Woodland Stewardship Education program

02/26/2025

A new issue of Branching Out is now available! Check in on AI and its capacity to provide accurate and specific advice. Register for the spring session of our "The Woods in Your Backyard" course. Learn about a new national refuge in southern MD and about one couple's work on their natural areas. Read about Sugar Maple in our "Native Trees of Maryland" feature and about incised fumewort in our "Invasives in Your Woodland" feature. And more! https://go.umd.edu/Winter_2025

02/10/2025

Registration is now open for our Spring session of The Woods in Your Backyard online course. This non-credit, self-directed course will help you become a better steward of your land by shifting areas of lawn into un-mowed natural areas or woodlands. Learn more at https://go.umd.edu/the_course or click the link at the end of the video.

08/29/2024

There's still time to join us for our Fall session of The Woods in Your Backyard... but not much! The session begins September 9, so if you've been waiting to register, now's the time! The non-credit, self-directed course will help you become a better steward of your land by shifting areas of lawn into un-mowed natural areas or woodlands. Learn more at https://go.umd.edu/the_course

08/17/2024

A different perspective on what's happening in the canopy.

For trees, growing to maturity involves much more than just reaching upward.

08/13/2024

Join Madeline Potter, University of Maryland Extension Faculty Specialist for Entomology & IPM, for a lunch and learn webinar about the invasive spotted lanternfly: "Navigating the Spotted Lanternfly Buzz: Separating Science from Sensation," on August 21st from 12PM - 1PM ET over Zoom. Webinar registration: https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYud-6prjooG9Hvik1oCtY-OOdRNCJ5jCNs #/registration.

08/13/2024

Did you know, regular citizens are the ones who often find new infestations of invasive species? Take a look at the trees near you this August and report suspicious insects or insect damage - you could just save a forest! 🌳💪😎

08/13/2024

The summer issue of "Branching Out" is now available! Catch up with our News and Notes, learn about our online courses starting soon, and much more! https://go.umd.edu/Summer_2024

08/11/2024

https://wtop.com/lifestyle/2024/08/from-bugs-to-trees-an-arborists-tips-for-spotting-invasive-species-in-your-backyard/

Some bugs are OK, others are not, and the same goes for trees growing in the D.C. region. What should you be on the lookout for?

08/10/2024

https://www.cbf.org/news-media/newsroom/2024/maryland/harford-county-settlement-to-require-abingdon-woods-reforestation-limit-future-development.html

In a positive step for forest conservation and clean water, Harford County has reached a settlement that will rescind the approvals for Abingdon Business Park and require developers to reforest parts of the property.

08/06/2024

It's not a hardwood or a softwood. It's something in between.

Researchers undertaking an evolutionary survey of the microscopic structure of wood from some of the world's most iconic trees and shrubs have discovered an entirely new type of wood.

08/06/2024

Your firewood decisions matter! Learn more at https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/how-to-help/f-a-q/

08/06/2024

08/06/2024

Registration for the fall session of our popular "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course is now open! This ten-week, non-credit, self-directed course will help you become a better steward of your land by shifting areas of lawn into un-mowed natural areas or woodlands. In the process, you can improve water and air quality, wildlife habitat, and natural area health, and reduce the time you spend mowing your lawn and give you more time to enjoy your family, property, and hobbies.
The course costs $145.00. Learn more at https://go.umd.edu/the_course

07/20/2024

Could this be the future of forest stewardship? This firm in Sweden has developed cutting-edge (pun intended) drone technology to reduce on-the-ground impacts that are often created with traditional thinning practices.

AirForestry thins forests in a completely new way, namely from the air. -inventing Forestry

07/15/2024

Indeed.

07/15/2024

Sound advice.

Tiny bugs can cause massive amounts of damage - and they can easily spread in firewood. Protect the forests from hitchhiker pests by sourcing and burning your firewood locally! 🪵🔥💪

06/14/2024

An update on the causes of beech leaf disease:

A new study led by a team of scientists from YSE found differences at the cellular level of leaves from infected Beech trees — variations that may account for tree mortality.

06/09/2024

"The data, compiled in map form, show the incredible diversity of forest ecosystems worldwide. The lines on the maps demarcate species with similar characteristics and genetic relationships. Each site is associated with a unique set of tree species and lineages—a result of historical and environmental factors."

A group of EPFL and ETH Zurich scientists have mapped the biodiversity in forests worldwide. Their data, when combined with climate projections, reveal trends that could support ecosystem conservation and restoration efforts.