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Welcome to the Forestry education content area. There are games, fun forestry facts, activities and teacher resources. If you cannot find what you want check out our main education area for more options.
Learn about trees and forests in your backyard. Activities cover all ages, grades, class subjects and teacher resources. Also included: the MD's 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest Activity Guides.
Smokey Bear is a recognized symbol of conservation and protection of America’s forests. His message about wildfire prevention has helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires, from about 22 million (1944) to an average of 6.5 million today. However, wildfire prevention remains one of the most critical environmental issues affecting our country. Many Americans believe that lightning starts most wildfires. In fact, on average, 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by people.
No complete record of Maryland's tree species exists, but from the best information available, there are probably more than 160 species. Counting the exotic species which are successfully grown here, the list is almost unlimited.
In 1975, at the urging of the Maryland Bicentennial Commission, most local jurisdictions appointed a local commission to plan for the coming celebration.
The Maryland Forest Service along with the Maryland Forestry Boards is proud to sponsor the 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest.
Arbor Day, observed in Maryland on the first Wednesday in April, kicks off the tree planting season in the State. An early spring celebration, Arbor Day is a day when all Marylanders can focus their attention on the planting of trees and forests – one of the most valuable and recyclable natural resources.
The Teacher's Guide has been written by Maryland elementary school educators who have been involved with Arbor Day at their schools. The development of the Guide is a cooperative effort between Maryland's Department of Natural Resources and the State Department of Education. We have tried to make the activities child-centered, fun and authentic, while keeping the use of activities flexible enough to meet your particular class or school needs.
The Maryland Forest Service began in 1906 with the donation of land in western Maryland.
For anyone interested in attending the Natural Resources Careers Camp held the end of July click here to get more details. This is a one week (Sunday through Saturday) coeducational summer camp program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in forestry or natural resources.
Careers at Department of Natural Resources is a detailed description for mostly high school students of what it takes to enter the Environmental field and courses of study needed.
In 2006, the Maryland Forest Service celebrated 100 years of assisting Maryland landowners with their forestry needs. A patch program was one of the many projects created for that celebration. We, along with the Maryland Forestry Boards, are happy to continue offering the program as the Maryland Junior Forest Ranger Patch Program.
The Maryland Envirothon is a natural resource education program sponsored by local soil conservation districts for high school age students. Forestry, wildlife, aquatics and soils are the four subject areas studied each year. A fifth, current issue is different each year. The students form five person teams, who then represent themselves at the local or statewide environmental competition. Visit Maryland's Envirothon Homepage for information about each of the subject areas.
Project Learning Tree is an award winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators working with students in pre-K through grade 12. PLT uses the forest as a "window" into natural and built environments, helping people gain an awareness and knowledge of the world around them, as well as their place within it.
Have trees planted in honor or memory of family and friends, to celebrate Holidays, special occasions, and remembrances. Your pngt of Trees is actually three pngts - one to someone you care for, one to future generations, and one to the environment. TREE-MENDOUS MARYLAND will arrange for the trees to be planted in the area in which the recipient of the certificate lives.
For more than fifty years, Maryland’s Forest Conservancy District Boards have been working to perpetuate Maryland’s forest resource. As volunteer advocates for forestry, Forestry Board members focus their attention on Maryland’s trees and forests...our renewable natural resource.
Below are some specific programs adults and youth may find interesting. Woodland Stewardship Education ProgramYouth and Forestry More are available on: the University of Maryland Extension homepage.
We have put together a list of Suggested Children’s Literature, which includes 51 books that are reference points for your studies, and a source for learning more about wood products, planting trees, and how our wonderful forest ecosystems work.
In order to evaluate the relative size of trees, the girth in inches and the height and crown spread in feet, are added together to arrive at a number of points for each tree. This number is then used for comparison of tree sizes in each species.
The many different tree species which grow throughout Maryland do so because of a combination of factors: climate, soil, and topography. Because of its location, Maryland is a common meeting ground for several species from both northern and southern climates. The State marks the farthest north that such species as loblolly pine and bald cypress are found.
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