About
While the primary goal of the Forest Conservation Program is to minimize disturbance to existing forest resources, the Program recognizes that some clearing may be necessary to implement the land uses permitted by zoning. Although all forest stands have environmental value, the Forest Conservation Program favors protecting forests in sensitive areas and maintaining large, contiguous, undisturbed forest stands.
The following areas are listed in order of priority for forest retention:
- Howard County Green Infrastructure Network.
- 100-year floodplain.
- Stream buffers.
- Forested wetlands and wetland buffers.
- Critical habitat areas and forest corridors for wildlife movement.
- Forest suitable for forest interior-dwelling species.
- Steep slopes and slopes of 15% or greater with a soil erodibility factor greater than 0.35.
- Forest located in a Tier II or Tier III high quality watershed as identified by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
- Forest located in a water resource protection zone, a reservoir watershed, or a wellhead protection area.
- Forest in urban areas, as delineated in the priority urban forest mapping included in the State Forest Conservation Technical Manual, or that are most important for providing wildlife habitat or mitigating flooding, high temperatures, or air pollution.
- Forest contiguous with the priority areas listed above.
- Forest contiguous with off-site forest protected by a Forest Conservation Easement.
- Property line and right-of-way buffers, particularly adjacent to scenic roads.
Interactive Map
View the interactive map to identify priority forest retention areas such as the Green Infrastructure Network, stream buffers, priority urban forests, 'Tier II' watersheds, reservoir watersheds, etc.
A dedicated GIS app identifying priority retention areas will be coming soon.
Development Projects
Forests in priority retention areas should be left undisturbed unless applicants demonstrate that reasonable efforts to protect them cannot be implemented, that the uses allowed by right cannot occur without such disturbance, or that forest planting in an alternate location would have greater environmental benefit.
Information is listed below for development projects proposing forest clearing in priority retention areas. The Department of Planning & Zoning encourages the public to submit comments related to the proposed forest clearing. Comments can be submitted directly to DPZ in the links below, or at the George Howard Building (3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City) or DPZ Land Development “planner-of-the-day” phone line at 410-313-2350.
Comments will be evaluated by DPZ and forwarded to the applicant for consideration.
Projects Proposing Forest Clearing Within Priority Retention Areas
Projects will be updated here upon submission.
Please use the web comment form to submit comments to DPZ related to proposed clearing in priority forest retention areas. Be sure to reference the project name and file number (refer to the list of projects in the "Projects" tab).
Comments can also be submitted to DPZ through the Land Development "planner-of-the-day" phone line at 410-313-2350, via email at forestconservation@howardcountymd.gov, or at the George Howard Building (3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City).
Required meetings will be posted here as they are scheduled.