Wild Turkeys Proliferate All Over the U.S.

As turkeys take over campuses. Here seen “Gathering at the University of Minnesota on Election Day. Credit: Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times”

Interestingly, we covered this topic for Maryland on Thanksgiving Day. One day later, The New York Times printed an article about wild turkeys taking over some college campuses in an article entitled “As Turkeys Take Over Campus, Some Colleges Are More Thankful Than Others”

“College campuses are just ideal habitat,” said David Drake, a professor and extension wildlife specialist at the University of Wisconsin, where a sizable flock likes to hang out near apartments for graduate students. “You’ve got that intermixing of forested patches with open grassy areas and things like that. Nobody’s hunting,” (Mitch Smith, Nov 25, 2021).

Note: Unless you subscribe to the NYT, you will not be able to read the article. Turkeys are found on campuses throughout our country: at Harvard, Sacramento State, Fairfield University (Connecticut), Lane University (Oregon), Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

“They’re really good at avoiding danger,” said Bob Long, upland game bird & turkey project manager for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “Their hearing is tremendous. Their eyesight is just unbelievable…They’re paranoid about every single thing.” – The Greatest Wildlife Comeback You’ve Never Seen, Chesapeake Bay Program, by Jake Solyst, November 24, 2020

Wild Turkeys in Maryland

MD DNR image of wild turkeys

Wild turkeys are making a comeback in Maryland. Today is a perfect time to celebrate this major milestone.

“In 1973, an estimated 2,000 wilds turkeys roamed Maryland’s westernmost counties. Today, thanks in large part to the Wildlife and Heritage Service’s trap and transplant program, Maryland’s wild turkey population exceeds 30,000 birds and will continue to increase for the next few years.

What can be done to foster wild turkey flocks on the Maryland landscape? Start with basics: food, cover, water, and space.”

Here’s a one minute video of wild turkeys visiting a field in Gambrills, MD:

Visit these sites to find out more about these magnificent birds. Wild Turkeys in Maryland.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, ALL!

Hello From Our Staff and Board Chair

Ryan, Glenn, and Rob in front of a maple tree that Rob planted soon after he began working with the Baltimore County Forestry Service (Ahem, more than a few decades ago).

Today we saved this website. Oh, the drama! Let’s just say that three heads are better than one, and that we beat the deadline by one day to pay our yearly fee and for our domain name before our site would shut down. Whew! The heroes of this day are (R to L) Robert Prenger, Glenn Ferenschak, and Ryan Wetzel.

We are: 

Rob Prenger, Project Manager, Maryland DNR Forest Service and secretary of our Forestry Board.

Glenn Ferenschak, Chairman of the Baltimore County Forestry Board and retired science teacher.

Ryan Wetzel, the Natural Resources Technician for the Forest Service in Baltimore County.

Vic Sanborn, website developer, photographer, and retired adult education specialist.

After Thanksgiving, one of the many fall tasks remaining for the two-man crew of the Forest Service in Baltimore County (Rob and Ryan) is to blow the piles of leaves from the Cub Hill Ranger Station Grounds.

We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday!

Peter Sheggrud: Natural Resources Career Camp 2021 Student, Baltimore County Forestry Board

Peter Sheggrud, Baltimore County Forestry Board’s student, who attended the Natural Resources Career Camp in 2021

Earlier in October, Peter Sheggrud, who represented Baltimore County Forestry Board at the NRCC this year, attended our Board meeting to discuss his experiences during the week. They were quite positive. Of course, COVID-19 affected some of the traditional ways that the NRCC has been held in the past. Mrs. Sheggrud regretted that parents could not attend some of the workshops  due to COVID restrictions, but she understood the need.

Peter’s interests for now are to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services after college. He and his parents are exploring colleges and universities that can best help him reach his goals. His experiences at the camp were positive and exciting. When prompted by board members, his suggestions for camp experience improvement for students made sense and were well thought out. The Board not only enjoyed the discussion, we had a sense of pride for this young man and wish him great success.

View the 2021 brochure, a PDF document, at this link.

Wetlands & Carbon Absorption

From our twitter account:

Read the full article at chesapeakebay.net at this link.

Framing the Future: New Webinar Series from The Maryland Forestry Foundation

Webinars will be offered on the 3rd Wednesday of each month! Join the discussions at this Zoom meeting link.

First meeting on November 18th, 2021 will start at 2:30 PM and end at 4 PM. The panel features Jana Davis, Suzanne Dorsey, and Ann Hairston-Strang.

A Request from the University of Maryland: Ash Trees Infested with Emerald Ash Borers

The poster contains an image of an infested ash tree that has four infestation characteristic of the Emerald Ash Borer. The study, which is a joint venture with the MDA and USDA, will last from November 1 through April 15th. Please read the instructions (in red) carefully. If you have questions, contact Stokes Aker at saker@UMD.edu.

Sign up for a one-day Event About the Many Facets of Trees, on the Eastern Shore, Nov 3rd!

Maryland Arborists Association

Check out this great training opportunity on the Eastern Shore! Sponsored by Maryland Arborists and Tree Care

This one-day event will have in person presentations on Tree Pests and Diseases, Tree Planting Funding Opportunities and outdoor demonstrations on Tree Trimming, Stihl products, Drones to name a few sessions.  Vendors will be present with latest tools in the tree care industry.

NOVEMBER 3^rd, 2021  8 am – 4 pm  Lunch included

At the Caroline County 4H Youth Park, 8230 Detour Road, Denton Maryland 21629

Registration $45.00 (Lunch included) at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/delaware-maryland-arborist-and-tree-care-seminar-tickets-189318144667

MD LTE 6 ceus and ISA, SAF and MD/DE pesticide credits are pending.

Sponsored in Cooperation with the Delaware Forest Service and Maryland Forest Service

Submitted by: Anne Gilbert, CC-P

Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator – Central Region

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service

2 South Bond Street

Bel Air, MD 21014

anne.gilbert@maryland.gov