Maryland Department of Agriculture

The goal of MDA’s Cooperative Forest Health Program is to protect and promote the forest resources of Maryland by providing timely pest identification and pest management advice to State and private forest owners and managers. The health of urban and rural forests are affected by many different insects and diseases. The main objective of the Program is the initial detection, evaluation and identification of these pests affecting forests. This is accomplished through survey and information provided through a network of MDA and Department of Natural Resources field personnel.

Most of the forests of Maryland, both the rural and urban forests, are closely tied with human activities, i.e., there is very little area of uninhabited-unmanaged forest. As a result, insect and disease problems are often first noted by forest owners, managers or the public. Reports of forest insect and diseases can be submitted to a local Forest Pest Management office at the addresses listed at Forest Pest Management field office contacts on the left.

Once a pest problem is reported and the causal agent identified, surveys are conducted to delimit the infestation. National aerial survey standards have been developed by the US Forest Service along with state cooperators. The MDA Cooperative Forest Health Program conducts aerial and ground surveys following these national standards.

There are several forest pests that are significant threats to the health of Maryland forests. The Forest Pest Management Section conducts annual surveys and projects to detect these pests, and assess their impacts. The projects listed in the box on the upper right were recently completed or are currently being conducted by FPM.