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Forest Conservation
Plant a Forest Grant
Trees for Streams & Slopes Grant
Overview
The main purpose of the Maryland Forest Conservation Act (Natural Resources Article Section 5-1601 through 5-1613) is to minimize the loss of Maryland’s forest resources during land development by making the identification and protection of forests and other sensitive areas an integral part of the site planning process. Identification of priority areas prior to development makes their retention possible. Of primary interest are areas adjacent to streams or wetlands, those on steep or erodible soils, or those within or adjacent to large contiguous blocks of forest or wildlife corridors. The Forest Conservation Act is administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service. The requirements are implemented on a local level by counties and incorporated cities and towns.
Applicability
The Maryland Forest Conservation Act and Article 20 of the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance (Forest Conservation Requirements) apply to any person, corporation, unit of County government or public utility that applies for a subdivision, site plan, project plan, grading permit, sediment control or vegetation removal approval on units of land (or areas) 40,000 square feet or greater. Several types of development projects may be exempt from meeting the requirements for forest conservation. Contact Planning & Zoning if you have any questions regarding exemptions.
Forest Conservation Exemption Request (ENV-240-01)
Some exemptions require that a Declaration of Intent be filed at the end stage of the project.
Declaration of Intent-Commercial Forestry-Timber Harvest (ENV-2-DOI-C02)
Declaration of Intent-Agricultural Use Activity (ENV-2-DOI-D02)
Declaration of Intent-Residential on Existing Lot-Linear Project (ENV-2-DOI-H02)
Declaration of Intent-Intra-Family Transfer (ENV-2-DOI-J03)
Declaration of Intent-Real Estate Transfer (ENV-2-DOI-K03)
Along with a site plan, subdivision, building permit, or grading permit application that does not fully meet one of the exemptions, a Forest Stand Delineation (FSD) and Forest Conservation Plan (FCP) shall be submitted to the Department of Planning & Zoning for review and approval. FSDs and FCPs must be prepared by a Maryland licensed forester, Maryland licensed landscape architect, or other Qualified Professional.
The purpose of an FSD is to determine the most suitable and practical areas for forest conservation during the preliminary design and review stages of development. It uses a combination of resource mapping and field assessment to inventory and describe the existing forest and to locate priority areas for forest retention, reforestation, or afforestation on the site. An approved FSD is a required element of an approved Forest Conservation Plan (FCP). A Simplified may be submitted for minor subdivisions, clustered subdivisions that meet specific criteria, and some commercial site plans. Otherwise, a Standard FSD is required.
NOTE: Even if no trees are to be impacted, an applicant must still meet the requirements of the Forest Conservation regulations. A simplified FSD may be prepared for non-forested sites, and a Forest Conservation Plan must be prepared for the project.
Simplified Forest Stand Delineation (FSD) (ENV-230-01)Standard Forest Stand Delineation (FSD) Checklist (ENV-235-01)
The FCP is a planning and construction document that provides specific plans for retaining and protecting existing forested areas, particularly in priority areas, at the time of subdivision or proposed development. The FCP also includes details for planting selected areas when reforestation or afforestation is required. Most projects require a Preliminary Forest Conservation Plan and a Final Forest Conservation Plan.
Preliminary Forest Conservation Plan (PFCP) Checklist (ENV-220-01)
Final Forest Conservation Plan (FFCP) Checklist (ENV-225-01)
The FCW determines the amount of forest to be retained or planted based on land use category, property size, and the total amount of existing forest on the site. The worksheet also determines the amount of forest that can be cleared without requiring planting or mitigation (a "break-even" point). This worksheet is a component of the FCP.
Forest Conservation Plan Worksheet (ENV-229-03)A Planting Plan is required as part of the Forest Conservation Plan if afforestation and/or reforestation are proposed to address mitigation requirements. All plantings are required to be bonded by the applicant before approval and permit issuance. Refer to the Maryland State Forest Conservation Technical Manual for more information and plan requirements.
Calvert County Native Plants-Recommended Trees and Shrubs (ENV-299-01)
Natural Regen Planting and Maintenance Agreement (ENV-226-01)
Afforestation and Reforestation Planting and Maintenance Agreement (ENV-227-01)
When all other options have been exhausted, fees-in-lieu of mitigation may be paid.
As required by SB 234, passed in 2019, the Calvert County Department of Planning & Zoning has prepared a general plan for the use of funds generated by Forest Conservation fees-in-lieu.
This account funds the Spread Your Leaves coupon program and the Trees for Streams and Slopes and Plant a Forest grants.
Calvert County Forest Conservation Fund General Plan