Forest Committee

established June 26, 2006, by a motion of the Town Assembly that changed the status of the Ad-Hoc Forest Sub-committee of the Civic Committee (est. 3/28/05) to a permanent standing committee of the Village of Arden

The Forest Committee implements Arden’s Forest Stewardship Policy, oversees trail improvement, tree felling in the woods, plant removal, and strives to prevent encroachment and stream erosion. It coordinates the annual woods cleanup.

Current Members: Carol Larson & Bev Clendening (co-chairs), Lisa Wolfe, Eric Reed, Jessica Colgan-Snyder

Click here for Committee Descriptions: full text

Meetings

The Forest Committee will be holding meetings in person at the Buzz Ware Village Center.

The Forest Committee will meet at the regular time 2nd Monday at 6:00 pm. We may switch to online if circumstances change, please be aware of that possibility. Call-in ZOOM number for any visitors who want to join us can be acquired by calling (215) 806-5131 or by email to forest@arden.delaware.gov.

Meeting Agenda Here.

Forest Use Permit

If you or your group would like to have a fire at Indian Circle or hold an event in the forest, please fill out the Forests & Indian Circle Use Permit. It can be found on the Village Permits Page.

Easement agreement for 2409 Woodland Lane

Glyphosate Use Bibliography. To inform residents about relative safety and issues surrounding herbicide use. Link Here

Water Quality Master Plan for the Village of Arden

Link to the final draft of the plan crafted by Foresite Associates and funded by a Surface Water Managment Planning Grant from DNREC.

Appendices for Stormwater Master Plan for the Village of Arden

2.1-1 TMDL Analysis for Naamans Creek

2.1 Watershed Assessment Report – State of Delaware

2.1 USGS Stream Stats Naamans Creek

2.1 USGS Stream Stats Perkins Run

2.2 Christina River Watershed Water Quality Improvement Plan (WQIP)

2.2 Impervious Cover

2,2 Maryland NPDES MS4 Guidance

2.2 Phase 1 MS4 Permit 2013

2.2 Phase 1 MS4 Permit update 2014

2.3 Soil Report

3.2 DelDOT Marsh and Harvey Road: Stormwater map

4.1 DelDOT Homeowner Pollutants

4.1 DE Liveable Plants for Home Landscaping

4.1 DE Liveable Ecosystems

4.1 DE Liveable Lawns

4.1 Homeowners Guide to Stormwater

4.1 MD Restoration BMP Guide

4.1 Permeable Pavers

4.1 Rain Gardens

4.1 VA Restoration BMP Guide

4.2 DE BMP Standards and Specs

4.2 Green Infrastructure BMP cost estimation

4.2 Miss Utility inquiries

BMP= Best Management Practice TMDL=Total Maximum Daily Load NPDES=National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

MS4= Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

Natural Resource Inventories

Community Wildlife Habitat Certification Brochure here!

Learn about our mission to become wildlife friendly throughout the Ardens.

LEAF Newsletter: Summer 2023 HERE!

NEW! LEAF, Living on the Edge of Arden Forests Summer 2013 Newsletter!
Our periodic publication will bring you up-to-date on what’s been happening throughout what we call our Forests of the Ardens Collective–including the Forest Committee, our Committee’s counterparts in Ardentown and Ardencroft as well as the Arden Club Gardeners Gild. You’ll find print copies available at the Arden Library and on our community bulletin boards. To have a copy delivered to your email, please send a request to forest@arden.delaware.gov.

LEAF ARCHIVES:

LEAF Newsletter for Summer 2023 HERE!
LEAF Newsletter for Spring 2022 HERE!
LEAF Newsletter for Midwinter 2022 HERE!
LEAF Newsletter for Fall 2021 HERE!
LEAF Newsletter for Summer 2021 here!
LEAF Newsletter for Spring 2021 here!
LEAF Newsletter for Winter 2021 here!
LEAF Newsletter for Spring 2020 here!
LEAF Newsletter for Fall 2020 here!
LEAF Newsletter for September 2018 here!

Sherwood Forest Stream Restoration

Power Point Presentation from Town Meeting 6/27/16: Sherwood Forest Stream Restoration

Sherwood Forest Restoration Plans

Protecting Naaman’s Watershed: adding to the buffer

Power Point Presentation from Town Meeting 3/27/17: Purchase of 1.6 acres at 5 Mill Race Road

We have a rare opportunity to add to the forested zone across Naaman’s Creek from Arden. See the map by clicking here.

A riparian buffer is the transition zone from the aquatic environment to the upland. With a zone of sufficient width, the forested buffers are of great value. A Riparian Buffer can:

Control flooding: It will slow and reduce flow of water to creek
Improve water quality: Plants filter sediment, nutrients and pollutants
Reduce erosion: Plants keep soil in place, helping to maintain the buffer
Increase wildlife diversity: A zone of sufficient size is important for habitat
Control water temperature: Shade helps keep the water at temperatures required by wildlife

Adding this parcel of four lots will help us create a continuous buffer from Harvey Mill Park above Marsh Road through Hanby Foundation Park, Arden, Ardentown, Highland Woods, Indian Fields, Radnor Green and the Sunnyside Tract, over 2 miles length of creek and 100+ acres of wildlife corridor.

What is a Riparian Buffer?

More details about creekside corridors and how they protect the health of Naamans Creek: Click on the link to read the brochure from DNREC.

To weed or not to weed?

Click on the links below for information to assist with determining the difference between some common weeds.

“Good” weeds and beneficial native plants.

Weeds gone wild. Identify and remove invasive, non-native plant species. Read about efficient removal techniques.

Mistaken Identity: Click here for the booklet “Invasive Plants and their Native Look-alikes”

Delaware Invasive Species Council (DISC) list of Delaware’s worst invasive plants HERE

Non-native Invasive Species Best Management Practices from the USDA Forest Service: Guidance. here

NY Botanical Garden: Thain Family Forest Program Invasive Species Best Management Practices

NYBG, a preeminent plant conservation organization restored 50 acres of old-growth forest in the heart of the Bronx. They published a remarkable document detailing the management practices for each invasive plant as a part of their plan to maintain the forest from 2008-2025. Read it here. The forest committee follows these guidelines.

Forest Use Permit

If you or your group would like to have a fire at Indian Circle or hold an event in the forest, please fill out the Forests & Indian Circle Use Permit. It can be found on the Village Permits Page.

Minutes

Minutes will be posted as they are approved by the committee.

2011 — January | March | May | Summer Tree Risk Assessments | November