Baltimore City Supplement to the State Forest Conservation Manual

The Maryland Forest Conservation Act was signed into law in 1991, creating development rules to minimize the loss of existing forests and replenish tree cover. The City of Baltimore has adopted local legislation in compliance with the State law, and enforces the Forest Conservation Program for development occurring within the city limits. This manual supplements the provisions of the Maryland DNR State Forest Conservation Technical Manual, adding language and data to address the special case of urban forested natural areas in Baltimore City. 

Updates to the City’s forest conservation code (Article 7 – Natural Resources; Division IV – Forest and Tree Conservation – see page 141)  and supplement to the state manual became effective on December 28, 2020.  These updates were made to meet updated state requirements, add existing policies to the code, and align the code with other related codes and policies.

For more information, please visit the Baltimore Office of Sustainability.

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• A guide on the updated State Forest Conservation Manual for Baltimore City.
• An updated guide on the permits required to remove tree species from urban areas in Baltimore. 
• Requirements for reforestation, mitigation, and maintenance plans in the conservation of the Baltimore city forest. 

How to use this resource:

• An example of a city-specific adaption to a state-wide forest protection plan.

Author: Baltimore City Department of Planning 

Date published: December 2020

Point of contact: Amy Gilder-Busatti, Environmental Planner, Baltimore Office of Sustainability, Amy.Gilder-Busatti@baltimorecity.gov

Citation: Baltimore City Department of Planning. 2020. Baltimore City supplement to the state forest conservation manual. Baltimore, MD.

Resource is available online here.