Maryland Forester Named Northeast Tree Farm Inspector Of The Year

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Maryland Forester Named Northeast Tree Farm Inspector Of The Year
FREDERICK — Mike Kay, of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, was recently named Tree Farm Inspector of the Year for the Northeast Area, by the National Tree Farm Committee. The northeast region encompasses the states from Vermont to West Virginia.

“I am honored to be selected,” said Kay. “The Tree Farm organization has been a tremendous catalyst in the education of Maryland land owners about stewardship of forest through workshops and a quarterly magazine,” Kay added.

Named Maryland’s Tree Farm Inspector of the Year for 2006, Kay’s quality work ethic and dedication to his job is nothing new. Kay obtained a degree in forestry and began working for the Maryland Forest Service in 1987. He currently works in Frederick County.

The Maryland Tree Farm Program, sponsored by the American Forest Fund, encourages forest landowners to practice sound forest management following Best Management Practices for increased wood production in addition to wildlife habitat, watershed protection, recreation and aesthetic benefits.

The reality of a tree farm is not straight rows of trees, but a diversity of woodlands of every shape and form. In Maryland, there are over 1500 tree farms totaling over 269,000 acres.

For more information about the Maryland Tree Farm Program, contact the Maryland Forest Service at 410-260-8531 or visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/.
October 29, 2007
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 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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