Government  

Council Calls for More Forest Covering

Montgomery County Council voted Tuesday to increase forest planting and conservation.

The idea, explained Councilmember Kate Stewart, is to end up with an equal or greater amount of forest cover than is removed for development.

“Montgomery County’s forests, parks and green spaces are among our most treasured assets,” said Council President Evan Glass.

Council agreed, with only Member Marilyn Balcombe objecting, to expediate this bill, meaning it will go into effect as soon as County Executive Marc Elrich signs it. Otherwise, it would not go into effect for 90 days after Elrich’s approval.

The legislation, which was proposed by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, requires plans to compensate when mature forest is struggling to compete with non-native invasive plans and discourages forest clearing.

The goal of the legislation is to favor forest planting in areas with low forest cover, strengthen reforestation rations and increases planting in stream valley buffers.

Go Nature Foward praised the council for protecting county forests. “Protecting trees is one of the best things we can do to tackle climate change today,” said Denisse  Guitarra, Maryland Conservation Advocate for the organization in Chevy Chase.

 

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