Hickory Holiday Open House |
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Hickory Environmental Education Center will be holding a holiday open house on Monday, December 20 from 5-7 PM. Tour the nature hall and view a short program in the planetarium. Light refreshments will be provided and all are welcome to attend. All visitors will need to follow current Garrett County Public Schools’ masking and distancing policies. |
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Keep it Real this Christmas! |
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If you choose to display a Christmas tree, we encourage you to keep it real! Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. While they're growing, real Christmas trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gases and emitting fresh oxygen. The farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts and strengthening local economies. | | |
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2022 Arbor Day Poster Contest |
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The MD Forest Service and MD Forest Conservancy District Boards are once again sponsoring an Arbor Day Poster Contest! The contest is open to all 5th grade level students. This year's theme is "Trees are Terrific...and Maryland Forests Are Too!". Posters must be accompanied by a release form and are due to your county Forest Service office no later than 12:00pm on Friday, January 21, 2022. For Garrett County, this is located at the Mt. Nebo DNR Office, 1728 Kings Run Road, Oakland, MD 21550. |
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Entries will be judged on the county level, and the county 1st place winner will then advance to the state competition. County winners will receive monetary prizes from the Garrett County Forestry Board. State winners will receive a tree planting at your school (or in your community for home school students). Complete rules and release forms can be found at the link below. |
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Mountain Loggers Group Log-A-Load Auction Raises Over $150,000 for WVU Children's Hospital |
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Each year, the Mountain Loggers Group holds the Log-A-Load for Kids Auction to benefit WVU Children's Hospital. This year's auction was hosted by Newlons Equipment in Elkins, WV on October 7th and many loggers and log buyers from across the region supported the fundraiser. This year, over $150,000 was raised! Since the group started holding auctions in 1996, over $2 million has been donated to WVU Chlidren's Hospital! |
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Economics of Urban Forestry |
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In 2020, Maryland had 57 Tree City USA communities (both county and town) with 81.64% of the state population living in a Tree City USA Community. Maryland also had 8 colleges designated as Tree Campuses. The Arbor Day Foundation has released a report detailing the economics of urban & community forestry, both across the United States and for each individual state. | | |
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Burning Firewood? What Should You Know? |
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About 23,000 Maryland households use wood as their primary heat source. When selecting a firewood dealer you should take several things into consideration. |
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Are They Licensed?
If the dealer is in the firewood business, they shall have a Forest Products Operators License issued by the MD DNR - Forest Service. If you have found a potential dealer, you can easily check if they are properly licensed at the link below. | | |
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Get References!
If you haven't worked with a particular dealer before, they should be willing to offer you references of customers they have delivered wood to before. If they're not willing to offer you a list of customers, those customers may not be happy ones. Maryland law states that firewood must be sold by a cord or a fraction of a cord. A cord, neatly stacked, equals 128 cubic feet of wood. This stack measures 4 ft tall x 4 ft wide x 8 ft long and equals 128 cubic feet. |
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Be Sure to Burn Dry Wood
The more moisture in your wood, the less heat you will get from it. It takes energy to burn the water out of wood (it may make a hissing sound). This is energy that should be used in warming your house.
Know what size wood your woodstove or fireplace can use. Most dealers will cut wood into certain lengths (for example 18"). To get special lengths you may have to special order it early or pay a premium. |
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Not All Wood is Created Equal!
Different woods have different qualities. Oak creates a lasting fire and splits easily. But oak may be expensive and other woods may work just as well. Some woods are less dense and have different splitting and coaling qualities. |
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Natural Resources Careers Camp 2022 |
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The Natural Resources Careers Camp is open to high school students and will be held Sunday July 24 through Saturday July 30, 2022. This partnership with Allegany College of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources-Forest Service offers high school students a co-educational opportunity to learn from industry professionals and develop contacts that could lead to future employment and a career in natural resources. The Garrett County Forestry Board offers sponsorships to Garrett County students who are accepted! Apply online today! | | |
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Scholarship Opportunities for College Students |
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Below is information on several scholarships that may be available to students pursuing a degree in a natural resources field. If you have questions about any of the applications, contact the sponsoring organization directly. |
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Garrett County Forestry
Board Scholarship
The GCFB will award a scholarship of $250 to a Garrett County resident student pursuing a degree in a forestry or natural resource related field. You may be attending any college/university/technical school, as long as you are a resident of Garrett County and pursuing a degree in a natural resources field. Applications are due by March 1 and selection will be made by mid-April. | | |
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Maryland Forestry Board Association Scholarship
The committee administers the awarding of $1,000 Mel Noland NRCC Memorial Scholarship to college students pursuing careers in a natural resources field. Must be 2nd semester freshman or later and previously completed the NRCC program. These applications are accepted on a rolling basis. | | |
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Garrett Soil Conservation
District Scholarship
The Garrett SCD offers a $1,000 scholarship available to a student pursuing a degree in an agricultural or natural resources field. Must have been a resident of Garrett County at the time of graduation from high school. Applications are due by May 1 and selection will be made by late June. | | |
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Mountain Loggers Group Scholarship
The Mountain Loggers Group, Inc. Scholarship is a $750 minimum competitive award provided to an individual nominated by a member of the organization. Applications typically due in early March. | | |
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Maryland Forests Association Scholarship
The Dick Stanfield Scholarship will provide a $500 cash award to an MFA member, child of an MFA member, or employee of Edrich Lumber to continue their education at the college level. The scholarship will be awarded every year. The application includes short essay and verification of college enrollment. The application deadline is August 31st with awards announced by September 30th. | | |
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