Frederick County Forestry Board (FCFB)
Site of the Frederick County Forest Conservancy District Board
FCFB site navigator: Home
Stronghold's demonstration forest Ecological communities and woodland wildlife habitats Related forestry links:
Forest Landowner's Guide to Internet Resources | Click on any of the items in the Table of Contents to go to a particular section of this page. Use the 'Ctrl+Home' key chord to return to the Table of Contents. Welcome to the Frederick County Forestry Board (FCFB) Web site. The contents of each page on our site is briefly described below the 'Spotlight" section. From any page in this site you can access any other page by using the FCFB site navigator found in the upper left column. The lower left column of each page contains links to other Web sites that relate to FCFB page content. You can contact us from any page by using the link provide at the bottom of every page. During the Gypsy Moth spraying endeavor the first section of this home page will be a daily status update on spraying.
We hope that you enjoy and benefit from visiting our Web site. If you have feedback about this site (e.g., corrections or suggestions) please contact our Webmaster, Tyson Rose (FrederickCountyForestryBoard@gmail.com). You can also contact the Frederick County Forestry Board using the information below: Frederick County Forestry Board
8602 Gambrill Park Road Frederick, MD 21702 Executive Secretary, Michael Kay 301-473-8417, 301-473-8577 (FAX) Overview of the FCFB Web siteThe Frederick County Forestry Board Calender page includes official Frederick County Forestry Board activities as well as related events or activities of potential interest for forestry oriented residents in other counties of Maryland. The Frederick County Forestry Board is dedicated to the forested lands in Frederick County. Go to our Our mission page to learn our purpose and the ways we support the community in promoting forestry concerns. Are you interested in participating in a state sponsored stewardship of your forested land? Go to our Forest stewardship page to learn about the benefits and responsibilities of this worthwhile program. Visit the Education programs page to learn about classroom, workshops, demonstrations, training, lectures, seminars and other types of education about forestry in the area. The FCFB Spotlight section above also contains links to recent or future educational events. The Timber harvest page is a source of information for timber harvest plans, inspections and related topics. The spring of 2008 will see a major infestation of Gypsy moth larvae to many areas in Frederick County. Many concerned Frederick County land owners attended a FCFB workshop on the Gypsy moth in November and have banded together to combat the problem. Go to the Gypsy moth suppression page to learn more. Go to the Board members page to see a listing of the 2009 FCFB membership. This page also contains highlights from the latest board meeting ('Board Briefs'). To contact the FCFB use the 'Contact us' link found at the bottom of every page in our Web site. Visit our Newsletter page to download our printed FCFB Newsletter (the current issue as well as past issues). To be added to the newsletter mailing distribution you can contact us and ask to be added to our newsletter mailing list. The Field trials page contains forestry research result reports for studies conducted locally. On the Big tree program page you can read about national and state champion tree in Frederick County. Pictures of these magnificent giants are also shown. The Forest favorites page contains short articles by FCFB members about some of their favorite inhabitants of the forest ... flora and fauna.
The Forestry practices page contains articles intended to provide guidance to landowners who wish to undertake common forestry practices like tree planting, weed control, timber stand improvements, and commercial timber sales. The Stronghold's demonstration forest page describes the Forestry Demonstration area at Stronghold which provide visitors with a visual representation of common forest harvest practices, as well as displaying a long-term comparative view of forest development resulting from these activities. The Ecological communities and woodland wildlife habitats page contains articles about various Frederick County landscapes written by Mike Kay.
'Fourteen new Big Trees in county' - Read the Frederick News-Post article entitled 'Fourteen new Big Tree in county' to learn about this major update to Frederick County's champion big trees on our FCFB Big tree program page . Trees linked to less crime, research finds Sustaining Frederick’s Forests - a FCFB lecture series Dig up some new expertise on the wide world of wood and learn how you can get involved in local environmental efforts with this free evening lecture series presented by the Frederick County Forestry Board.
These informal discussions will feature talks by guest experts on subjects including managing backyard trees, getting involved in local conservation organizations, and threats to our natural resources.
Come to the C. Burr Artz Library in downtown Frederick on the first Thursday
of each month from March until August, and learn more about your Frederick
County forests and trees!
April 5, 2012: “Bad Bugs in the Woods.” Gypsy moth, hemlock wooly adelgid, emerald ash borer and other invasive insects are increasingly impacting our backyard trees and forests. Learn about these destructive pests and what you can do to reduce the threats they pose. Moderator: Lynne Marquess, Frederick County Forestry Board   Tom's slideshow was rich with written information and many pictures (see the text slides from his presentation). ensure your valuable landscape trees stay hale and hearty by learning how to manage them properly throughout the seasons. The Maryland Big Tree Program will also be highlighted. Moderator: Michelle Donahue, Maryland Big Tree Program Volunteer  Jennifer Willoughby, former senior communications specialist with the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, prepares to discuss proper tree selection and placement. (Photo by Claude Eans) Maryland Big Tree Program volunteer Michelle Donahue (right)
introduces Becky Wilson, Western Region Coordinator of Urban and Community
Forestry Programs with the Maryland Forest Service. Ms. Wilson gave an in-depth
discussion on tree care and proper pruning practices. (Photo by Claude Eans) The 18 attendees included some professional tree pruning folks. Topics discussed included how to select a tree and planting and management (where and where not to plant the selected trees) as well as the biology, history, care and maintenance of trees especially what to do and what not to do when pruning.
local forestry and natural resource organizations, including the Forestry Board, Tree Farm Program, the Monocacy & Catoctin Watershed Alliance, and the Catoctin Forest Alliance. Discover how you can join them to manage public lands and your property in an environmentally sound manner. Moderator: Claude Eans, Western Maryland Regional Tree Farm Representative honeysuckle and kudzu, but numerous other species are also having a negative impact. Learn about exotic invasive plants in Frederick County woods, open areas and residential lots, as well as how to control them—and what to plant instead. Moderator: Tom Anderson, Frederick County Forestry Board Additional Information
Lectures will be held the first Thursday of the month in March through August from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. in the Community Room. The C. Burr Artz Library is located at 110 East Patrick Street in Frederick, Maryland. Two hours of free parking is available at the Carroll Creek Parking Deck with a ticket validated at the library. Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is encouraged but not required. To register or find out more, contact Mike Kay at 301-473-8417, or send an e-mail to MKAY@dnr.state.md.us. The library does not promote or endorse the views of this program, sponsors, or presenters View/print Lecture Series Brochure For more information read 'Seeing the Forest and the Trees' by Karen Gardner of the Frederick News-Post on 2/23/2012. Branching Out - Forest Stewardship Education Newsletter
Neighborhood Green Workshop Saturday, May 12, 2012 Claude Eans of the Frederick County Forestry Board was one of many attending the workshop. Below are some of Claude's impressions and photographs from the event held at the Linganore High School cafeteria.
14th Annual Native Plant Sale Audrey Carroll Sanctuary Saturday, April 28th, 9:00-2:00Native Plant Sale at the Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland. The Sanctuary is located at 13030 Old Annapolis Road (just east of Detrick Road) in Mt. Airy. This is an opportunity to obtain plants which are well adapted to the weather and soil of our area, but which can rarely be obtained from local nurseries. Native shrubs and trees, perennials, and annuals will be available. Check Audubon's web site for details and plant lists: www.centralmdaudubon.org . For questions call 410-795-6546 or 301-831-5060. Natural Resources Careers Camp (NRCC) 2012 for high school students: July 22-28, in Garrett County, MD. Join high school students from across Maryland at this week-long camp in Garrett County to explore careers and college studies in natural resources.
Registration begins December 1, 2011. Space is limited to 42 NRCC students. Applicants will be interviewed and approved on a first-come basis. In addition, students from bordering states (DC, DE, PA, VA, WV) are welcome to apply and will be interviewed by the nearest local Forestry Board. See Education programs page for more information about the program. To apply visit the Maryland's Forest Consrvancy Disctrict Boards Web site. Catoctin Mountain Park Announces 2012 Youth Conservation Corps Program The National Park Service is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program at Catoctin Mountain Park. This is an exciting opportunity for high school students to spend their summer doing meaningful work in a National Park site. The YCC program is scheduled to last for eight weeks beginning on June 25, 2012 and ending on August 17, 2012. The workday will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. The program is open to young men and women 15 through 18 years of age. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements listed on the back of the application will be considered. The position will require daily outdoor labor, working in heat, and using a variety of hand tools. The 2012 work projects include monitoring of fish populations, gypsy moth monitoring, exotic plant control and removal, trail maintenance and construction, and painting projects. Enrollees will be selected through a random drawing. Please note, previous enrollees may only be considered in the event that an insufficient number of new applications are received. The rate of pay will be $7.25 per hour. Applications may be obtained from local high school guidance counselors or by contacting Becky Loncosky at Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. Completed application forms must be mailed to Ms Loncosky at the above address by April 15, 2012. If you have any questions concerning this program, please contact Becky Loncosky at (301)416-0536 or by email at becky_loncosky@nps.gov. Frederick County’s champion white oak tree has grown in Braddock Heights for an estimated 350 years. To learn more see the article in the FNP entitled "Casting a broad shadow: Braddock Heights white oak makes state registry".
 Braddock Heights white oak (Photo by Adam Fried) Visit the FCFB Big tree program page to learn more about big trees in Frederick County and Maryland. Maryland Woodland Stewards April 26, 27, 28 and 29
The University of Maryland Extension is pleased to announce that a new MWS training program is being offered in the spring of 2012. The 2012 program will take place April 26-29 at the Shepherd Spring Retreat Center in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Complete details can be reviewed on the Maryland Woodland Stewards dedicated page: http://www.naturalresources.umd.edu/EducationalMWS.html The Maryland Tree Farm Program and the Frederick County Forestry Board Tree Farm Field Day - 12/3/2011
By Heather Mongomery Ah, the holiday season… for many, a favorite tradition includes going to a Christmas Tree Farm to cut down the perfect Christmas tree for decorating. Did you know that—according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources—there are over 1,500 tree farms in Maryland totaling over 269,000 acres? Not all of these are Christmas Tree Farms; in fact, many are diverse woodlands managed for forest products, wildlife, water protection and aesthetics, and to minimize the threat of fire, insects and disease. This type of forest management has been encouraged by the American Tree Farm System since 1941. In Maryland, forest landowners can be certified as Tree Farmers by the American Tree Farm System for their forest management efforts. This past weekend I ventured out to a “Tree Farm Field Day” at Claude and Pilar Eans’ 28-acre forested property in Walkersville, MD. Claude has been a Certified Tree Farmer since 1986. The Eans Tree farm consists of 5 acres of mature oak forests, 8 acres of young forest that developed naturally after livestock were removed, and a 15 acre pine plantation that was planted in the early 1970’s.  Pilar & Claude Eans  The Eans Property Pine Stand The field day focused primarily on the pine plantation. The plantation originally consisted of white and Scotch pine planted closely (6 ft by 6 ft) to encourage rapid upward growth. The original intent was to harvest the Scotch pine for Christmas trees in order to provide more room for the longer lived, native white pine trees. By the time that Claude purchased this property, the Scotch pines were too large for Christmas trees. A forest management plan prepared for the Eans by Forester Bonnie Johnson recommended removing the Scotch pine to free up the white pine. Claude did this on his own. Forester Johnson was so impressed with this effort that she nominated Claude as Tree Farmer of the Year in 1988. Over the years the white pine continued their growth, eventually to the point that large adjacent pines began to interfere with each other. At this point Claude tried numerous times to have the pines thinned out commercially; each attempt was met with failure since most commercial pine operators operate outside the confines of Frederick County. Fortunately for Claude, local logger Brian Blickenstaff recently acquired a Feller-Buncher- an 18,000 lb. specialized piece of logging equipment that can secure, cut, and maneuver a 12-14” dbh tree to create neat rows of logs with narrow confinements. Brian has agreed to thin the pine trees and pay Claude a predetermined price for the pine trees he removes based on the weight of the logs as they arrive at the pulp mill.  Feller-Buncher
The Tree Farm Field Day was co-sponsored by the Maryland Tree Farm Program and the Frederick County Forestry Board. It introduced participants to the importance of forest management, and also included a live demonstration of the Feller-Buncher. Mike Kay (MD DNR Forest Service/FCFB) gave a brief presentation on the history behind pine plantings and the need for management. We learned that the destructive pine bark beetle is attracted to overcrowded pine stands where trees are stressed due to heavy competition and limited resources.  Forester Mike Kay pointing out pine bark beetle damage
 Field Day Participants & Logger Brian Blickenstaff discussing thinning technique The Feller-buncher demonstration was very impressive. The process was powerful, quick, and efficient; in the span of 3 minutes, four large pine trees had been cut and laid down neatly. About 30% of the less desirable white pine trees will be removed from the stand to allow the remaining trees more room to grow and develop. The long-lived white pine can live hundreds of years and grow to a height of nearly 200 feet tall as long as it has enough room to stretch out.  Feller-Buncher in action- sawing pine
 Feller-Buncher laying down cut pine
 At the conclusion of the Tree Farm Demonstration Day, Tree farm signs and hats were distributed and everyone left knowing a little more about the importance of proper forest management and the technology that can help tree farmers achieve their forest management goals. Field Day instructors and participants with Tree Farm signs & hats Contact information: For logging services/Feller-buncher inquiries, contact Brian Blickenstaff at: Blickenstaff Logging 12811 Brandenburg Hollow Road Myersville, MD 21773 301-293-9889 For more information about the Maryland Tree Farm Program, contact Claude Eans: 301-898-7664 / oeans@hotmail.com. For more information about the Frederick County Forestry Board or forest management plans, contact Mike Kay: 301-473-8417 / mkay@dnr.state.md.us. FCFB President interviewed by the Frederick News-Post
President Keith Schoonover of the Frederick County Forestry Boarad and owner of a sawmill that sits on an old dairy farm near Jefferson was recently interviewd by the Fredeick News-Post. Over the years, Keith has built a reputation as someone who likes trees and knows what to do with them. Now, many tree removal companies and other people in the area call Schoonover when they come across a big piece of timber in danger of ending up on the burn pile.
Just weeks after it turned up in Howard County, the emerald ash borer has been detected in Anne Arundel and Allegany counties. Maryland agriculture officials have responded by placing all Maryland counties west of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay under quarantine. Movement of ash wood and trees, and all hardwood firewood out of the zone is banned, and all movement of hardwood firewood within the zone is discouraged. "Buy it where you burn it," officials urged. The quarantine is "the best way to secure Maryland's Eastern Shore, where EAB has not been found to date, and protect our riparian forest buffer plantings," said state Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. While federal, state and local authorities continue to search for better controls on the pest, he added, "we rely upon cooperation from the community to follow the quarantine restrictions, not move firewood and to report signs of possible infestation." The emerald ash borer is an Asian invader first detected in Maryland in 2003, in Prince George's County. It reached Charles County five years later, and was found in Howard County last month. Fatal to ash trees, the insect typically kills its host within three years. Baltimore City has the state's largest population of ash trees, with an estimated 293,000 trees. There are an estimated six million in the city and surrounding counties. Removal of dead trees can cost between $1,000 and $2,000 each. Federal authorities have estimated financial losses in the Baltimore area alone could reach $227 million if the insect becomes established there. Julie Oberg, spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture, said the pest's spread to Baltimore and the rest of Maryland west of the bay now appears likely. Do I need to get a logging permit?
Are you thinking of conducting a logging operation on your property? You will need to have a permit before you begin. See the 'Logging Permits' article on our Forestry practices page. Under the spreading Chestnut tree ... The might American Chestnut once graced the entire east coast of the US but then fell victum to a blight. Could it be returning? Have you seen the test planting near Sugarloaf Mountain and other areas? A recent Washington Post article entitled 'The mighty American chestnut tree, poised for a comeback' discusses the possibility of a return of this wonderful American tree.
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How to plant a tree seedling
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