Assessing the Long-Term Performance of Reforestation Areas in Montgomery County, Maryland
In 1991, Maryland passed the Forest Conservation Act to protect forest cover, in response to decades of suburban development that deforested much of the State and degraded water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. This law requires developers to keep a minimum amount of forest cover on their sites or reforest them as mitigation. Although reforestation sites are supported by short-term maintenance agreements, local governments do not track their long-term performance. Therefore, the quality and biodiversity of the habitat provided by reforestation sites are uncertain. Using Montgomery County, Maryland, as a case study, I evaluated 20 sites on public and private land for several metrics indicative of habitat quality. I surveyed each site for the presence and abundance of woody plants, the diversity of native ground flora, the presence and cover of invasive plants, and vertical structure. I also interviewed local government officials who regulate the reforestation sites. My results show that planted trees are largely surviving, but major systemic challenges remain:
- Plant nurseries often lack available stock for reforestation projects, forcing contractors to substitute for many species;
- Dominant invasive plants are suppressing native plant diversity;
- Overpopulated deer are eating the shrub layer and preventing regeneration of trees; and
- Climate change might render several regionally native tree species unfit for planting.
The findings will inform efforts by landscape architects, urban planners, and lawmakers to improve restoration outcomes under the Forest Conservation Act across Maryland.
