On Thursday, November 16, we hosted a webinar with Elaine Lutz of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to describe the latest research and necessary updates required of the 1991 Forest Conservation Act for the next legislative session. Missed the webinar? You can watch it here!
The rapid rate of deforestation across Maryland threatens both our ecosystem and economy. In order to restore the Chesapeake Bay, attention must be directed toward retaining and expanding forests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Each year these forests absorb an estimated 184 million pounds of nitrogen from polluted air. The annual levels of nitrogen reduced naturally by forests is equivalent to three times the annual reduction of nitrogen achieved by all the technological pollution control efforts of the last two decades combined. According to Prince George’s County Forest Assessment – 5,100 metric tons of air pollutants and 4.3 billion gallons of polluted runoff are removed each year by these forests and trees. These ecosystem services are valued at approximately $12.821 billion annually.
The main goals of the Forest Conservation Act of 1991 are to minimize loss of forest land from development and ensure priority forests are both identified and protected. According to the Department of Natural Resources, “Maryland’s Forest Conservation Act has done little to address the shrinking size of forest tracts.” Currently Maryland is losing more than 4,000 acres of forested land each year.
Ultimately, the Act has failed to meet its objectives. Vast areas of priority forests are being cleared without mitigation. Due to the fragmentation of intact, continuous forests the FCA has little or no impact of the most heavily forested sites. The Act must be amended to properly reflect the importance of local forests on local water quality and life.
We welcome your help and support in protecting the forests!
Organize grassroots support
Help Lobby the Maryland General Assembly convenes in January
Participate in Sierra Club’s Lobby Night on February 19