Municipal

The Star Democrat

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Caroline Commissioners discuss road funding and safety with Department of Transportation, state legislators

DENTON — On Oct. 20, the Caroline County Commissioners met with the Maryland Department of Transportation, followed by an annual meeting with District 36 and 37 state legislators. Commissioners and legislators called for increased road funding despite Governor Wes Moore’s focus on public transit funding. Maryland Department of Transportation officials Katie Thomson, secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, opened the meeting and jumped right into a discussion of the Department’s six-year consolidated transportation program, known as the Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). She began her statement by paying respects to fallen Denton Police Chief George William Bacorn Jr. and connected this tragedy to the Department’s mission. “Tragically, he was far from the only person lost in a fatal crash on our roads this year… Chief Bacorn’s death is just a reminder that we have a lot more work to do,” she said. Thomson emphasized that projects like the Slow the Fast Down campaign—which targets “superspeeders”—are part of the Department’s efforts to improve safety. State Highway Administration (SHA) Administrator Will Pines outlined the administration’s top three top priorities to be safety, state of good repair, and improving economic development throughout Maryland. Melissa Williams, Maryland Department of Transportation Authority (MDTA) Director of

Caroline County, MD · 12d

Delaware Online | The News Journal

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Redden State Forest balances conservation and growth in Sussex County

Foresters at Redden State Forest are working to preserve a piece of the region’s agricultural and forestry heritage in hopes to ensure its woodlands remain healthy for generations. Redden is Delaware’s largest state forest and has been managed for sustainable forestry for decades. The forest provides wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and renewable timber resources, with active management designed to conserve, protect and enhance the landscape. For Erich Burkentine, southern regional forester with Delaware Department of Agriculture, maintaining that healthy forest sometimes means cutting trees. While harvesting may seem counterintuitive to conservation, he said selective tree removal can help improve forest diversity, encourage new growth and create better conditions for wildlife. As trees grow and their canopies close, less sunlight reaches the forest floor, limiting the growth of smaller plants, shrubs and other tree species. “You’re trying to balance production with diversity plus added benefits of really good wildlife habitat,” Burkentine said. Without intervention, some areas can become dominated by a limited number of species, reducing the variety of vegetation. Selective harvesting allows foresters to remove competing trees, give stronger specimens more room to grow and create opportunities for new vegetation. “I want to select the best examples of the species

Sussex County, DE · 14d