Welcome to The Woods In Your Backyard Workshop January 12, 2013

1. Welcome to The Woods In Your Backyard WorkshopJanuary 12, 2013 We will start at 9:00 a.m. sharp

2. www.naturalresources.umd.edu Jonathan Kays Extension Specialist Natural Resources University of Maryland Extension jkays@umd.edu 301-432-2767 x323 All PP posted on website

3. The Woods in Your Backyard Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas Around Your Home Jonathan Kays Natural Resource Extension Specialist jkays@umd.edu “Educating People to Help Themselves”

4. WIBY Calls for a Paradigm Shift • Think about planting many trees and shrubs, not just a few • Move from micro-management to thinking at a system scale • Design a system that contributes to community social and ecological values

5. Wildlife food Facilitating Functioning Systems Trees Good Grasses Planting Stuff Bushes Planting Beds Landscaping Killing Stuff Trail Design Helping Trees Native Plants

6. Woodland Ownership Trends •  woodland owners •  ownership tract acreage • short tenure of ownership • new/different owner’s (land ethic) • The words we use: Forests > Woods > [Natural Areas]

7. Number of MD Private Forest Owners (1000’s)Percentage with 1–9 Acres of Forest 65% 55% 85% USDA Forest Service National Woodland Owners Survey – 1977, 1989, 2006

8. Landowners: part of the solution • If neighbors cooperate… • Everybody’s actions influence water quality, air quality, aesthetics, etc. • Every little bit of effort helps

9. Purpose of Course Enhance existing natural areas Transition from mowed to natural use

10. Manual OverviewTable of Contents – pg iii • Part 1: Introduction: Assessing your interests in your land • Part 2: Get to Know Your Property: In the landscape, identifying land management units, tree ID • Part 3: Ecological Principles: Succession, forest principles, water resources, wildlife ecology

11. Manual Overview • Part 4: Put Your Knowledge into Practice: recreation, aesthetics, choosing projects, land management techniques, timetable, & record your progress • Part 5: Workbook used to assess the potential of your property • Appendices: tables, resource list, glossary, index

12. Manual uses a learning approach…. • A lesson… • Followed by hands-on activities on their property… • Complete the activity sheet… • User ends up with the basics of a forest stewardship plan and way to implement it.

13. Conceptual Framework of Looking at One’s Property – Page 4 • Three types of land use: • Intensive use – buildings, sheds, paved areas, etc • Intermediate use – lawns, garden, pasture, orchard • Natural use – forested, unmowed areas with small trees & shrubs Paired 3-acre plots

14. Intensive – Intermediate – Natural Use Areas Natural Succession – Some Planting after 3 years Natural Succession – Some Planting after 16 years

15. Nelsons’ Property Map Activity 1 (case study), Page 7 in manual

16. What are Your Interests? Activity 4, Page 10 • Reduce time spent mowing lawn and improve wildlife habitat. • Improve the water quality of Oak Creek. • Improve aesthetic enjoyment and sense of privacy.

17. Potential Natural Area Improvement Projects • Remove damaged trees and/or limbs • Control exotic and/or invasive species • Improve tree growth by thinning an overcrowded stand • Plant trees

18. Potential Forest Products Projects • Firewood for personal or others’ use • Ginseng or other medicinal plants from the natural areas of the property • Grapevines for wreaths • Shiitake mushrooms

19. Potential Wildlife Habitat Projects • Create brush or rock piles • Encourage growth of wildlife food trees • Improve shelter opportunities by planting trees, brush piling or creating soft edge

20. Potential Water Resources Projects • Establish or enhance forest cover around streams, seeps, springs, or ponds

21. Potential Recreation Projects • Create or improve trails • Create a campfire or camping area • Create a natural-area haven (place to relax) • Improve opportunities for hunting or wildlife watching

22. Nelsons’ Constraints to Land ManagementActivity 5 – Page 13

23. Part IIGetting to Know Your PropertyInventory Your Property - Page 15 • Your property’s in the landscape • Surrounding properties • Land management units • Basic tree and shrub identification

24. Patch Characteristics Affect Habitat ValueFigure 2 – Page 18 • Patch size and proximity affect wildlife habitat • Larger, closer, and connected habitat is more useful to wildlife • Figure D above is best for wildlife; Figure A is worst

25. Expanding existing forest areas • The planting area on the left expands the existing forest buffer to. The aerial picture on right shows how planting could expand an existing forest area.

26. Google Earth a Great Tool

27. Soil Survey from Web Soil Surveyhttp://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app

28. Cooperate to Reach Your Goals • You may not be able to provide all habitat elements needed by the wildlife species you desire, so… • Cooperate with neighbors to achieve shared goals

29. Examples of Land Management Units[or Habitat Patches] Part II, Lesson 2, Page 22

30. Designate land management Units • Add units to hand drawn map or whatever type of map used. • Tree identification basics Activity 7, Page 23 - 24

31. Tree and Shrub ID Part II, Lesson 3, Page 25 • What kind of trees and shrubs grow on your land? • Use simple MD Leaf Key to start. Peterson’s Guide to Trees and Shrubs a great resource. Many online resources as well. • The “manual” covers the bare basics

32. The Nelsons’ Most Common Tree and Shrub Species by Land Management Unit Activity 7, Page 23

33. Logging in Large-Lot Suburban Developments with a Good Forester

34. Use smaller and lower impact harvesting and processing equipment

35. Part III - Ecological PrinciplesEcology: the study of natural communities and how they function and interact • Principles of succession • Principles of forestry • Water resources and your natural area • Principles of wildlife ecology

36. The Dynamic Natural Area: Principles of Succession • Natural areas change over time, whether or not you do anything to them. • You can alter the process of succession • Tree vary in their requirement for sunlight.

37. The first vegetation to grow is that which like full sunlight

39. Tree Planting:Push succession ahead Forest Harvesting: Push succession back

40. Succession Principle 3 • Trees vary in their requirement for sunlight. Table 2, Page 32

42. How Your Woodland Develops… • A function primarily of • site quality • Past history • current practices (grazing, for example) • species composition A photographic history from the Allegheny Plateau in Pennsylvania (1927-1998)

43. Climate, soil, available water, and nutrients all affect how well a tree grows. If minimum requirements are not met, a tree may not grow in a given area.

44. Oaks are better adapted to dry and shallow hilltop soils, while yellow-poplar trees are found on more fertile lower slopes

45. Effect of Aspect on Site Quality South-facing Slope North-facing Slope

47. Plow Layer Root Mat that holds soil in place

48. 1927

49. 1928

50. 1937