Natural Resources News
Maryland’s 2026 Muskrat Trapping Season Extended in Select Maryland Counties Due to Winter Weather Setbacks
Photo by Lisa Mayo, submitted to the 2023 Maryland DNR Photo Contest
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has added a one-week extension to the 2026 muskrat trapping season in all counties except Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard and Washington. The revised season will now close March 22 to make up for unfavorable weather conditions in January and February, including extensive ice coverage, that impacted trapping in parts of the state. Read more…
Bravery and Dedication Recognized at Maryland Natural Resources Police Annual Awards Ceremony
Officers were honored for exceptional conservation law enforcement, dedication to waterway safety, and courageous rescue efforts.
Cpl. Timothy Fabian is honored as NRP’s 2025 Officer of the Year. Pictured with Sgt. Brad Lowe, Sec. Josh Kurtz, and Col. Orlando Lilly. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police held its annual award ceremony February 25 to recognize the achievements made by conservation law enforcement officers and professional staff in 2025. The officers were presented honors by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Sec. Josh Kurtz and Natural Resources Police Col. Orlando Lilly at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold.
“Our dedicated Natural Resources Police officers truly exemplify what it means to be public servants,” said Sec. Kurtz. “They demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Maryland’s people and natural resources, respond with courage in moments of crisis, and represent the Department of Natural Resources with pride and dignity. We celebrate their achievements and express our deep appreciation for keeping our communities, lands, waters, and wildlife safe.” Read more…
Maryland’s Century-Old Partnership with National Shellfish Sanitation Program Remains Vital to Seafood Safety
Maryland Natural Resource Police Cpl. Jason Kreider performs a commercial seafood inspection at a seafood market in 2024. From vessel checks where officers inspect for adequate safety measures, to commercial facility inspections, NRP plays a vital role in affirming the shellfish bought by everyday consumers meet the rigorous standards of the NSSP. Maryland DNR photo.
When it comes to seafood sanitation and public health, the National Shellfish Sanitation Program has for 100 years ensured shellfish sold in the United States meets standards for human consumption. Maryland plays a key role in the compliance and enforcement of the program’s principles as one of the leaders of commercially-exported seafood among coastal states.
The work of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) in Maryland and its partnership with state agencies has helped to ensure seafood from the Chesapeake Bay and state waters are safe and healthy to consume. While these efforts are always critical, incidents like the recent Potomac Interceptor sewage spill in the Potomac River highlight the importance of these rigorous quality control measures.
In addition to other state monitoring after the Potomac spill, the NSSP has ensured that oysters currently being sold on the market that come from the Chesapeake Bay meet safety standards. In its water quality monitoring, the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Water and Science Administration has found no evidence that shellfish harvesting waters of the Potomac River are affected by the spill further upstream. Read more…
Cunningham Falls State Park Hosts 2026 Maple Syrup Festival Two Weekends in March
Visitors can get a taste of sweet Maryland tradition
Maryland DNR photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to come celebrate the annual Maple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park, the weekends of March 14-15 and March 21-22.
During this event, held annually for more than 50 years, guests can gather around the Sugar Shack to watch park staff demonstrate the traditional way of boiling sap into syrup.
Live bluegrass music will fill the air each day of the event as Maryland-made maple syrup is served over a hot pancake and sausage breakfast. Guests can take a hayride through the Maple Grove to see how Park Rangers collect sap from trees.
Events take place each day of the festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A sign language interpreter will be stationed at the Sugar Shack all four days of the festival. A suggested $5 donation per person is requested at entrance. Pancake breakfast and festival merchandise is available during the festival hours for an extra cost. Read more…
DNR Study: Bowfishing Contributes Heavily to Chesapeake Channa Harvest
Maryland DNR biologists Joe Love (second from right) and Dan Goetz (second from left) worked with Captain Nick Mather (left) of Working Class Outdoors to harvest 23 Chesapeake Channa, or northern snakeheads, as part of its collaborative project with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The team is working to learn more about how bowfishing is helping to control the invasive predator’s population. Maryland DNR photo
A new Maryland Department of Natural Resources study revealed that bowfishing and gigging – using a pronged spear – are the most common ways Chesapeake Channa (also known as northern snakehead) are harvested in Maryland. These methods eclipse hook-and-line, commercial, and departmental management harvest of the invasive fish.
The study, published in Integrated and Comparative Biology, also found that bowfishermen are successfully removing larger, more fecund female Channa (those with more eggs) than traditional anglers, a key factor in limiting population growth. Read more…
Breaking Barriers: Beverly Carroll was NRP’s First Black Female Officer
![Beverly (Brooks) Carroll [front row, far right] stands with nine other members of the Maryland Natural Resources Police Basic Recruit Class 40, upon graduation in 1990.](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55113825971_9291ae7cc2_b.jpg)
Beverly (Brooks) Carroll is seen in the front row, far right, with other members of NRP’s 40th Basic Recruit Class upon graduation from the academy in 1990. Photo courtesy of Greg Bartles/Maryland Conservation Agency Museum.
Beverly Carroll is a pioneer – as the first African American female police officer in the history of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, she entered a world she wasn’t familiar with in more ways than one. Read more…
DNR Extends Maryland Commercial Oyster Season for Two Additional Weeks
Extended season is being put in place to help watermen who have been unable to harvest due to ice-covered waterways
Photo by William Whaley, submitted to Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources is moving forward with a two-week extension of the commercial oyster season to help watermen make up for lost harvesting opportunities after many waterways and parts of the Chesapeake Bay froze during frigid temperatures in January and early February.
The change will extend the state’s commercial oyster season to April 14 this year. It was originally scheduled to end on March 31. Under the extension, all current gear restrictions and bushel limits will remain in effect. Handscraping for oysters in hand tong areas is not permitted under the extension.
“Maryland’s watermen have faced a difficult oyster season after recent declines in market demand and ice on waterways blocked access to traditional harvest areas,” said DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. “This oyster season extension will give them additional opportunities to boost their livelihoods and the local communities where they live. DNR made this decision after extensive conversations with industry stakeholders and scientists. Coordinated oyster restoration and management efforts led by DNR have resulted in a multi-year increase of the overall oyster population in Maryland. We are confident that extending the season will not affect the ongoing resurgence of oysters in the Bay and local rivers.” Read more…
First-Ever ‘Explore the Shore’ Outdoor Expo to be Held in Cambridge
The public will have a chance to celebrate the community and culture of outdoor adventure on Maryland’s Eastern Shore at the first-ever Explore the Shore Expo, held on Saturday, Feb. 21 in Cambridge.
Explore the Shore is a one-day, family-friendly festival uniting outdoor brands, local businesses and community members to celebrate the history and tradition of hunting, fishing, camping, and more on Maryland’s Shore. Festivities will include outdoor gear exhibits, workshops, vendor booths, local craft food and beverages, and an official Bucks-Bears-Stags measuring event.
The festival will be held in Cambridge at the restored Packing House, originally built in 1920 as part of the Phillips Packing Company. Phillips was the largest employer in Dorchester County in the 20th century, and the building played a vital role in the industrial and cultural history of the Chesapeake Bay. Read more…
Board of Public Works Approves $7.1 Million for Recreation Centers and Land Conservation in Seven Maryland Counties
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Rural Legacy and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Permanent Easement programs
Located on the northern end of St. Mary’s County, the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area includes 12 miles of Patuxent River shoreline. The Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust will acquire permanent conservation easements on two properties protecting 7,800 feet of mainly forested stream buffers. Maryland DNR photo.
The Board of Public Works today approved more than $7.1 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreation centers and land conservation in Allegany, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and St. Mary’s counties.
More than $3.6 million in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for four projects including two recreation centers. Cecil County will construct the Cecil County Recreation Center at Calvert Regional Park, featuring an indoor track, courts, and common areas. Dorchester County will renovate the Thendara Center in Hurlock, including kitchen and bathroom updates, and replace an outdoor shooting range.
Also approved was $73,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program to provided additional funds for two projects: a $19,000 grant towards a pedestrian bridge along the Gateway Trail in Thurmont in Frederick County; and $53,000 to improve the boardwalk and procure benches at Betterton Beach in Kent County. The Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program was funded in FY 2022 and FY 2023 to provide grant funds primarily to local governments for park and recreation projects. Read more…
Striped Bass Spawning Success Not Limited by Zooplankton, DNR Study Suggests
Larval striped bass appeared to have enough to eat in 2023 and 2024
Cladocerans, or water fleas, from the stomach contents of a larval striped bass, viewed under a microscope. Shannon Moorhead/DNR
The availability of tiny plankton that larval striped bass eat during their first weeks of life does not appear to be a leading factor for the recent poor spawning success of the fish in Maryland, according to a new study by scientists at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The findings suggest that one leading theory about the poor spawning success of striped bass—that larval striped bass have missed important blooms of zooplankton to feed on—is not to blame for the consecutive years of low numbers of juvenile striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay since 2019.
The study, published late December in the journal Marine and Coastal Fisheries, analyzed stomach contents of weeks-old striped bass in the Choptank River from 2023 and 2024 and compared them to historical data on larval striped bass diets in the Choptank in the 1980s. While these two recent years had poor year classes, meaning spawning female striped bass produced low number of juveniles in those years, the 1980s dataset included a full range of year-class outcomes. Read more…
DNR Seeks Public Input for Upcoming Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits
Comment period includes migratory game bird season proposal for the coming season
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comment on proposed changes to the 2026-2028 hunting and trapping seasons and the proposed 2026-2027 Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Bag Limits.
The public can view the proposed regulations and comment online, as well as view and comment on the proposed migratory game bird seasons and bag limits now through February 28.
“We thank our many stakeholders who have worked with us on the latest set of regulatory proposals,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer. “Public input is essential to setting our regulations and we look forward to receiving comments to help us further refine and finalize these actions.” Read more…
Maryland Hunters Harvest 71,649 Deer for 2025-2026 Season
Statewide harvest is 7.2% lower than the 5-year average
Photo by Kelly Ann Karwoski
Maryland deer hunters harvested 71,649 deer during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, from Sept. 5, 2025 through Feb. 4, 2026.
The statewide harvest reported to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources included 29,814 antlered and 37,925 antlerless white-tailed deer, and 1,874 antlered and 2,036 antlerless sika deer. The harvest was 14.9% lower than the 2024-2025 total of 84,201 deer and 7.2% lower than the previous 5-year average of 77,221.
The deer harvest fluctuates annually due to changes in hunter effort, weather conditions, availability of natural food sources such as acorns, disease outbreaks, and the population size prior to hunting season. Multiple counties in central and southern Maryland experienced an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease during late summer and fall. This likely reduced local deer populations and may have contributed to the lower harvests in those areas. The 2025 outbreak is not expected to have long-term consequences for local deer populations. Read more…
Maryland Park Service To Launch Upgrades To Reservation Service Feb. 24
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Park Service will launch a new, modern reservations management system on Tuesday, February 24 that will provide visitors a faster, more intuitive way to reserve campsites, cabins, mini-cabins, pavilions, and other amenities statewide at 37 Maryland State Parks.
The new system represents a major upgrade to Maryland’s park reservations experience, featuring improved performance on both desktop and mobile devices, a cleaner user interface, and new communication tools designed to make planning a park visit easier than ever.
“This new reservations system is a significant step forward in how we serve our visitors,” said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw. “By modernizing the technology behind our reservations, we are making it easier for people to plan their park visits, whether they are booking a campsite, a cabin, or a picnic pavilion. Our goal is to make the process smoother so visitors can focus on enjoying the Maryland’s state parks they love.” Read more…
Resilience Through Restoration Initiative Protects Maryland Communities and Coastlines
Program has operated for eight years, supporting a range of environmental projects in the state
A living shoreline project in Calvert County protecting a neighborhood and surrounding infrastructure, supported by the Resilience through Restoration initiative. DNR photo
In its eight years of operation, Maryland’s Resilience through Restoration Initiative has supported more than three dozen projects in the state and transferred millions of dollars into critical environmental efforts that protect communities, shore up habitat, and provide lasting economic benefits for long-term resilience in coastal areas.
The program prioritizes nature-based solutions to harness the power of living shorelines, wetlands, and natural stormwater practices to help protect communities from flooding hazards rather than relying solely on gray infrastructure like bulkheads and revetments. The projects are supported by strategic state investment, which helps to bring additional support from federal and local funding.
“With 70% of Maryland’s residents living in the coastal zone, communities face increasing threats from coastal erosion, flooding, and sea level rise,” DNR’s Watershed and Climate Services Director Dr. Natalie Snider said. “The state’s Resilience through Restoration Initiative has proven itself a critical program for protecting these vulnerable communities and ecosystems.” Read more…
Natural Heritage Program Spotlight, Winter Work: Wood Turtles
A wildlife biologist’s work is never done, even in cold winter temperatures. Some species studied by our herpetology team lend themselves to tasks best completed in fall, winter, and early spring. Among them is the wood turtle, Glyptemys insculpta, perhaps one of the most charismatic of Maryland’s turtle species. Wood turtles are also one of the most rare – ranked as imperiled at the state and global levels and currently a candidate for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Read more…
Native Animal Profile: Shrews
HabiChat article by Sarah Witcher
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Sorex cinereus at Billings National Historical Park, Woodstock, Vermont; photo is licensed under MPF, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
When was the last time you thought about shrews? Many a gardener has been known to shriek as they see a small, brown, furry thing scampering through their garden, provoked by weeding or a shovel in the soil. Often the thing has dashed away so quickly, we can’t see it well enough to understand what it was. In Maryland gardens, while there is no shortage of mice, the most common culprits are voles, moles, and shrews. Voles are perhaps the most troublesome, feeding on grasses, bulbs, and other valued garden contents – while moles and shrews often get wrongfully blamed for the damage they cause. Moles and shrews can be guilty of leaving irregularities in lawns, but both are beneficial insect predators, aerators of the soil, and otherwise helpful garden partners. Maryland is fortunate to have excellent habitat for eight different species of shrew.
Shrews (family Soricidae) are a little-known family of insectivore, with a fascinating variety of complex natural histories and adaptations. They are generally quite small, 3-5 inches long, and weighing less than four U.S. quarters (0.8 ounce), with long, pointed noses and small ears. Their bodies are perfectly adapted for life underground, with a sleek skull for burrowing and tiny eyes for low light levels. Their teeth are quite sharp and spiky, unlike a rodent’s flattened incisors, for capturing and consuming insect prey. One species of shrew, the short-tailed shrew, has the unique adaptation of toxic saliva, allowing it to paralyze larger prey like frogs and small rodents for later snacking. Read more…
Native Plant Profile: Maryland’s Oaks
Habichat article By Katy Gorsuch
Quercus alba by Robert Severynse, submitted to 2021 Maryland DNR Photo Contest
What’s your favorite tree? If you’re any of Maryland’s thousands of native animals, your answer may be an oak!
Maryland boasts 22 species in the oak genus (Quercus), 21 of which are native. Maryland’s state tree is the white oak (Quercus alba), and from 1940 until 2002 an individual white oak tree known as the Wye Oak was the largest white oak in the country. The Wye Oak was declared the representative of the species in the state, serving in the position as a kind of mascot from 1939 until it fell due to old age and damage from a summer storm. Read more…
Moon Mythology and Maryland Wildlife: Winter Moons
HabiChat article By Katy Gorsuch
Morning view of Full Moon setting by Lori Crisler, submitted to the 2023 Maryland DNR Photo Contest. Taken in early March, this was the Worm Moon.
Given the flair with which the Moon circles the Earth, it’s not at all strange that both humans and animals would become fascinated with it. In the past hundred years, certain folk names for the full moons have popped up in modern American culture, although many of them go back centuries. Recorded in English as far back as 1779 (and possibly even further back in French), Indigenous peoples of the Americas have named the full moons, often in alignment with animals responding to the changing seasons, or locally important events.
Full moon names varied widely depending on geographic location and language family amongst Native Americans, as wildlife responds differently depending on the length of the day i.e. there is less sunlight in Massachusetts in October than in Maryland on the same day. For example, in some locations one full moon might be named “Goose Moon,” while in another location the same time period could be the “Cold Moon.” The practice of naming moons this way doesn’t seem to have been historically universal, and in the centuries since it was first recorded by colonists, misinformation has proliferated. For our purposes, using supposed Algonquian full moon names as a starting point provides a wonderful opportunity for us to explore Maryland’s unique wildlife, and how the seasons change! Read more…
Secretary’s Message: Cold Winter Could Boost Prospects for Striped Bass
Juvenile striped bass being measured by DNR scientists during the 2018 young-of-the-year survey. Notably, this was the most recent survey to show an above-average juvenile index. Maryland DNR photo.
Deep in one of the coldest winters in recent memory, many Marylanders are already thinking ahead to spring. But thanks to the frozen waters of the Chesapeake Bay, our iconic striped bass could be receiving a boost.
Scientists believe environmental factors such as warmer, drier winters and decreased spring water flow rates are the driving forces behind consecutive years of diminished spawning success of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay.
Striped bass spawning is triggered by rising water temperatures in spring, with optimum temperatures between 57 and 68 degrees. For larval striped bass to survive the first several weeks after hatching, food must be readily available and water temperatures can’t drop below 54 degrees. In late 2023, DNR fisheries biologist Angela Giuliano published a study that looked at the effects of warming water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay on the timing and length of the striped bass spawning season. As noted in the report, the striped bass spawning season is shortening as early spring temperatures are rising in the Bay region.
Hopefully this cold winter will lead to a slower warm-up in Bay tributaries where striped bass spawn and therefore a longer duration of suitable temperatures for spawning. Having the right temperatures during spawning and in the early weeks of the lives of larval striped bass are critical. The right temperature means that the next generation of striped bass could have better conditions to survive and an adequate amount of the tiny organisms called zooplankton that they consume. Read more…
Maryland DNR Offers Enhanced Trout Stocking Program for 2026
Anglers will see a 26% increase in stocked trout, monthly schedule, and allocation adjustments to enhance their experience and catch rates
Maryland DNR Fishing and Boating Services staff stocking trout in Garrett County last fall. Maryland DNR phot
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has spent the cold winter preparing for trout fishing, one of spring’s most anticipated traditions. Based on feedback from angler surveys, the department is making some changes to the put-and-take trout stocking program to enhance angler experience, opportunity, and catch.
Adjustments to trout stocking timing, allocations, and frequency will be implemented to increase the number of stocked trout that anglers catch.
DNR’s coldwater hatchery program anticipates stocking about 240,000 adult brown, golden rainbow, and rainbow trout during the four-month spring 2026 stocking season, a 26% increase over the previous year, largely due to improved summer conditions at the Bear Creek facility.
A monthly stocking breakdown is available on DNR’s Trout Stocking webpage, showing the areas that are to be stocked. Daily stocking reports will continue to be posted on the trout stocking webpage and sent to email subscribers. Read more…
A Big Step for a Small Fish: Federal Funding Supports Decades-long Effort to Restore Blackbanded Sunfish
Effort aims to bring the rarest freshwater fish species in Maryland back to its native habitats
Nathan Bowman, a fisheries biologist with Maryland DNR, releases captive-reared blackbanded sunfish into a pond.Photo by Sinclair Boggs, Maryland DNR
On a picture-perfect, mid-September Monday, a dozen staff from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service caravaned down a rutted dirt road in a Wildlife Management Area to witness a conservation milestone.
Upon exiting their vehicles, attendees gathered around a few five-gallon tanks at the edge of a small pond. The tanks contained tiny fish — about the size of a quarter — whose yellow-green bodies with dark vertical stripes glowed in the early fall light.
After celebratory remarks, biologists from Maryland DNR’s Fishing and Boating Services scooped the fish into five-gallon buckets and released them into the pond, where they slipped out of sight in water the color of black tea.
It was the first time the state released captive-bred blackbanded sunfish into the wild — the result of a strategic, long-term effort to bring the rarest freshwater fish species in Maryland back to its native habitats, made possible with the support of many partners, State Wildlife Grants awarded through the Service’s Office of Conservation Investments, and a 2024 grant from the Chesapeake WILD Program.
The Service launched Chesapeake WILD in 2022 in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support partner-led efforts to sustain the health of the six-state watershed and its inhabitants, including fish and wildlife species like the blackbanded sunfish. Read more…
DNR Coordinates Air, Water, and Land Resources to Free Stranded Waterfowl Hunters from Icy Nanticoke River
Maryland Department of Natural Resources image
Natural Resources Police and Wildlife and Heritage Service staff helped rescue six waterfowl hunters stranded on a disabled vessel on the Nanticoke River on the evening of Jan. 31.
First responders were dispatched around 6:30 p.m. that Saturday evening, however local fire rescue crews were unable to reach the stranded boaters due to unnavigable waters caused by substantial ice thickness and frozen boat ramps. Recorded weather data shows that temperatures were in the high teens to low 20s, while strong northerly winds gusted over 20 miles per hour at times.
Natural 1 – NRP’s helicopter manned by Sgt. John Buchanan and Ofc. Christian Helwig – had just completed an escort of another vessel in the ice-covered waters of the Tangier Sound when called to assist with the incident in the Nanticoke River.
Buchanan and Helwig successfully located the vessel and all passengers upon arrival to the scene, illuminating the disabled vessel using the helicopter’s onboard spotlight. First responders called in multiple forms of rescue, including Maryland State Police’s Trooper 6 helicopter and the DNR Wildlife and Heritage team’s airboat. Read more…
Midwinter Waterfowl Survey Shows Second Consecutive Increase
Above average Canada goose and diving duck numbers likely reflect colder winter
Snow geese land at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County Department of Natural Resources photo.
During the first week of January, aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the annual inventory of ducks, geese and swans wintering along the state’s Chesapeake Bay, tidal Potomac River and Atlantic coast shorelines. This year, the survey teams counted about 926,900 waterfowl which was higher than both the 705,300 birds observed in 2025 and the most recent five-year average of 684,280 birds. Read more…
Free Trees Available for Maryland’s ‘Backyard Buffers’
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering free tree seedlings to landowners statewide who have a creek, drainage ditch, stream, or other waterway on or near their property through the Backyard Buffers program,
Each “buffer in a bag” includes 20-30 native tree and shrub bare-root seedlings, approximately 1 to 2 feet in height. Maryland Forest Service staff will also include information on tree maintenance and planting techniques.
A streamside buffer can create habitat for wildlife, reduce peak summer temperatures, and reduce the amount of sediment, fertilizer, and toxic materials that enter Maryland’s waterways. Deep-rooted trees and shrubs can also stabilize streambanks, protecting them from erosion. Read more…
National Park Service Awards $100,000 to the State of Maryland for AgriTrails
Maryland’s Best AgriTrails highlights Maryland food along with outdoor recreation
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources were recently awarded $100,000 of grant funding by the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways to support AgriTrails, highlighting Maryland’s agricultural and natural resources. The initiative will connect Maryland agriculture and aquaculture businesses with outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands and State Parks to increase awareness, appreciation, and economic vitality across Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Gateway communities. The collaboration will guide Marylanders and visitors on an adventure of “Maryland Grown Food and Fun.” Read more…
Board of Public Works Approves $6.5 Million for Recreation and Land Conservation in Ten Maryland Counties
Funds were approved to acquire a permanent conservation easement through the Rural Legacy program on a 224-acre farm in the Mid-Maryland Frederick Rural Legacy Area. Bordering South Mountain to the east, this Rural Legacy Area is within the viewshed of the Appalachian Trail. Maryland DNR photo,.
The Board of Public Works today approved $6.5 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreation and land conservation in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Washington counties.
The Board also approved $2.9 million in Program Open Space – Stateside and Park System Capital Improvement and Acquisition funds for three acquisitions protecting more than 50 acres statewide. This money will be used to support additions to Savage River State Forest in Garrett County and Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County. Also funded is a conservation easement acquisition in Washington County. Read more…
Baltimore City Explores Deer Management Options to Protect Urban Forests
Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park and other city parklands implement plans to enhance green space access for city residents
White-tailed deer populations have risen in recent decades without hunting or management practices in place in Baltimore’s urban forests. Photo by Ingrid Brown/2023 DNR Photo Contest.
For the first time, Baltimore City is examining white-tailed deer overpopulation and the issues that deer cause within its parklands and across several ecologically significant natural areas. Using a Maryland Department of Natural Resources Community Forestry Catalyst Fund grant, the city has laid the foundation to manage deer populations and spur forest regeneration within city limits to reduce the harm caused on forested land and private properties. Read more…
Maryland Hosts Waterfowl Hunting Day for Youth, Veterans, and Military on Feb. 7
Maryland DNR photo
Maryland’s youth hunters, veterans, and military personnel can experience the excitement of this season’s second special waterfowl hunting day; Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. A similar special hunting day was held in early November 2025. Read more…
Maryland Joins Global Commitment to Protect 30% of Land and Water by 2030
Yurts at Savage Highlands State Park, which was purchased in 2024 using Program Open Space Stateside funds. DNR photo
To continue progress on land conservation and enhancing biodiversity, Maryland has joined the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, a group of member countries, states, and territories committed to preserving at least 30 percent of natural areas by 2030.
By joining the coalition, Maryland officials will work with members to understand new and innovative ways to propel land conservation forward in a way that benefits ecosystems and communities. Maryland has long been a leader in land conservation since approving the Program Open Space initiative in 1969, which is used to fund purchases of public lands and conservation easements.
In 2024, Gov. Wes Moore announced that Maryland had met its state-mandated goal to conserve 30 percent of the state’s land—about 1.85 million acres—by 2030. The state is now working to conserve 40 percent of its land by 2040. Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff will take the lead on working with the High Ambition Coalition to share information and develop ideas to achieve this goal. Read more…
Marylanders Should Practice Ice Safety Awareness As Temperatures Drop
Those who plan on recreating outdoors during and after forecasted winter storms should measure all ice and ensure at least 4 inches of thickness before traversing on foot. Infographic by Maryland DNR.
In anticipation of forecasted snow and prolonged freezing temperatures during the next week, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources warns the public to avoid hazardous conditions on frozen lakes, ponds, and rivers. Read more…
Elusive Potomac River Muskie, Dubbed Fish 691, Caught for First Time After Years of DNR Study
Angler Garrett Davis of Clear Spring landed a 16-year-old tagged muskie in January 2026 that has been studied by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists for more than a decade. Photo courtesy Garrett Davis, used with permission by Maryland DNR.
Earlier this month, Maryland angler Garrett Davis made an incredible catch on the non-tidal Potomac River.
Davis, of Clear Spring, landed a 16-year-old tagged muskie that has been studied by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists for more than a decade. This particular fish has been recaptured in surveys several times, but had never been caught and reported to DNR by an angler.
This is the story of Fish 691, a female muskie that has been closely tracked by DNR since 2013. It’s a tale that highlights the elusiveness of prized muskellunge, or muskies, which are voracious apex predators that exist in low densities across their range in the United States and Canada. Muskies are known as “the fish of 10,000 casts” due to their hard-to-catch reputation.
The species attracts many of the most dedicated and driven anglers. Maryland manages one “true” muskie population in the non-tidal Potomac River, which supports a naturally reproducing, self-sustaining, and popular recreational fishery.
Due to this popular sport fishery, DNR Biologists have been tracking muskies in the Potomac since the late 1990s. They do so by inserting individually numbered external dart tags into captured fish to monitor growth, movement, and estimate exploitation–or if fish are being removed at a faster rate than they can reproduce. To protect this sensitive population, DNR recommends avoiding fishing for muskies when water temperatures meet or exceed 80 degrees. Read more…
Maryland Fifth Graders Invited to Enter 2026 Arbor Day Poster Contest
Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff stand with the top three winners of the 2025 Arbor Day Poster Contest. Maryland DNR photo.
The 2026 Maryland Fifth Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest is now open for submissions. Maryland fifth graders are invited to create original artwork showing how trees enrich our lives by providing clean air, wildlife habitat, beauty, and inspiration. This year’s official theme is: “Trees are terrific … and color our world!”
All entries must be delivered to a local Maryland Forest Service office by noon on April 1, 2026.
Posters will be judged on a county level and then submitted to the Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee to compete at the statewide level. A select panel featuring DNR Sec. Josh Kurtz and other DNR staff will then choose the top three winning posters. Read more…
Whole Watershed Program Projects Prepare for Coordinated Restoration Work
State management team identifies 37 priority projects and dedicates funding for next year
Sunrise over the Choptank River. Several projects will launch on the Upper Choptank as part of the Whole Watershed Program. Photo by Lyn Banghart, submitted to the 2022 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest.
Planning and development for Maryland’s Whole Watershed Program is underway, with stormwater management, stream and marsh restoration, tree plantings, invasive species management, and many other projects advancing to help shape the state’s collective effort on targeted watershed restoration.
In March of 2025, the state selected five watersheds that would receive initial funding through the Whole Watershed Act, which passed in 2024. Program teams from these watersheds—Antietam Creek in Washington County, Baltimore Harbor, Newport Bay near Ocean City, the Severn River in Anne Arundel County, and the Upper Choptank River on the Eastern Shore—proposed detailed plans for restoring waterways, uplifting communities, and enhancing habitat areas.
“The projects selected for the Whole Watershed Program represent bold visions for the future of watershed restoration in the state,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Deputy Secretary David Goshorn said. “These are projects that are geared toward addressing specific, local issues—reducing flooding in neighborhoods, building equitable waterfront access, and restoring habitat areas. Making real progress on these goals will benefit these communities, the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding watershed.” Read more…
Volunteer Fire Departments in 17 Maryland Counties Get $167,314 for Rural Wildfire Protection
Volunteer Fire Assistance grants awarded to 55 local responder agencies
Volunteer fire departments are essential to helping control the spread of wildland fires in Maryland. The Volunteer Fire Assistance Program provides funds to help local firefighters equip and prepare for these efforts. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service is providing Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 55 volunteer fire departments in 17 counties across the state. The funded projects help volunteer fire companies enhance wildland fire protection in rural communities.
For the 2025 grant cycle, finalized in December, the Maryland Forest Service is providing $167,314 in match funding to complete $370,376 in total project cost. The grants match up to 50 percent of project cost with a maximum grant of $3,500 per department. For this grant cycle, all but two Maryland applicants received a grant.
Funding for this program is provided by the USDA Forest Service. Read more…
Maryland’s Primitive Deer Hunt Days Scheduled February 2-4
Three-day hunt offers final opportunity to bag deer in the 2025-26 Season
Photo by Randall Gornowich submitted to the 2022 Maryland DNR Photo Contest
Maryland’s annual Primitive Deer Hunt will be open Feb. 2-4 statewide. Hunters with a valid hunting license, or those exempt from the hunting license requirement, may use primitive bows or muzzleloaders to hunt antlered and antlerless sika and white-tailed deer during these three days.
Primitive hunting devices are defined as long bows, recurve bows, flintlock, or sidelock percussion muzzleloaders. Hunters may not use compound bows, crossbows, drawlocks, and telescopic or other electronic aiming devices. However, fiber optic sights are permitted on otherwise legal primitive bows or muzzleloaders. Read more…
Deputy Secretary’s Message: Milestones, Accomplishments, and New Horizons Marked an Exciting Year in Natural Resources
Deputy Secretary Dave Goshorn (center) and Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff welcome Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller to DNR’s display at the Maryland Association of Counties conference in 2025. Maryland DNR photo.
Last year marked another significant year for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and our efforts to protect and conserve the natural places and biodiversity that make Maryland a wonderful place to live. Read more…
Maryland Natural Resources Police Report: Fall 2025
A Maryland Natural Resources Police patrol vehicle, photographed at Sandy Point State Park in October 2025. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police took action related to alleged violations of criminal and natural resource laws from September through November of 2025. During the fall months, individuals were charged for violations including spotlighting, hunting out of season, weapons charges, oyster and crabbing violations, illegally baiting wildlife, and other crimes. Read more…
Maryland Takes Action to Protect Yellow Perch Following Low Recruitment
Recreational yellow perch catch limit for tidal waters and nontidal streams and rivers reduced to five
Angler Cayla Beam caught this yellow perch at Tuckahoe Creek on Dec. 6, 2025. For many anglers, winter fishing for yellow perch is an annual tradition. Photo by Justin Wilson
In response to six years of low recruitment, Maryland recreational anglers who fish this year for yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in tidal waters, and freshwater streams and rivers will be allowed to keep five yellow perch per person per day. The minimum size for recreational anglers remains 9 inches.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the change to the recreational daily catch limit, which was previously set at 10, by public notice at the beginning of January. Read more…
Saving Your Space: Maryland State Parks’ Day-Use Reservation System Cuts Closures, Readies Expansion for 2026
Sandy Point was among the first Maryland state parks to roll out the day-use reservation system to reduce traffic backups and capacity closures during peak season. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
Maryland Park Service’s new day-use reservation system is working as designed to stop the frequent capacity closures that took place at popular state parks before the system was implemented in 2025.
In the spring and summer of 2025, the Maryland Park Service launched the new system that requires visitors to make advance reservations on weekends and holidays for daytime visits during the summer season at five different state parks–Greenbrier, Sandy Point, Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point. The results were overwhelmingly positive.
Between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day, more than 67,000 reservations came through the new system and the associated call center processed more than 4,000 calls. The results at the ground level were more dramatic with traffic backups at participating parks nearly eliminated and zero capacity closures at parks where the system was installed. This is a complete turnaround from 2024, when 166 capacity closures happened in the park system. Read more…
Board of Public Works Approves $8.9 Million for Recreational Improvements and Land Conservation in Baltimore City and Six Maryland Counties
The Board also approved a temporary, six-month lease for the Days Cove rubble fill in Baltimore County
Funds were approved for Wicomico County in partnership with the Lower Shore Land Trust to survey a potential Rural Legacy easement comprising multiple parcels in the Quantico Creek Rural Legacy Area. Maryland DNR photo
The Board of Public Works today approved $8.9 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for recreational improvements and land conservation in Baltimore City, and Calvert, Howard, Kent, St. Mary’s, Washington, and Wicomico counties.
The Board also approved a short-term lease for the Days Cove rubble fill in Baltimore County that operates on land owned by DNR. The new lease enables the rubble fill to continue operations for six months while Maryland Department of the Environment finalizes a discharge permit for the facility and DNR works to address remaining community concerns. Once that work is complete, DNR plans to seek approval of a new lease with the rubble fill’s operator that will cap and close the landfill and return the land to public use in eight years or less. DNR plans on re-submitting the updated lease for BPW’s approval sometime in the spring.
More than $7.5 million in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for nine projects including six in Baltimore City. The city will use the funds to implement improvements to the pool, restrooms and field house at City Spring Park; renovate the Howard Rawlings Conservatory; install a walking loop, fitness equipment and a basketball court at Easterwood Park; construct the replacement Carroll F. Cook Recreation Center in the Armistead Gardens neighborhood; restore and enhance the lake at Patterson Park; and create walking paths, a community garden, and expand the playground at Northwest Park.
Other projects approved for Program Open Space – Local funding were: a Howard County project to replace a playground at Centennial Park West Area; a Washington County acquisition of an access easement to the Antietam Creek Waterway Trail; and fencing, signage and landscaping at East Wicomico Little League fields in Wicomico County.
Additionally, the Board approved almost $1.4 million in Rural Legacy funding for three conservation easement acquisitions as well as expenses for a survey that is necessary for another easement acquisition: Read more…
Park Service Launches Miles for Maryland Challenge
Miles for Maryland
The Maryland Park Service is challenging visitors to walk one mile for each year since the founding of our country – 250 miles for America’s 250th.
The “Miles for Maryland” Trail Challenge encourages everyone to get outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, and be active in 2026. Visit your nearest park, or explore the state to discover new-to-you Maryland parks. The challenge is a great way to explore Maryland, also known as “America in Miniature,” and to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Teams and hikers who register for the Miles for Maryland Trail Challenge and pay a $25 fee will receive a keepsake item. Those who hike 250 miles in Maryland State Parks in 2026 are eligible for a prize drawing. Those who submit photos with their mileage reports will be entered for additional monthly prize drawings. Registration does not cover park entry – fees may apply.
First Day Hikes Invite Marylanders to Kick Off 2026
Staff at Greenbrier State Park welcome guests during the 2025 First Day Hikes. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.
Maryland State Parks will offer First Day Hike opportunities across the state from December 31, 2025 through January 2, 2026. Hikes are held in every region of Maryland. Visitors can find a First Day Hikes event near them on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks that encourages all 50 states to offer outdoor hiking opportunities to begin each year.
This annual tradition offers a fantastic way to reconnect with nature, get some fresh air, and celebrate the start of a new year. This year began with more than 5,200 visitors across Maryland braving the wind and cold to join the fun. With more than 50 different First Day Hike options being offered across the entire state of Maryland, there is truly something for everyone. Read more…
Maryland Deer Firearms Season Resumes January 9, 2026
Winter hunt offers last opportunity to bag deer with conventional firearms in the 2025-2026 season
Photo by Sizhu Liu, submitted to the 2019 Maryland DNR Photo Contest
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will open the winter firearm deer hunting season on Jan. 9, 2026 in Deer Management Region B, which includes all of the state except the westernmost counties. Hunters with a valid hunting license, or those exempt from the license requirement, may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this season.
The season is open Jan. 9-10 in all of Region B. The season is also open Sunday, Jan. 11 on private and designated public lands in Cecil, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, and on private lands only in Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Washington (Zone 1) counties. Shooting hours end at 10:30 a.m. in Kent, Montgomery, Talbot, and Wicomico counties. Read more…
Maryland Hunters Take 27,620 Deer During Two-Week Firearms Season
Harvest decreased about 10% compared to last year’s total
Photo by Brendan Wolf, submitted to the Maryland DNR 2018 Photo Contest.
Maryland hunters reported harvesting 27,620 deer during the two-week firearm season from Nov. 29 through Dec. 13.
The firearms season harvest was 10.4% lower than last year’s official count of 30,833 deer but only 3% lower than the five-year average of 28,467 deer. The deer harvest fluctuates from year to year due to a variety of factors such as weather, natural food availability, diseases, hunter effort, and overall deer population size. Read more…
Maryland DNR Provides Guidance Concerning Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), an airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds, is found sporadically in the state’s wild bird populations, especially waterfowl, raptors, and black vultures (pictured above). Photo by by Michael Dwyer, submitted to the 2023 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
Early indicators suggest the coming months could be active for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in wild birds again this year. Avian influenza, often called “bird flu,” is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds. While once considered rare in Maryland, the virus is now being detected more commonly in the state’s wild bird populations, especially waterfowl, raptors, and black vultures. Risk to human health is considered low, but people who may handle or encounter wild birds should take common precautions to protect themselves and help limit the spread of this virus. Read more…
Fins, Fur, and Feather: Maryland’s Destination Species Draw Anglers and Hunters From Afar
Maryland’s history and tradition of waterfowl hunting is as rich as anywhere in the nation. In fact, Maryland’s General Assembly passed the first state law concerning waterfowl hunting in 1833. Maryland DNR photo.
Each year, anglers, hunters, and other wildlife enthusiasts flock to remote areas of the United States in pursuit of regional species for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Many are familiar with the classics: Bull elk hunting in the Rockies, casting for elusive tarpon in the Florida Keys, and searching for ducks along the Mississippi Flyway. Each of these locations have a bona fide tourism industry that centers on the prized game it offers.
Maryland offers its own standout opportunities for destination hunters and anglers. Read more…
Department of Natural Resources Offering Free Environmental Seminars for Marina Operators in January
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
Marina, boatyard, and yacht club operators are invited to attend a free seminar in January 2026 to learn about best practices to protect our waters and how to earn a Maryland Clean Marina designation.
Seminars will also present results from the department’s 2025 Maryland Marina Survey, resiliency tools for marina, and offer free education and training materials for marinas and boatyards. Read more…
Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Program Surpasses 1.5 Million Trees Planted
More than 555,330 Added in FY2025 Toward 2031 Goal
Gov. Wes Moore and First Lady Dawn Moore help plant trees with Maryland Conservation Corps members during a tree planting in April 2025 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Maryland DNR photo
Maryland’s 5 Million Trees program has reached more than 1.5 million native trees planted, marking a major milestone and reflecting strong momentum toward reaching the state’s ambitious goal of planting 5 million trees by 2031.
More than 555,330 trees were planted in Fiscal Year 2025, according to a new annual report prepared for the Maryland General Assembly. Plantings done by organizations and individuals other than the state were more than 5 times higher than the year before as many more Marylanders reported their tree plantings on the website. Read more…
Board of Public Works Approves $13.2 Million for Parks and Land Conservation in Baltimore City and Nine Maryland Counties
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local and Rural Legacy programs, and to support local recreation communication boards
Carroll County will acquire an easement on 23 acres in the Upper Patapsco Rural Legacy Area that protects some of the county’s most productive farmland and forested buffers along a stream that flows to the Liberty Reservoir, a source of drinking water for the area for the metropolitan Baltimore area.
The Board of Public Works today approved $13.2 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments and land trusts for parks and land conservation in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Kent, Wicomico counties. NOTE: This release was updated to add an approved project that was accidentally excluded.
About $10.3 million in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for nine projects including five in Baltimore City. The city will use the approximately $9 million in Program Open Space – Local funds to construct a multipurpose sports field at Clifton Park; design a maintenance facility to replace one at Carroll Park; renovate tennis courts at Druid Hill Park; replace the roof, windows, and doors of the field house at Wilber H. Water Park; and for general maintenance and operations throughout the park system.
Baltimore County will use approximately $400,000 in funds to acquire one acre for a new park in the Liberty Road Corridor. Frederick County will construct a new storage shed for Eyler Road Park in Thurmont. Harford County will acquire three acres that will expand Cedar Lane Park. Wicomico County will purchase field lighting for Winterplace Park.
A total of $12,000 in funding was approved for recreation communication boards at four Anne Arundel County locations: Bachman Sports Complex, Solley Park, Bodkin Park and Green Haven Park. These boards will improve play area accessibility by displaying photos, symbols, or illustrations to enable individuals with limited language skills to communicate.
Additionally, the Board approved $2.6 million in Rural Legacy funding for four conservation easement acquisitions: Read more…
Marylanders Asked to Stay Alert For Cold-Stunned Aquatic Wildlife
Lethargic sea turtles and marine mammals should be reported to 800-628-9944
Kemp’s Ridley turtle on Assateague Island. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks those visiting the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic coast to be vigilant of sea turtles who exhibit signs of cold-stunning, a condition that causes animals to become debilitated and experience hypothermia-like symptoms due to prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.
Cold-stunning typically occurs in late autumn and early winter when water temperatures begin to fall or when temperatures drop rapidly in a 24-hour period. Lethargic and unresponsive animals can be a danger to themselves and potentially to boaters. Cold-stunning can ultimately be lethal to certain species. Read more…