Habitat Management

Read about some of the changes to the Woodland Stewardship Education program and News and Notes about stories you might have missed. Our regular features include the Woodland Wildlife Spotlight and Invasives in Your Woodland, and the Brain Tickler challenge. 

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.

it comes as a surprise to many that Maryland is home to a second species of fox. However, the gray fox is indeed native to the state and the region, and can be found throughout most of North America.

Read the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight," the "Invasives in Your Woodland," the MD-DE Logger of the Year, and take the Brain Tickler challenge.

"The Woods in Your Backyard" program has assisted thousands of property owners across the region learn how to get more from their natural areas.

Maryland is home to four members of the weasel family: mink, river otters, long-tailed weasels, and fishers. In the state, fishers are second only in size to river otters, but they occupy a distinctly different ecological niche. Of these four species, the fisher is perhaps the most elusive, due in part to its mostly nocturnal behavior, but once you have seen one, you won’t confuse it with another species.

Stewardship opportunities offered through the University of Maryland Extension.

The News and Notes roundup for this issue features more kudos for Maryland Forest Service Project Manager Mike Kay, a study about the importance of community forests, news about bats, and an invitation to list your green industry business in a new Extension directory.

The Wildlife Management - Beneficial Birds series of Fact Sheets highlights several bird species that can assist woodland owners in managing rodents and other pests.

Farmers, gardeners, and others enjoy Tree Swallows because they are consumers of pest insects. Along with bats, bluebirds, and purple martins, they can play an important role in an integrated pest management strategy for controlling many farm and garden insect pests.