Forest Management
The forest on the property consists of approximately 656 acres of loblolly pine plantation that is 30-50 years old. There is an additional 345 acres that were harvested by the clear cut method in 2000, approximately 108 acres were treated with herbicides to control hardwood sprouting and replanted with loblolly pine. The remaining 239 acres were left to regenerate naturally and established a stand of mixed pine and hardwoods. Other forest stands on the property include areas of mixed Virginia pine and oaks, mature loblolly pine and bottomland hardwoods which consist of approximately 461 acres.
Approximately 200 acres of loblolly pine have been thinned since the purchase of the property by the DNR. Another 90 acres have been salvaged after the result of hurricane Irene. Reforestation with loblolly pine has been initiated on 66 acres, following a salvage harvest in 2014 on tract 2 of the Salem State Forest off Wilderness Run Road. Following the salvage harvest the stand was reforested with loblolly pine. Future forest management strategies will be to continue with the loblolly pine management through thinning and regeneration operations. There is currently one regeneration harvest sold on the Salem State Forest off the Redgate entrance and plans call for an additional 40 acre regeneration harvest in 2020.
Extensive road and trail work has been completed in order to improve the accessibility to the state forest.
There is one endangered species on the property, the narrow mouthed toad. Buffers are in place to protect their habitat.
Firewood is allowed to be harvested on the property by the public, but a permit must be obtained prior to harvesting by contacting the MD DNR Forest Service at 301-880-2745 and there is per cord charge for firewood. All firewood harvesting is for personal consumption
and limited to downed trees and slash form recent harvest.
