Sustainable Development Goal: 15 Life on Land

The Ecology of Urban Forest Edges

As of 2014, over half (54 percent) of the worldâ€™s population resides in urban areas, a number that is expected to increase to two-thirds of the global population by 2050 (UN 2014). Increased human flow into cities results in increased urbanization, a complex process consisting of people altering the landscape through settlement patterns and spatial […]

Deer Management Strategies

White tailed deer populations (Odocoileus virginianus) have become troublesome in the United States over the past hundred years. However, deer have not always been a problem in the United States. In the past, natural predators along with hunting by Native Americans, maintained deer populations (Audubon 2003, 3). The arrival of Europeans introduced trade of white-tailed […]

Invasive Vine Management

Whether it is Japanese honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet, Mile-a-minute weed, or any of the other invasive vines present in northeastern U.S. urban forest systems, vines present a continuous burden on urban forest edges. The effects of invasive vines range from mere nuisances to ecological damage, often by smothering native vegetation. In most cases, given their rapid […]

Fact Sheets for Reforestation Strategies under Deer Pressure

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Dead Wood Is Not Dead: The Ecological Functions and Management of Dead Wood

Citizens find it hard to appreciate the ecological qualities of an unorganized forest landscape because they prefer a neat and orderly appearance even though it may not offer ecological benefits (TyrvÃ¤inen et al 2013). Lifeless downed wood or logs give the impression of untidiness and chaos. What the public should understand is the importance of […]

Road Segment Risk Assessment: Harford County, Maryland

The Department of Public Works in Harford County has requested road segments at risk of erosion be identified for preventive maintenance application. The final deliverable for this project will be a map, data, and report categorizing the risk levels along with a list of the most at- risk road segments. A Hot Spot Analysis identifying […]

Streambank and Road Erosion in Harford County

As part of the Fall 2018 URSP 688L Planning Technology class, students from the graduate Community Planning program at the University of Maryland worked with the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) program to use applied computer mapping tools to address a streambank erosion project in Harford County, Maryland. Working with ArcGIS, our team […]

Finding Vulnerable Roads in Harford County

Climate change has induced more extreme weather in recent years and Harford County and the surrounding region has experienced more frequent and intense storms. Flooding in Harford County, caused by the increase in storms, generated many instances of roads washing out, which have caused severe damage and created unsafe driving conditions. The issue has necessitated […]

Watershed Restoration Prioritization Project

The goal is to serve DoEâ€™s mission to improve water quality and satisfy the Federal Mandate to meet the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) requirement of reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in Prince Georgeâ€™s watersheds by 2025. The requirement is set by the EPA. Currently design teams select […]

Susceptibility of Montgomery Park Trees to Emerging Invasive Pests

This report provides recommendations to the Montgomery County Department of Parks on the management of four invasive pests: Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), oak wilt, and thousand cankers disease in managed park regions. To prepare for these potential infestations, an analysis of the risk to current park tree populations was performed […]

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