This Memorial Day, one lucky movie maker will win hundreds of dollars in prizes for having safe fun in the sun. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Natural Resources Police (NRP), West Marine and BoatUS partnered together for the first annual “What is Water Safety” video contest.

DNR is looking for a three-minute video explaining “what is water safety?” DNR and a panel of judges will chose the best video. Creativity is key and it must be family-friendly. The contest kicks off this weekend and runs until August.

NRP offers the following swimming safety tips:

• Pay special attention to small children and use safety devices such as life jackets on children or other individuals who cannot swim.
• Obey all warning signs that alert swimmers to dangers and be aware of any surrounding signs or markers that indicate current water conditions.
• Never swim alone or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Carry a cell phone or have other ways of contacting emergency personnel if a situation arises.

If an emergency occurs, immediately call 911 and remember to Reach, Throw, Row and Go:

REACH the person in trouble by extending a releasable item, such as a pole, line or rope to pull them to safety, but not by hand as the rescuer could quickly become another victim.

THROW an object that floats to the victim if they are unreachable. A life ring, PFD, cooler or plastic jug is suitable floating objects that can keep a troubled swimmer afloat until rescues arrive.

ROW to the victim, using a canoe or any other safe watercraft. The rescuer must wear a life jacket. Once the victim is nearby, a rope or paddle should be extended and used to tow the victim to shore if possible.

GO find help or yell to get other people’s attention and have someone call 911.

For more on the video contest and to see a complete set of rules go to: dnr.maryland.gov/videocontest

The Chester River

The Middle Chester Partnership hosted a bus tour out of  Washington College today showcasing restoration work completed on the Chester River through a grant from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. The day-long event gave State and county representatives, citizens and neighboring watershed groups a firsthand look at projects carried out using the latest technology, government programs, and innovative partnerships with landowners, homeowners and local governments.

Awarded in 2010, the Local Implementation Grant helped support an $880,000, multi-year, multi-partner effort to reduce the polluted runoff that enters the watershed. The projects incorporated agricultural best management practices, nitrogen-reducing septic systems, habitat restoration and stormwater management.

Some of the projects include a switchgrass buffer planting, to serve as a future  source of biofuel energy; precision farming using GreenSeeker technology to cut back on nitrogen use; wetland and pond restoration on agricultural land; marsh restoration along river banks; urban stream restoration; and septic system upgrades for homes within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.

The Middle Chester Partnership invested years of work, from the planning stages of partnership and proposal development, to finished construction to reach the project reveal.

The partnership consists of: Kent County Commissioners; Kent County Departments of: Planning, Housing and Zoning; Water and Wastewater; Finance, and Environmental Health; the Town of Chestertown; Kent Soil and Water Conservation District; Upper Eastern Shore Tributary Team; Chester River Association; Washington College Center for Environment & Society; Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology; University of Maryland National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Grant; Ducks Unlimited; the Maryland Department of the Environment Non Point Source Monitoring Program; and the Watershed Assistance Collaborative (University of Maryland SeaGrant Extension, Finance Center Environmental).

Bill Goldsborough
Courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation/cbf.org.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources congratulates Bill Goldsborough on winning an award of excellence in the area of policy and management at the spring 2013 meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission on May 21 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Throughout his three decades as a senior scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Goldsborough has been a steadfast advocate for science-based conservation and a central figure in forging agreements between diverse interests in Chesapeake and Atlantic Coast fisheries management. Most recently, he took a leading role in the campaign to establish a more conservative management framework for menhaden in recognition of their important role as a prey species for striped bass and many other marine resources. Click here to read the Commission’s press release.

New this year ─ gourmet ice-pops, area wines and meats

The Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Market located just outside of downtown Annapolis is back and ready to provide residents with fresh fruits, vegetables and homemade goodies all summer long! Starting June 6, the market will run from 3 to 6 p.m. every Thursday through September 5. 

Hosted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Farmers’ Market is located in the parking lot of the Tawes State Office Building at 580 Taylor Avenue in Annapolis. It features fresh produce including tomatoes, corn, melons, berries and peaches, as well as homemade jerky, candy, baked goods and much more! New this year, the market will offer local wines from Great Frogs Winery, fresh fruit-and-herb ice-pops from SOCO Artisan Pops, and meat from Enticement Farms.

Governor Martin O’Malley’s Smart, Green & Growing initiative encourages citizens to buy locally-grown products at markets, restaurants and grocery stores to help create a more sustainable Maryland. This simple act helps cut down on packaging and fuel for transport, utilizes and protects agricultural lands, supports small businesses, and keeps money circulating within the State. With more than 100 farmers’ markets statewide, buying local is easy and convenient.

For more information about Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Markets, contact Lisa Barge at the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation at 410-222-7410 or visit aaedc.org.

“Governor O’Malley and Secretary Griffin have set a new course for Maryland’s future in protecting and restoring the best of Maryland’s resources,” said Gill. “It is an honor and a privilege to steward and help build upon their great works.”

As Deputy Secretary Gill moves up to head the 1,200-person agency responsible for managing Maryland’s natural and living resources, two department veterans have also been named to new posts.

After 29 years with DNR, Assistant Secretary for Aquatic Resources Frank Dawson has been named the agency’s new Deputy Secretary. Dave Goshorn, who has been with the department for 21 years and currently serves as Director of the Office for a Sustainable Future, will be taking over as Assistant Secretary. Kristin Saunders, Assistant Secretary for Land Resources, and Wilson Parran, Assistant Secretary for Mission Support, round out the agency’s senior management team.

“Together, Joe, Frank and Dave are a management dream team,” said Griffin. “With 66 years of policy development and resource management experience specific to DNR between them, I can’t imagine a better scenario for the future management of – and I guess this is this last time I’m allowed to say this – the best agency in State government.”

Click here for more information.

Additional photos will be posted at photos.maryland.gov/.

Photo by Carie Sobbott

With Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer right around the corner, many people will be heading outdoors to enjoy the State’s waterways and beaches. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cautions that these areas will not be staffed with lifeguards until the Memorial Day weekend and urges everyone to be extra vigilant in and around the water.

DNR offers the following swimming safety tips:

• Pay special attention to small children and use safety devices such as life jackets on children or other individuals who cannot swim
• Obey all warning signs that alert swimmers to dangers and be aware of any surrounding signs or markers that indicate current water conditions
• Never swim alone or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Carry a cell phone or have other ways of contacting emergency personnel if a situation arises

If an emergency occurs, immediately call 911 and remember to Reach, Throw, Row and Go:

REACH the person in trouble by extending a releasable item, such as a pole, line or rope to pull them to safety, but not by hand as the rescuer could quickly become another victim.

THROW an object that floats to the victim if they are unreachable. A life ring, life jacket, cooler or plastic jug are suitable floating objects that can keep a troubled swimmer afloat until help arrives.

ROW to the victim, using a canoe or any other safe watercraft. The rescuer must wear a life jacket. Once the victim is nearby, a rope or paddle should be extended and used to tow the victim to shore if possible.

GO find help or yell to get other peoples’ attention and have someone call 911.

For more on water safety and to view water quality reports on locations across Maryland, click here.

Children try their hand at washing clothes the “old-fashioned” way

Who: Children ages 8 to 12

When: June 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Fort Frederick State Park, 11100 Fort Frederick Road, Big Pool

Cost: $20 per child

Contact/Registration: 301-842-2155

Participants will be enlisted into Captain Alexander Beall’s Company of Maryland Troops to experience how soldiers lived at Fort Frederick during the French and Indian War. Activities include musket firing demonstrations, soldiers’ chores, military drills and a mission in search of the enemy.

Registration is required and limited to 20 participants. The park will provide children with lunch. Food, gift and souvenir items will be available for sale at Captain Wort’s Sutler Shop.

Fort Frederick State Park consists of the Western Maryland Rail Trail and Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area. The fort was built by the colony of Maryland in 1756 to protect western inhabitants and as a base to attack French strongholds in the Ohio River valley. Click here for the park’s full calendar of events.

Nationally recognized Great Outdoors Month is right around the corner and Governor Martin O’Malley’s Partnership for Children in Nature is helping citizens celebrate! The second annual Celebrate Maryland Outdoors Days encourages families to get outside and invites Maryland organizations to post and promote their nature-inspired events. This two-week statewide collection of activities kicks off in conjunction with National Get Outdoors Day on June 8 and culminates with the Great American Backyard Campout on June 22.

“June marks the end of school, the excitement and anticipation of summer, and the perfect time to encourage our children to connect with nature through outside activities,” said Governor O’Malley. “Celebrate Maryland Outdoors Days reminds everyone to take the time to enjoy and explore the unique sights, sounds and recreation our natural world provides.”

The Partnership invites everyone to visit the Celebrate Maryland Outdoors Days website to check out fun happenings taking place across the State. The website serves as a forum where parks, environmental groups and other organizations ─ including faith or community groups, school or youth clubs ─ can post information about their outdoor events, activities, and places to visit for outdoor recreation.

Visitors can choose from a wide variety of activities which support the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights. These two weeks in June will highlight opportunities for bird-watching, archery, kayaking, fishing, gardening, camping, hiking and more. Most are also extremely affordable ─ if not free ─ and can be enjoyed any time of year. June 8 also marks a Free Fishing Day in Maryland!

The Great American Backyard Campout on June 22 encourages families to experience their natural world through camping. All Maryland State Parks with campgrounds are offering special campfire and s’mores programs. In addition, select parks are offering unique programs including Scales and Tales, guided hikes, campfire cooking, owl prowls and kayaking.

To ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards, Governor O’Malley established the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature in 2008, involving numerous agencies and organizations. Under this initiative, which is now being used as a national model, an ambitious set of actions focuses on improving connections with nature during the school day as well as outside of school and in communities. With help from the Partnership, Maryland became the first state to adopt a high school graduation environmental literacy requirement.

More information on Celebrate Maryland Outdoors Days is available at dnr.maryland.gov/cin/CMO or by emailing mdoutdoorsdays@gmail.com.

Click here to view a copy of the Governor’s proclamation.

Photo by Tammy McCorkle

The State has added 150 acres to its permanently protected rural landscape and eliminated eight developmental rights in Washington County. Governor Martin O’Malley and the Board of Public Works approved funding to preserve the land on May 15.

“Protecting these rural lands not only forever preserves Maryland’s rich heritage and unique history, but helps improve the water quality of the streams and rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay,” said Governor O’Malley.

The Little Antietam Farm property, located in the Mid Maryland Washington Rural Legacy Area, is part of the centuries-old agricultural heritage in Washington County. The land is near a building identified on the Maryland National Historic Registry and associated with significant Civil War history, once serving as the site to a Union field hospital.

The easement will help improve water quality by protecting trees and shrubs that work to filter runoff along 1,900 feet of Little Antietam Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. In addition, a 58-acre portion of the property is in a permanent Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program easement.

Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program provides funding to preserve large tracts of forest and agricultural lands and natural resources, while sustaining land for natural resource-based industries. Enacted by the General Assembly in 1997, Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program has to date provided more than $235 million to protect 77,096 acres of valuable land..

The three member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor O’Malley (chair), Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. The BPW is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultation contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement transactions.

Signing of HB 214. Top: Matt Teffeau, Maryland Farm Bureau; Del. Michael Smigiel; Del. Steve Hershey; Del. Jay Jacobs; Bottom: President of Senate Mike Miller; Governor O’Malley; Speaker Michael Busch

Governor Martin O’Malley signed the final two of three bills passed during the 2013 legislative session that allow for increased Sunday hunting opportunities in Carroll, Dorchester and Queen Anne’s counties, on May 16 in Annapolis.   

“Hunting is a Maryland tradition, woven into the fabric of our history, passed down for generations,” said Governor O’Malley. “Hunters contribute to our economy and conservation efforts in myriad ways. I am very pleased that this year, working with members of the General Assembly, we are able to expand opportunities for families to enjoy the sights, sounds and excitement that come with days afield.”

Governor O’Malley signed HB 543, which authorizes the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish Sunday deer hunting on private property in Carroll County from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday in January; and SB 2/HB 66 which permits Sunday turkey hunting on select public lands in Dorchester County during the spring turkey hunting season.

“The additional days to hunt turkey will help Dorchester County’s local businesses and economy by bringing more Marylanders and out-of-state residents to the area,” said Delegate Adelaide Eckardt.

“We are pleased that DNR will have the tools to better manage our deer overpopulation problem, and our hunters and citizens will have direct input into those decisions,” said Delegate Susan Krebs, chair of the Carroll County House Delegation.

Earlier this month, Governor O’Malley signed HB 214, which expands deer hunting on private land in Queen Anne’s County from two total days to five Sundays during archery season and every Sunday during firearm season.

In other opportunities, DNR is hosting Junior Hunter Field Days across the State in June. Young people with an interest in hunting, shooting sports and wildlife management are invited to learn about and participate in archery, sporting clays and much more, with professionals in a safe, mentored setting. To view the schedule click here.

Complete regulations, check-in procedures and information on public land hunting opportunities can be found in the 2012-2013 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping, issued with each hunting license. Those with questions may contact DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-260-8540.

Click here for the photo. Photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor.