Greening Maryland with Precision: The Role of GEOG Researchers in ‘Growing 5 Million Trees in Maryland Progress Report 2021-2023’

GEOG Professor and Associate Chair George Hurtt, Assistant Research Professor Lei Ma and Ph.D. student Quan Shen, in collaboration with Frances Marie Panday and Rachel Lamb from Maryland Department of the Environment, contributed to “Growing 5 Million Trees in Maryland Progress Report 2021-2023.”

The 5 Million Trees (5MT) Initiative, created by the Trees Solutions Now Act of 2021, commits the state to planting and maintaining 5,000,000 trees by the end of 2031, with at least 500,000 trees in underserved urban communities. As of June 30, 2023, the report indicates that over 470,000 trees have been planted, with more than 28,000 of these in urban underserved areas.

The University of Maryland College Park and the NASA Carbon Monitoring System are helping the state of Maryland to improve the state's forest carbon inventory and meet its ambitious climate mitigation goals. GEOG researchers will play a key role by analyzing the planting data and measuring progress toward environmental benefits such as improved air quality and the capture of carbon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

NASA Carbon Monitoring System utilizes high-resolution remote sensing and USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis plot data to ”detect, quantify and validate annual changes to Maryland’s tree and forest carbon stocks.” This data will be instrumental in assessing progress against Maryland’s Greenhouse gas reduction goals.

As a carbon mitigation strategy, 5MT directly contributes to the State’s efforts to fight climate change and the goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Additionally, 5MT supports the state’s commitment to environmental justice by expanding tree canopy in communities disproportionately impacted by the environmental and public health hazards.

Published on Thu, 01/18/2024 - 12:34