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Forest Conservation Fund

Montgomery County Forest Conservation Fund

In certain cases, applicants with reforestation requirements per the Forest Conservation Law may contribute to Montgomery County’s Forest Conservation Fund by paying a fee in lieu of planting or protecting forest. As July 1, 2023, the Forest Conservation Fee-in-Lieu rate is $1.45 per square foot. Fee-in-Lieu payments that contributed to the Forest Conservation Fund during the last two fiscal years are shown below, along with expenditures from the Forest Conservation Fund for forest and tree planting projects throughout Montgomery County.

Forest Conservation Fund Revenue

Fee in Lieu Contributions in Fiscal Years 2021 – 2024

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Through the end of Fiscal Year 2024 (June 30, 2024), developers had contributed funds equal to 70 acres of reforestation through in-lieu fee contributions and the Montgomery County Planning Department had reforested 80 acres with the Forest Conservation Fund.

Forest Conservation Fund Expenditures

Fiscal Year 2024, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024

JurisdictionWatershedPurposeAcresTotal
Silver SpringLower Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland1.46$55,800
BoydsLittle Seneca CreekRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation on private farmland1.73$61,100
Silver SpringNorthwest BranchForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land1.75$138,000
GaithersburgUpper Great Seneca CreekForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land1.20$94,700
[throughout Montgomery County][throughout Montgomery County]Reforestation maintenance on county parklandn/a$18,200
[throughout Montgomery County][throughout Montgomery County]Native tree coupon program6.22**$27,600
[within Priority Funding Areas of Montgomery County][throughout Montgomery County]Free shade tree planting program1.52**$49,200
GaithersburgMuddy BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.17$9,500
GermantownLower Great Seneca CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.20$11,500
ClarksburgLittle Bennett CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.02$1,300
Chevy ChaseLittle FallsTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.23$13,000
Total22.202$479,900
* Rounded to nearest hundred
** Acres calculated by estimating average canopy spread at maturity of 29 feet (equivalent to 661 square feet of tree canopy or 0.015 acre per tree) and a 75% survival rate to account for tree loss and understory trees.
*** Planting was supplemental to existing forest. Acres planted reflects half of the total planting area to account for the trees planted being understory trees or planted to connect larger areas of forest.

Fiscal Year 2023, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

JurisdictionWatershedPurpose # Acres  Total Cost*
GaithersburgMiddle Great Seneca CreekReforestation on county parkland0.20 $5,400
DerwoodUpper Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland1.00 $26,800
KensingtonLower Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland0.60 $16,100
PotomacWatts BranchReforestation on county parkland2.685*** $72,100
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Reforestation maintenance on county parklandn/a $26,900
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Native tree coupon program12.79** $48,800
BoydsLittle Seneca CreekRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation on private farmland1.80 $63,600
DickersonLittle Monocacy RiverRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation on private farmland1.60 $56,400
GaithersburgMuddy BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.09** $8,200
GaithersburgMiddle Great Seneca CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.03** $3,100
GaithersburgMiddle Great Seneca CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.09** $8,200
BethesdaLower Rock CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.1** $9,300
KensingtonLower Rock CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.06** $5,200
Silver SpringPaint BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.1** $9,300
[within Priority Funding Areas of Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Free shade tree planting program1.34** $47,500
PotomacCabin John CreekForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land0.25$17,200
PotomacCabin John CreekForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land0.25***$17,200
DerwoodCabin John CreekForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land0.44***$30,200
RockvilleWatts BranchForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land – maintenancen/a$11,000
Total23,428$482,500
* Rounded to nearest hundred
** Acres calculated by estimating average canopy spread at maturity of 29 feet (equivalent to 661 square feet of tree canopy or 0.015 acre per tree) and a 75% survival rate to account for tree loss and understory trees.
*** Planting was supplemental to existing forest. Acres planted reflects half of the total planting area to account for the trees planted being understory trees or planted to connect larger areas of forest.

Fiscal Year 2022, July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022

JurisdictionWatershedPurpose# AcresTotal Cost*
RockvilleWatts BranchReforestation on county parkland0.5*** $11,300
RockvilleUpper Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland1.78 $40,200
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Reforestation maintenance on county parklandn/a $11,500
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Native tree coupon program0.39** $1,400
BarnesvilleLittle Monocacy RiverRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation on private farmland2.21 $66,400
GaithersburgMuddy BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.12** $9,100
GaithersburgMuddy BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.1** $7,500
BethesdaLittle FallsTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.08** $5,800
Silver SpringSligo CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.08** $5,800
Chevy ChaseLower Rock CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.03** $2,500
Silver SpringLower Rock CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.1**$7,500
[within Priority Funding Areas of Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Free shade tree planting program1.1**$37,800
RockvilleWatts BranchForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land – afforestation1.70$102,100
RockvilleWatts BranchForest Conservation Easement reforestation on private land – afforestation0.76***$45,700
Total8.97$354,600
* Rounded to nearest hundred
** Acres calculated by estimating average canopy spread at maturity of 29 feet (equivalent to 661 square feet of tree canopy or 0.015 acre per tree) and a 75% survival rate to account for tree loss and understory trees.
*** Planting was supplemental to existing forest. Acres planted reflects half of the total planting area to account for the trees planted being understory trees or planted to connect larger areas of forest.

Fiscal Year 2021, July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

JurisdictionWatershedPurpose# AcresTotal Cost*
Silver SpringSligo CreekReforestation on county parkland0.27*** $2,400
BethesdaLittle FallsReforestation on county parkland0.33*** $2,900
Chevy ChaseLittle FallsReforestation on county parkland0.3 $2,700
BethesdaLittle FallsReforestation on county parkland0.22 $2,000
Chevy ChaseLittle FallsReforestation on county parkland0.38 $3,400
Silver SpringSligo CreekReforestation on county parkland0.33*** $2,900
RockvilleCabin John Creek, Lower Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland0.25 $2,200
KensingtonLower Rock CreekReforestation on county parkland1.21 $10,900
PotomacCabin John CreekReforestation on county parkland1.17 $10,500
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Reforestation on county parklandn/a$15,100
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Purchasing trees and shrubs from Montgomery Parks’ Pope Farm for reforestation on county parklandn/a$14,600
[within Priority Funding Areas of Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Free shade tree planting program1.06**$38,100
[throughout  Montgomery County][throughout  Montgomery County]Native tree coupon program5.43**$19,300
DickersonLittle Monocacy RiverRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation – private farmland2.27$66,000
DickersonLittle Monocacy RiverRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation – private farmland2.7$79,000
DickersonLittle Monocacy RiverRe-Leaf the Reserve reforestation – private farmland0.22$6,400
BethesdaLittle FallsTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.06**$4,700
Silver SpringPaint BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.03**$2,400
Silver SpringLower Rock CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.02**$1,600
Silver SpringSligo CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.23**$18,000
Chevy ChaseLittle Falls BranchTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.18**$14,100
Silver SpringRock Creek DCTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.1**$7,800
BethesdaCabin John CreekTransplanting large trees on county parkland0.01**$800
Total16.77$327,800
* Rounded to nearest hundred
** Acres calculated by estimating average canopy spread at maturity of 29 feet (equivalent to 661 square feet of tree canopy or 0.015 acre per tree) and a 75% survival rate to account for tree loss and understory trees.
*** Planting was supplemental to existing forest. Acres planted reflects half of the total planting area to account for the trees planted being understory trees or planted to connect larger areas of forest.

Contact

Mia Rothberg
301-495-4614
Email