The Impact of Legislation As an example of how laws can yield results, before the FCL, there had been concern over significant forest cover lost in the up county. A 1951 aerial image of the county showed forest loss in the Agricultural Reserve. But in 2008, the same view shows how the up county had gradually been reforested because of the FCL and significant Conservation Bank acquisition. However, forest was depleted in the down county, as development became more focused on avoiding sprawl and building instead in urban areas near public transportation. Maps in this chapter from the Montgomery County Planning Department show the changes that took place in the northern end of the county by 2008. Montgomery County tree laws have been effective in some ways, but more work is needed to maintain and expand healthy and diverse tree canopy and forested areas in the county. Some county residents are frustrated to see development result in the destruction of mature trees. But county laws are extremely limited in terms of preventing residents, developers, or county or state agencies from removing healthy trees for building projects. In many instances, if trees are removed, developers must replant or pay instead into funds to replant. Funds administered within the framework of the Forest Conservation Law, the Tree Canopy Law and the Roadside Tree Protection Law have accomplished the following: ● The Montgomery County Forest Conservation Law has resulted in planting and protection of more than 15,000 acres of forest in the county, roughly 16% of the county’s forest. liv Reforest Montgomery programs have resulted in the planting of more than 12,000 trees collectively, including the reforestation of 90 acres. lv ● Since the Forest Conservation Law first went into effect in 1992, the Planning Department has approved development applications that have permanently protected over 12,500 acres of existing forest and more than 2,500 acres of planted forests within more than 3,500 forest conservation easements across Montgomery County. lvi ● The Tree Canopy Law, which directs funds for the Tree Montgomery free tree planting program, planted 11,000 shade trees at the request of county homeowners, businesses, and schools through the end of FY2023. ● The County Roadside Tree Protection Law typically results in planting almost 500 street trees of the 2,000 street trees planted each year. On the following page, two maps show forest lost and forest gained in Montgomery County. The legislation we have in place has helped reforest much of what has been lost over the years.
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