Forest Health

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a colorful non-native, invasive pest native to Asia that was first detected in the United States in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In addition to Pennsylvania, it has been confirmed in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Virginia. In Maryland, Cecil and Harford Counties are under a quarantine. The first instar hatch was recorded in Cecil County in May 2020.

Registration for the spring session of "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course is now open. Our Regular features include the Woodland Wildlife Spotlight, Invasives in Your Woodland, our events calendar, and the Brain Tickler challenge.

In this issue, we look at bull thistle. It's a widespread invasive found throughout Maryland, where it has been declared a noxious weed.

In this issue, we look at plumeless thistle, also known as "spiny plumeless thistle." Its presence in Maryland might be more widespread than some reports suggest.

In this issue, we look at musk thistle, also known as "nodding thistle," one of four invasive thistles classified as a noxious weed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Each plant can spread over 100,000 seeds.

Mile-a-minute is a vigorous invasive that may only have just begun to spread in the United States. One estimate surmises that it is only found in 20% of its potential range in this country.

The News and Notes roundup for this issue features advice about dealing with the spongy moth, ways to help keep your property accessible during wildfires, a timeline about wood heating technology, and how you can get your green industry business listed with the Woodland Stewardship Education program's online directory.

Listed are some of the most common questions related to forest ecology and forest management.

Read our features Woodland Wildlife Spotlight, Invasives in Your Woodland, and the Brain Tickler challenge. There's also news about the state Tree Farmer of the Year and much more.

This issue features Invasives in Your Woodlands, the Woodland Wildlife Spotlight, the Brain Tickler, and woodland stewardship news from around the region.