MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOREST SERVICE

Maryland Forests Story Maps

Maryland Forest Service LogoStory maps are stand-alone web-based resources that – as the title suggests – lead a viewer through a narrative through an interface that can combine maps, text, videos, photos, and other media with templates, map interfaces, and navigation devices designed by Esri. Though the story itself may be linear, GIS-based map layers add multiple dimensions, allowing users to interactively find information for the locations they’re most interested in.

Storymaps were created by the Community College of Baltimore County Center for Mapping and Analysis. Funding provided by a generous grant from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program

Trees in the fall with yellow and orange leaves.

Introduction to Maryland Forests and the Forest Inventory & Analysis

Welcome to our interactive overview of the forest resources of Maryland based on inventories conducted by the U.S.D.A Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Northern Research Station. 

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 Screen shot of a gray map with blue markings.

Forest Area and Land Use Change

The change in forest area is a result of underlying gross gains and losses attributed to population growth, land development, reversions of agricultural land to forest, conservation policies and availability of land open to development.

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 Close-up image of tree bark with a pests on it.

Pest and Disease 2016

There are several forest pests, past, present and on the horizon, that have and will continue to pose a significant threat to Maryland’s forest resources. These pests are monitored through the Maryland Department of Agriculture Cooperative Forest Health Program.  

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Black and white image of a large tree in the gof.

Maryland's Aging Forest

A forest stand is a section of forest having relatively uniform composition regarding species, size, structure, and density. Many stands make up a forest and forest stand age is a measurement of many variables. The difference between these stands shape the health of the forest and whether or not areas need to be harvested.

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Springtime image of trees with flowers.

Maryland Forest Composition

The species composition of a forest is the result of the long-term interaction of climate, soils, disturbance, competition among trees species, etc. Causes of forest disturbances in Maryland include timber harvesting, insects and diseases, ice storms, droughts, wildfires, and land clearing followed by abandonment.

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 Screen shot of a map with the states all different colors.

Future Forests

Maryland's Future Forest Profile will be the result of normal forest growth, aging, natural regeneration and species succession. In addition, we expect that a range of external forces, population, economic conditions, spread of invasive species and more will also drive forest change.

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A truck full of logs in the winter.

Working Forest

Maryland forests have had a long history of being a working forest where areas have traditionally been cleared for agriculture and timber and now ​ for development and transportation (shipbuilding, construction, etc.). Forest products were also used for many things from timber for lumber to pulpwood to tanbard.

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Close-up of the roots of a tree.

Ownership of Forest Land in Maryland

Management of land is the owner’s decision. The availability and quality of land, including recreational opportunities, timber and wildlife habitat are determined by owners. Understanding the priorities of owners, the forest conservation community can support their needs, and help conserve the State’s forests.

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 Aerial image of tress with the Baltimore Harbor in the background.

Maryland's Urban Forest

The map shows the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) for the state of Maryland created using remote sensing processes that extract vegetation from surrounding features based on their water content. To learn more about this, check out the NASA's Earth Observatory.

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Photo of the fields at the nursery and Forest Service logo

Wildfire and Water

Wildfires are a common occurrence in Maryland. In an average year, the Maryland Forest Service responds to an average of 325 wildfires that burn more than 3,200 acres of forest, brush, and grasses.

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