County Offers Tree Seedlings to Residents

The Lorax would be thrilled!

Carroll County wants you to plant some trees, and they are even willing to provide them.

The Carroll County Forest Conservancy District Board, with grant funding, is giving away tree and shrub seedlings to homeowners with five acres or less.

The trees and shrubs will be used as streamside buffers. Applicants should have a stream or other waterway on or adjacent to the property.

According to the Carroll County Forest Conservancy District Board website, a streamside buffer can create habitat for wildlife, reduce peak water temperatures, and reduce the amount of sediment, fertilizer, and toxic materials that enter our waterways. Deep-rooted trees and shrubs can also stabilize stream banks, protecting them from erosion.

The Backyard Buffers program provides a free “buffer in a bag” to help get homeowners started in buffering their streamside.

The bag includes 25 native tree and shrub bare-root seedlings, 1 to 2 feet in height, of various species that are well suited to streamside conditions.

To learn more about the program or apply for the program, visit the Carroll County Forestry Board website.

The Backyard Buffers program is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, the Carroll County Forestry Board, and .