Reforestation

Reforestation. Trees For Our Future. , Trees and forests play an important role in Montgomery County citizens' quality of life. Trees and forests filter groundwater, slow storm water runoff, help alleviate flooding and provide wildlife habitat. Trees also cleanse pollutants from the air, offset the heat generated by development and reduce energy needs. Woodlands provide recreation, aesthetics, climate control and peaceful spots away from hectic modern life., The important role trees and forests play make preserving them very important. Montgomery County passed a Forest Conservation Law in 1992 to save, maintain and plant forested areas. Thanks to this law, as of 2013, more than 9,000 acres of existing forest and 2,000 acres of newly planted forest have been permanently protected., The law also established the Forest Conservation Fund, which helps fund reforestation project like the one that occurred at this site in 2008. This fund is supported by fees developers pay when they remove forested areas and are not able to meet forest mitigation requirements., [Captions:] , Mature forests often contain multiple layers of vegetation that provide living space for a diversity of plant and wildlife species., The Scarlet Tanger is one of 20 species of forest interior dwelling birds that require large expanses of forest at least 100 acres in size to breed successfully., Deer love to eat and rub their antlers on young trees. Deer protection is often required for reforestation trees to survive., Trees planted along streams help stabilize the soil to prevent erosion and provide shade to keep water cool and increase oxygen content for fish and other aquatic species.