Branching Out - Spring 2022 | University of Maryland Extension

American Kestrel in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Photo by Dan Haas, Maryland Biodiversity Project

American Kestrel in Prince George’s County, MD. Photo by Dan Haas, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Updated: July 22, 2022

In our Spring 2022 issue...

Read about some of the changes to the Woodland Stewardship Education program, and how Maryland woodland owners with more than 10 acres can assist Penn State with research about prescribed burning. There's also news about research regarding how "ghost forests" are created, and News and Notes about stories you might have missed. Our regular features include profiles of the American kestrel in the Woodland Wildlife Spotlight, and musk thistle in Invasives in Your Woodland, as well as our events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

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The Woods in Your Backyard Partnership team, March 2022

Changes at the Woodland Stewardship Education Program

With the change of seasons this year comes a pair of changes to the University of Maryland Extension’s Woodland Stewardship Education program.

Learn more >>

Are you a private forest landowner who owns at least 10 acres of forestland?

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University are conducting a private landowner survey to help guide state policies and inform future extension programming about prescribed burning across the eastern US. Your input in this study is very important to understand the value of prescribed burning on private forestlands in Maryland.

If you would like to participate in the survey, please visit the website www.sites.psu.edu/firesurvey/
(or scan the QR code) and sign up for the survey.

We’d appreciate if you take a few minutes of your time to take the survey. Thank you very much for your support.

Scientists Flood Forest Patches to Study Impacts of Storms

Timothy B, Wheeler, The Bay Journal

A team of scientists is undertaking what they expect to be a decade-long study of the transition by repeatedly flooding a pair of forest patches at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD.

Learn more >>

Scientist Anya Hopple looks at a probe inserted into a tree in a forested tract at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD. Photo by Dave Harp, Bay Journal

Adult female American kestrel. Photo by Jason Ganz/Audubon Photography Awards

Woodland Wildlife Spotlight: American Kestrel

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

Maryland is home to three species of falcons. The American Kestrel is the most common, and resident populations can be found across the state. Read about the kestrel's unique features and ways to observe it.

Learn more>>

News and Notes

The News and Notes roundup for this issue features a look at the upcoming schedule for our Woodland & Wildlife Wednesday webinars, how you can get your green industry business listed with the Woodland Stewardship Education program's online directory, the growth of women leading state forestry agencies across the nation, and the benefits of bringing back fire to help restore eastern woodland habitats.

Learn more >>

Invasives in Your Woodland: Musk Thistle

Andrew A. Kling, Faculty Associate

In this issue, we look at musk thistle, also known as "nodding thistle," one of four invasive thistles classified as a noxious weed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Each plant can spread over 100,000 seeds.

Learn more >>

Musk thistle flowers. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

First instar of invasive insect for Brain Tickler

This Issue's Brain Tickler

For this Brain Tickler, consider the photo at left.

Identify this invasive insect, of which this the first instar, currently starting to hatch in Maryland.

We have a winner! Check back in our next issue for the next challenge!

In the Winter 2022 issue, we asked you to tell us the importance of John S. Ayton in Maryland's woodlands. Congratulations to Fred Dickinson and Marsha Brett, who both noted that Ayton contributed to the design and development of the state nursery that today bears his name.

Events Calendar

June 14, 2022, 9 am - 3 pm
Recovering Quail - Maryland Early Succession Habitat Workshop
Washington College, Chestertown MD
Bobwhite quail have experienced the greatest decline of all birds in Maryland in the last 50 years, in large part due to the loss of early succession habitat – meadows, grassland, shrubland, and young forests. To reverse this trend, we will be holding a workshop for farmers, foresters, landowners, and land managers with a strong interest in creating or managing quail and early succession habitat on a scale of 10 acres or more. To view the agenda and register to attend, please visit go.umd.edu/quailmeeting.

June 14 -16, 2022
BeaverCON
Delta Hotel, Hunt Valley MD

*Re-scheduled from March* BeaverCON is a biennial, international conference for professionals, practitioners and researchers to learn what works in beaver conflict management and watershed restoration. Presentations will include information on progressive stream restoration, beaver restoration and management, public policy, and more. Click here for more information.

July 24 - July 30, 2022
Natural Resources Career Camp
Garrett County, MD
Know a high school student? They can join high school students from across Maryland at this week-long camp in Garrett County to explore careers and college studies in natural resources. This partnership with Allegany College of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources-Forest Service offers high school students a co-educational opportunity to learn from industry professionals and develop contacts that could lead to future employment and a career in natural resources. .

For more information, go to: https://marylandforestryfoundation.org/index.cfm?event=nrcc

September 29, 2022, 10 am -12 noon
2022 Wood Heater Slam
Online

The fifth Wood Heater Design Challenge from the Alliance for Green Heat will be held via Zoom on September 29th. The 2022 Wood Heater Slam is an opportunity for teams to pitch innovative wood stove ideas to retailers, the public and panels of experts, who will assess whose stove is the most innovative and has the most market potential. Teams who get the most points are eligible for funding to move forward to the competition stage of the 5th Wood Heater Design Challenge. The short form application is due June 15th. Click here for more information.