Allegany County Family Wins Maryland Tree Farm Of The Year Award

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OLDTOWN — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service is pleased to announce that Henry and Nancy Maier of 19350 Oliver Beltz Road, SE, are the recipients of the 2004 Maryland Tree Farm of the Year Award. Their farm spans approximately 100 acres of wooded land and pasture in Allegany County and is located on the top of Warrior Mountain. There are currently 1,300 Maryland Tree Farmers.

The Maier’s tree farm occupies more than half of their land and has been a certified tree farm since 1991. The land has also been under a forest management plan for 18 years. The family established the tree farm to improve wildlife habitat and forest products, ensure soil and water protection, and encourage recreational use. The wood harvested from the Maier’s tree farm is used for fence posts, firewood and logs.

“The Maiers are very enthusiastic about their property and are doing everything they can to preserve it for the future by maintaining a healthy ecosystem, “ said Randy Kamp, a Forest Ranger in Allegany County who nominated the Maiers. “Henry and Nancy are some of our best ambassadors for forest stewardship and they will tell anyone who will listen about the joys and benefits of properly managing your property.”

In a continual effort to promote tree farming, the Maiers allow public access to their land. The family has held a field day that included horse logging demonstrations and woodland walks, hosted a Boy Scout Jamboree camping event and allowed Allegany College summer students to put their classroom skills to work by surveying the property.

Always eager to learn the newest ways to protect his property, Henry Maier completed the Maryland Coverts Project, a special education program managed and sponsored by the Maryland Cooperative Extension – University of Maryland and the Ruffed Grouse Society, in 2003. Participants in the program learn about how, where and why Maryland’s forests grow, the needs of game and non-game wildlife species, and how to put this knowledge to work on their property. The Maiers are also members of the Maryland Farm Bureau.

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April 19, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov