Photo courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Program

Forests for the Bay

Educating Landowners about Healthy Forests and Clean Water

The Alliance coordinates Forests for the Bay, an education and outreach program for landowners who are interested in actively managing their woodland and/or restoring woods on their property.

Forests for the Bay training, events, newsletters, and workshops actively encourages woodland owners to continue providing natural benefits for themselves and their neighbors through management, easing access to conservation funding, and developing educational initiatives. Workshops include “Your Woods and Your Wallet,” “Real Forestry for Real Estate,” “The Woods in Your Backyard,” “Discover your Woods,” and “Family Succession Planning.”

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Forests for the Bay serves as a clearinghouse of information and resources to help landowners improve the vitality of the woodlands, increase wildlife habitat and protect water quality, generate income, and overall enjoyment of their property.

Forests for the Bay Blogs

2021 Sportsmen’s Forum – Recap & Recordings

Join the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and partners during the virtual 2021 Sportsmens Forum. This four-part webinar series will feature experts from around the watershed sharing their knowledge about the state of four important species found in Chesapeake forests: waterfowl, wild turkey, brook trout, and white-tailed deer.

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The Haunted Holler

Ryan Davis, the Alliance’s PA Forests Projects Manager, shares a horror story he experienced while in the field one autumn afternoon in remote West Virginia.

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The Wetland Vampire: Dodder

Wizard’s net, devil’s guts, witch’s hair? No, it’s the fine tendrils and mysterious threads of dodder.

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White Snakeroot, a Pollinator-Pleasing Plant with a Nefarious Past

Humans and white snakeroot haven’t always gotten along. However, this species can spice up our gardens or forests with pretty white flowers, food for wildlife, and just the right amount of danger.

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Wolf (Tree) Hunt Challenge

This autumn, the Alliance’s Forests Program is holding a competition in anticipation of our Halloween Forests for the Bats special: who can find the biggest, baddest wolf tree in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?! In addition to bragging rights, the champions will receive free Forests for the Bay gear!

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The Return of the Wapiti: Elk in the Chesapeake Bay

Catching a glimpse of an elk within the watershed is a memorable and uncommon experience due to elk’s limited range. Active management and research on elk populations allow hunters, tourists, and nature enthusiasts to hear the sound of a bull elk bugle today

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Breakfast On The Bay: Live Tree Talk

A few weeks ago, I found myself chasing our Pennsylvania Forests Projects Manager, Ryan Davis, around one of the Alliance’s riparian forest buffers. Ryan was busy sharing a wealth of knowledge about our forests during what we call a Tree Talk, and I had the unique pleasure of filming him as the demonstration was streamed …

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Forests for the Birds – An Egg-Sighting Edition

Think Spring! At the Alliance, we have birds on the brain. “Forests for the Birds” is our special spring edition of our Forests for the Bay newsletter designed to spark your curiosity and tickle your sense of humor! Mostly, we hope you draw a little inspiration – to learn something new, take action, and appreciate the natural gifts of the Bay watershed.

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Longer than the Song of the Whippoorwill

Goatsuckers. Nightjars. Bullbats. Frogmouths. Potoos. Will’s-widows. While these names may conjure images of terrifying mythical creatures, they actually refer to species within the Order Caprimulgiformes, a group of nocturnal, insectivorous birds.

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A Sharp Encounter

True forest birds, sharp-shinned hawks (Accipiter striatus) are the smallest of three species from the genus Accipiter that are native to the United States and Canada.

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Learn More About Our Forests

A large part of this collaborative effort to educate and provide resources for forestry landowners is the Forests for the Bay newsletter. This monthly newsletter is bursting with stories, regional events, trivia, and more! Sign up or read past newsletters by clicking the links below.

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