Forest Health

Chinese and Japanese Wisterias arrived in the U.S. in the early 1800s and have since spread to habitats across much of the eastern states. These twining and climbing vines can not only strangle and shade out trees, but can form dense thickets that suppress other native species.

The News and Notes roundup for this issue notes that invasive plant species are affecting other countries as well as the U.S., notes that a vital program led by University of Maryland researchers will return to operation in space, shares information about watersheds and drinking water, and wonders if a new app will revolutionize forestry mapping.

Spring is here, and there is no better time to get outside and plant new trees on your property or in your community. And opportunities to do so abound this time of year. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and many other environmental groups are hosting tree-planting events throughout the region to improve water quality, create wildlife habitat, clean the air and enhance climate resiliency for the watershed.

Resources for information about common invasive trees and shrubs in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region.

Eastern hemlock is a coniferous tree that favors the cool and humid climate along the Appalachian Mountains. Hemlocks can grow more than 150 feet tall and live for more than 800 years. Their short, dense needles provide excellent habitat for many kinds of wildlife, from warblers to bobcats. Unfortunately, healthy hemlocks are becoming increasingly rare due to the invasive insect called hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). New efforts by the Virginia Dept. of Forestry are combatting this invasive bug with another bug.

Resources for information about common invasive insects in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region.

In this issue: Help us learn more about our readers and subscribers by taking our short survey. Read about a potential ally in the fight against hemlock wooly adelgid, and how Marylanders can get a rebate for planting native trees. There's information about our spring session of "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course, plus our regular features: the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight" looks at the American beaver and "Invasives in Your Woodlands" looks at Princess tree. And don't forget the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

The Princess Tree was imported from China in the 1800s and has become an aggressive, invasive plant in much of the mid-Atlantic and mid-South states.

The American beaver was almost hunted to extinction in Maryland and across the continent. Read about this nocturnal herbivore that scientists are helping to conserve, and that in return, are discovering the benefits of having beavers in a variety of ecosystems in need of help.

There's news about our new website, as part of the University of Maryland Extension's rebranding efforts. There's also information about the Spotted Lanternfly and about the rebounding forestry industry in Maryland. Our regular features include profiles of the striped skunk in the "Woodland Wildlife Spotlight" and lesser celandine in "Invasives in Your Woodland," as well as our events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge. Plus, tidbits you may have missed, in the News and Notes section.