Off-road vehicles rip up state forests

N/A Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) disturb soil and carry non-native species of plants and animals wherever they go. The problem has worsened as ORVs have become larger and more powerful. ORVs are particularly harmful in state forests, since they threaten forest cover, carbon sequestration, air and water quality, and ecology and biodiversity. To relieve Maryland’s state forests of ORV use and to reduce the temptation to operate ORVs elsewhere illegally, MAGIC Alliance proposes to create an ORV park. Position Paper.



Stop commercial logging in green ridge state forest

N/A Green Ridge State Forest, in eastern Allegany County, is the second largest publicly owned forest in Maryland. Despite minimal rainfall and poor soil conditions, the State logs 200 acres per year at Green Ridge for little, if any, revenue. During these times of human population growth, natural resource depletion, increasing pressure on Maryland native species, and the decline of suitable wildland habitat, it is time to stop commercial, destructive logging in Green Ridge. Citizens recognize the beauty, biodiversity, and ecosystem benefits of wild places, and the importance of maintaining existing large, unfragmented blocks of public forests has never been more urgent. Finally, the carbon sequestration benefits of mature forests are vitally important in a changing climate; land disturbance and felling of trees releases greenhouse gases, adding to global warming in a state that aims to lead the nation in the new and emerging Green Economy. Position Paper.



Saving old growth forests

N/A Old growth forests – with significant numbers of trees over 150 years old, large diameter trees, a wide distribution of tree sizes, and a large volume of coarse woody debris – exist in 40 sites around Maryland and account for almost 2,200 acres. Old growth forests provide important eco-system services including carbon sequestration, environmental buffering against storm damage, and ecologically important habitat for plants, animals, and micro-organisms. DNR has taken the first steps to protect old growth–a survey to locate the old growth sites. Now DNR must establish buffers to protect the sites and seek legislative protection as State Wildlands for significant old growth sites. DNR must also permit acreage under their control to remain unlogged to add to the inventory of old growth–if DNR doesn’t, no one else will. Position Paper.