4 average crown spread (feet). Congratulations to our winners, Natasha Shengold and Joanne Sheffield!

News and Notes

The News and Notes roundup for this issue: Asks, "Should you squish a spotted lanternfly?"; notes that grants for forestry projects and protection are open in Anne Arundel County; describes how researchers are using drones and AI to map forests; reports on a new story map that documents saltwater intrusion in the Delmarva; and shares one way to stay warm this winter... with just one log.

Learn more >>

Invasives in Your Woodland: White Mulberry

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

The white mulberry reached our shores during the colonial period in hopes of creating a silkworm industry. Although the silkworms themselves don't do well on this continent, the tree does. It is not only invasive but is found in every Lower 48 state except Nevada, and is found in every Maryland county.

Learn more >>

White mulberry fruit. Photo by Rebekah D Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Events Calendar

November 28, 2023, 7:00 PM—9:00 PM
Maryland Native Plant Society: Invader Detectives
Online
This presentation features wildlife biologist Damien Ossi and urban forester Megan Carr, who will discuss the “Invader Detectives” program, which provides a platform for citizen scientists to assist in tracking non-native invasive species. For more information, visit this link.

November 30, 2023, 10:00 AM—3:00 PM
Workshop: Forests & Forestry
The Packing House, Dorchester MD
Presented by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, this free workshop will focus on maintaining and increasing resilience. This workshop will be of interest to forest landowners, local jurisdictions, and NGOs seeking to ensure long-term environmental and economic success in our region. Lunch is provided. Learn more and register at this link.

November 30, 2023, 1:00 PM –2:00 PM
Timber Tax: Landowner Issues and Considerations
Online
Join timber tax experts to learn about a variety of topics, such as timber basis, IRS distinctions between a business, and investment, and a hobby much more. For more information, visit this link.

March 22-24, 2024
Gather to Grow: 2024 Forest Farming Conference
Roanoke, VA

The Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition's (ABFFC) Gather to Grow multi-day Forest Farming Conference will learning, networking, and strategic planning programs that will shape the future of forest farming of woodland crops such as botanicals, mushrooms, and decorative products in Appalachia and beyond. Go here to learn more.

Branching Out, Vol. 31, no. 4 (Fall 2023)

Branching Out is the free, quarterly newsletter of the Woodland Stewardship Education program. For more than 30 years, Branching Out has kept Maryland woodland owners and managers informed about ways to develop and enhance their natural areas, how to identify and control invasive plants and insects, and about news and regional online and in-person events.