MAGIC 2006 Legislative Proposal Back to Photo Gallery

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Crabtree Wildland The area shown in heavy black dashed lines on this map is the Crabtree Creek old growth forest. It contains the largest tract of old-growth forest still remaining in Maryland. It is an area where people can view and enjoy an extensive woodland ecosystem that has remained relatively undisturbed from commercial logging activities throughout its history. The land being proposed as a Wildland for legislative protection covers more than 500 acres and will help provide a continuous protected forest connected to a much larger Wildland complex on Big Savage Mountain. This Wildland complex is shown in a light green color. By designating the Crabtree old growth area a Wildland, it will be protected from logging, motorized vehicles, and construction of new roads and buildings. Recreational activities such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, and rafting will still be permitted. Crabtree Creek will become the first Wildland in the Potomac/Garrett State Forest. Connecting the Green Ridge State Forest Large unbroken stretches of forests of 50,000 acres or larger have been recommended by scientists to provide for the preservation of forest biological processes. Environmental organizations are working to provide a connected and forested wildlife habitat from Florida to Maine along the Appalachian Mountains. Science tells us that only by designing and protecting large bioregions can we ever hope to return balance to the animal kingdom. A new forested Wildland in the Green Ridge State Forest will help to provide additional quality habitat for many species of plants and animals, and help to connect the fragmented Wildland areas. The eventual goal is to provide a continuous protected wildlife corridor that passes through Maryland and provides minimal interference as wildlife move from Virginia to Pennsylvania. Public Opinion Survey By an overwhelming majority, the public in Maryland thinks that public forests should be protected. A survey conducted in 2001, shows that 82% versus 3% of the public thinks that protecting public forests should have priority over logging. The public supports additional Wildlands by a large majority of 78% to 15%.
Do you feel Logging should be given higher priority than protection of forest land? Protecting forest land should be given higher priority than logging? Logging and protection of forest land be given equal consideration?
Do you support or oppose designating more areas in Maryland's State Forests as "wildlands", where logging and motorized vehicles are banned?