Hello Turpin Family,

Thank you for your question!  For landowners from states other than Maryland, SSPRA stands for Sensitive Species Project Review Areas.  For more information, check out the Maryland website on SSPRA. 

I reached out to Ken Jolly, Associate Director for Field Operations for the Maryland Dept of Natural Resources and here is his response:

Compliance with SSPRA requirements differs from property to property, depending on the specific sensitive species or sensitive habitat areas that are located on the property – simply because different species and habitat areas will have different protection requirements.  For stream buffer areas, the buffer width must be laid out according to the steepness of the slopes, and all trails, roads, and landings must be located outside of the buffer areas, in accordance with sediment and erosion control regulatory requirements.  Typically, if other SSPRA’s are identified on the property, they will be identified in the Forest Stewardship Plan, as well as any specific forest management actions that are needed to conserve the species/habitat.  Then, when the Tree Farmer begins to implement their Plan, they can share this SSPRA information with their forester, and thus make sure the SSRPA requirements are correctly carried out, which will ensure the AFF/ATFS Standards for Sustainability are followed.

For more information on the state wildlife resources in Maryland, visit the American Tree Farm System's website. 

cheers,
Caroline Kuebler

Project Manager for My Land Plan