Forest Wildlife

Many landowners in the Mid-Atlantic region are learning that prescribed fires can help them achieve their management goals for their property. The Maryland Prescribed Fire Council aims to protect, promote, and expand the safe and responsible use of prescribed fire in Maryland.

In the News and Notes roundup for this issue: Baltimore City is examining white-tailed deer overpopulation within its parklands; a new report assesses the impact of the forestry industry on Maryland's economy; the US Forest Service and its partners has issued its annual Tax Tips For Forest Landowners guide; and new research reveals a potential native foe of EAB.

Registration is now open for the Spring 2026 session of “The Woods in Your Backyard” online course. Our course is designed primarily for small-acreage property owners who want to learn how to care for or expand existing woodlands, or to convert lawn space to woodlands.

Establishing and/or managing wildlife habitat helps property owners reach their goals for assisting one or more native species. Providers of wildlife establishment and/or management are listed here.

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.

Since its debut as a regular Branching Out feature in 2016, the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight" has profiled a wide variety of species native to Maryland.

Are you a small-acreage property owner who wants to learn how to care for or how to expand existing woodlands, or how to convert lawn space to woodlands? Then join us for our self-directed, non-credit online course. It runs for ten weeks, from September 8 to November 17.

In the News and Notes roundup for this issue: Threatened bobwhite quail return to restored habitat in Wicomico County; Garrett College is now home to two historic seedlings; how to report sightings of beech leaf disease; and the 2025 American chestnut photo contest is now open.

Back issues of the Branching Out newsletter can be found on this page.