Conserving Chesapeake Forests

Photo of the fungus, Dead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha)

From the Grave: Dead Man’s Fingers

You’re walking through the woods on a crisp, late October afternoon, smelling the sharp scent of decaying leaves and listening to the dry rustle of beech leaves in the breeze. You decide to take a break, sit on an old stump, munch an apple and observe this amazing world…but, what is that reaching up next …

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20 Acres of Trees Being Planted at Local School

PRESS RELEASE Contact: Marissa Spratley Email: mspratley@allianceforthebay.org Office: 443-949-0575 Cell: 410-718-2728 PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 Acres of Trees Being Planted at Local School DCNR, Penn State, and the Alliance Partner to Help Improve Pennsylvania’s Water Quality Manchester, PA (October 24, 2019) Today, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance) joined Cindy Dunn, secretary …

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Correctional Conservation Collaborative Trains New Generation of Riparian Forest Buffer Professionals

On a sweltering July afternoon, a handful of conservation professionals walked through a cornfield in Huntingdon County Pennsylvania, heading towards a stream. While that alone would be commonplace, this cadre was accompanied by a group that was far from ordinary: 20 inmates at Huntingdon State Correctional Institution and their correctional officers. They stopped a few …

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Dangerous Plants of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

We highlighted two types of edible plants you can forage for in our July and August episodes of Tree Talks. On the other side of the spectrum are dangerous and toxic plants to avoid. Here is a list of some of the most poisonous plants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) You …

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Agroforestry and Native Understory Crops

Agroforestry is an exciting way to sustainably harvest food and herbs in your backyard without compromising your woodland. The concept of agroforestry has been around for decades, but is becoming increasingly popular due to its numerous environmental and economic benefits. Agroforestry is a science-based design framework of supplying food while integrating trees, shrubs, and ground …

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A Riparian Ranger peeks into a tree tube to check whether tree within it is healthy.

Riparian Rangers: Volunteer Stewards of Our Streamside Forests

The Alliance is seeking motivated Pennsylvanians dedicated to clean water to become Riparian Rangers! A Riparian Ranger is more than a volunteer opportunity; it’s a chance to shepherd a streamside restoration project from its flashy beginnings through the part that really matters: after the trees are planted. A Riparian Ranger is assigned a streamside forest …

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Earth Month & National Volunteer Month at The Alliance

April was a big month at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay between Earth Month and National Volunteer Month! On Saturday, April 27th staff tabled at events all around the watershed — ranging from working with kids to plant seedlings at Quiet Water Park in Annapolis, MD, to providing a professional development training for teachers …

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A landscape photo, taken in the middle of a creek facing upstream, with rows of tree tubes on each side of the stream protecting newly planted trees in the surrounding fields.

By-the-Numbers: Alliance and Partners Plant Over 69,500 Trees this Spring!

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay teamed up with partners from across the Watershed to plant over 69,500 trees in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia this spring 2019! Our innovative forest programs improve the health of existing trees and forests, create new forests in places important to water quality and to watershed residents, and …

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The FIDS are Alright?

If you work in the field of forestry, conservation and natural resources you tend to speak a language infused in acronyms. An acronym that seems to have broad appeal and interest is FIDS. FIDS, which translates to Forest Interior Dwelling (or Dependent) Species, is a term first derived by avian ecologists to classify bird species …

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Buckets of freshly cut live stakes are stored in the back of a car.

Live Staking: A Trusty Technique for Planting Trees and Shrubs on the Cheap

Live staking (or propagation by cutting) almost seems too good to be true. Cut a stem from certain species of trees and shrubs and drive it into the ground, and a new plant will grow there! This method, if executed correctly, has a high success rate, and can be a very affordable if not free …

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