Forest Health

In this issue: Read about the transitions in woodlands from autumn to winter, and the benefits of leaving leaves where they fall. There's also news about a new milestone for the Healthy Forests Healthy Waters program. Our "Native Trees of Maryland" looks at the Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, and "Invasives in Your Woodlands" looks at the Goldenrain Tree. And don't forget the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

Chosen tree management, previously known as "crop tree management," is a proactive method for encouraging selected trees in your woodland.

Native ecosystems in our woodlands are under increasing pressure from invasive plant species and from both native and invasive vines. Providers of invasive plant and vine control are listed here.

Creating and maintaining effective riparian buffers are essential for stream health and overall effective ecosystem management. Providers of riparian buffer planting and/or maintenance are listed here.

Planting trees helps your natural areas in many ways. They contribute to cleaner air and water, increase shade to reduce energy costs, and provide habitat for wildlife. Providers of tree planting services are listed here.

Entries in the Natural Area Management Services Directory are listed alphabetically.

Since its introduction in the United States, goldenrain tree became popular as a landscape tree. It was planted throughout the mid-Atlantic and as far away as California. While initially prized for its resilience and speed of growth, observers and researchers began to recognize its invasive nature as it outcompetes native flora, significantly altering local ecosystems.

The dwarf chinquapin oak (Quercus prinoides), unlike its towering relatives, is a mere 3-12 feet tall (rarely up to 20 feet). It’s one of only two shrublike oaks native to Maryland. Easily grown in a variety of environments, the dwarf chinquapin oak, while small, is ecologically mighty.

Once flowers have bloomed and your yard plants have died back in the fall, you might wonder where all the insects you saw in your yard spend the winter. Most overwinter right where they spent all summer, just hidden. Leaving the leaves provides year-round habitat for all sorts of beneficial insects.

In the News and Notes roundup for this issue: The Maryland state tree nursery is now taking orders for 2026 planting projects; Virginia tribal members establish a food forest; a writer from Backpacker explores a grove of American chestnuts; and NSF funding assists AI research at UMD to forecast wildfires.