| Press Releases | Search DNR | DNR Home |
Maryland Association Of Forest Conservancy District Boards Receive Governor’s Volunteer Service Award
ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards recently received a Governor’s Volunteer Service Award. Accepting the award for the Association were Steve Koehn, Department of Natural Resources Forest Service Director and Melvin Noland, Board President.
“Maryland is made stronger by a vibrant tradition of volunteers making investments in their communities,” said Governor O’Malley. “I appreciate the Maryland Association of Forest Conservancy Boards efforts to sustaining our state’s forests, areas which provide essential habitat, and are crucial to the improvement and protection of the air we breathe and waterways we enjoy.”
During the past year, the Association has taken on many environmental projects formerly completed by the Maryland State Forest Service, such as the Maryland Big Tree Program, which measures the largest specimens of all trees in the state, maintains a database of all measured trees, provides recognition for the largest of the species, and submits the largest to the National Big Tree Program. The Association also provided information for state decision-makers regarding the severe defoliation and potential tree mortality in Western Maryland due to the gypsy moth infestation.
“The Association is honored to receive this award,” said Koehn. “Thank you to the more than 200 hundred volunteers from every Maryland county for their willingness to work for the preservation and wise management of Maryland’s trees and forests.”
For more than fifty years, Maryland’s Forest Boards – comprised of volunteers – have been working in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service to promote appreciation and concern for forests and trees, and perpetuate Maryland’s forest resource. Twenty-four boards function as the State Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards. Forestry Boards provide leadership for improvement of the environment in urban, suburban and rural areas, and educate people about the variety of benefits trees and forests provide. Each summer, the Boards operate the Natural Resources Careers Conference, encouraging high school students to consider a career in the field of natural resources.
For more information, visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/programapps/fboards.asp.
April 28, 2008 Contact: Olivia Campbell
410-260-8016 office I 410-507-7525 cell
ocampbell@dnr.state.md.usThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million 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