DNR oversees dozens of controlled fires annually to manage Maryland’s woodland areas

From Our Partners

In our July 2022 edition of Planning Practice Monthly, MDP addressed the subject of prescribed burns or RX burns as an important land management tool with origins in Native American culture. Effective not only as a means to prevent wildfire disasters, the practice also affords a variety of ecological benefits.  

Recently, Joe Zimmerman, a science writer with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), photo-documented a 93-acre RX burn in the Frederick watershed, vividly recounting the experience: 

It was a chilly morning in the Frederick Watershed and the woods were quiet and peaceful. Without the sound of even a passing bird, a stillness filled the air between the nearly bare trees.

But at the intersection of two rocky roads deep in the watershed, there was a growing commotion. Red hats, yellow vests, and blue suits appeared through the vegetation. A fleet of pickups and fuel trucks and UTVs lined the forest edge. Dozens of people were gathering and prepping equipment for the day. They were about to set the woods on fire. 

“We’re going to keep this briefing quick so we can bump up that hill,” Sean Weaver, a Maryland Department of Natural Resources forester for the watershed, told the assembled crowd at an 8 a.m. huddle. Read more… 

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For further information: In 2022 the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) published Forest Guidance to Local Governments with input from DNR and other stakeholders. This well-illustrated guidance document defines an array of forestry terms and explains applicable state forestry industry laws and regulations. It also discusses the plans required for forest management and harvest, includes suggestions for allowable forestry activities within different local zoning districts, and provides ideas for innovative zoning approaches.