The Maryland Forest Conservation Act was designed to protect Maryland's forests; it implemented replanting requirements and minimum forested thresholds, and required more county oversight to protect our forests from over-development. While the law slowed forest clearance in some places, the law is falling short of protecting priority forests, especially where development pressure is intense and there are large, contiguous forests.
It is time to update the Forest Conservation Act!
Senate Bill 610, sponsored by Senator Young, and House Bill 766, sponsored by Delegate Healey, would amend the Forest Conservation Act to better protect Maryland's most ecologically valuable, and vulnerable forests.
Why do we need forests?
- Forests clean our water:
- They filter out pollutants, including runoff nutrients and pesticides before they reach our streams and rivers.
- They soak up floodwaters and slow the flow of water into streams, rivers, and stormwater infrastructure. Without forests, rainwater immediately rushes down storm drains and hits streams, leading to floods and fast moving water that erodes streambanks.
- Forests clean our air:
- They filter out air pollution
- They absorb greenhouse gases and give us oxygen in return
- They cool air temperatures
- Forests provide homes for numerous species
- Contiguous tracts of forests are the best for animals, instead of isolated forest parcels.
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