From record participation in First Day Hikes to record water clarity in the Chesapeake Bay, 2016 was a banner year for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Here is a chronological rundown of some our “new” records:
Submit Original Work by April 21 Artists are invited to submit their original works for the annual Maryland Black Bear Conservation and Migratory Game Bird stamp design contests. These popular contests are open until April 21.
Poaching and impaired driving cases highlight recent enforcement actions by Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Additional Hunting Opportunities in Most Counties The winter portion of the firearm deer hunting season opens Jan. 6 in Deer Management Region B, which includes all but the westernmost Maryland counties. Hunters with a valid hunting license may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during that period. Additionally, hunters in Caroline County may Read the Rest…
Arbor Day Poster Contest Entries Can Win Tree Plantings The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Forest Conservancy District Boards invites all Maryland fifth-graders to participate in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest. The theme for 2017 is “Trees Are Terrific…and Energy Wise!” All entries need to be delivered to a state forest service office by Feb. 24.
Deer poaching dominated recent cases handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Board of Public Works Approves of New Sites in Cecil and Queen Anne’s Counties The Board of Public Works unanimously approved funds today to assist the Maryland Department of Natural Resources expand public access to waterways in Cecil and Queen Anne’s counties. Both Program Open Space projects will be managed as part of existing Maryland Park Service Read the Rest…
He’s an angler, hunter and general outdoorsman but for a living, he raises babies—baby fish that is. Marshall Brown and his team care for hundreds of thousands of trout each and every year in the state’s hatcheries, where eggs are raised through adulthood in order to stock waters throughout Maryland. Without stocking, some fish species Read the Rest…
As a border slave state that remained loyal to the Union, the State of Maryland played a key role in the American Civil War, one of our nation’s most important and bloody conflicts. The Old Line State saw many of the same political and social conflicts over slavery, secession and states’ rights that played out Read the Rest…
It was nearly noon and bitterly cold on the second day of a new year when the state cell phone, affectionately called the bat phone, indicated an incoming call. One might ask who would be fishing on a day like this and the answer is simple: Maryland anglers! The Department of Natural Resources maintains a Read the Rest…
Much has happened with deer management in Maryland during the nearly 20 years since White-tailed Deer, Another Perspective first appeared in the Natural Resource magazine. At the time the article was written, deer were rapidly increasing in number and the problems associated with overpopulation were escalating.
When visitors think of Maryland, they tend to picture a small state split by the Chesapeake Bay with mountains to the left and flat marshes to the right. They may also imagine a densely-populated state smack dab in the middle of the great Northeast Corridor, home to the urbanized belt running between Baltimore and Washington, Read the Rest…
In Charles County—only an hour drive from the nation’s capital—is a place unlike any other in the country. Emergent at low tide, the withering remains of more than 100 World War I steamships rest in a shallow embayment on the Maryland side of the Potomac River: the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay.
Department Seeks Public Comment The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on the proposed fiscal year 2018 work plans for the following state forests: Chesapeake/Pocomoke, Green Ridge, Potomac-Garrett and Savage River. The comment period concludes Feb. 2. Annual work plans help the department identify priorities within the scope of the forests’ long-range management. Read the Rest…
Eight Acres Will Be Restored Using Aged Mixed Shell From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, resumed the construction of oyster reef in the Tred Avon River Oyster Sanctuary in Talbot County, Dec. 14, 2016. The Corps awarded an approximately $1-million contract Sept. 26, 2016, Read the Rest…
29 Guided Hikes Scheduled at 27 Maryland State Parks All are invited to kick-off the New Year with an invigorating First Day Hike at a nearby state park, as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources – once again – takes part in the national New Year’s Day event of outdoor exploration and recreation. A record-breaking Read the Rest…
Sunday Hunting Contributed to 12 Percent Increase Maryland hunters reported taking 35,078 deer during the state’s most popular hunt, the two-week firearm season. The total was 12 percent greater than last year’s harvest of 31,304. Fair weather and a reduced harvest in September and October contributed to the increase. Over 4,300 deer were taken on Read the Rest…
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Seeks to Fund Local Projects The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites local governments and nonprofit organizations to apply for funding to help restore the Chesapeake Bay and improve water quality. The department is seeking to fund community projects aimed at mitigating and reducing nonpoint source pollution caused Read the Rest…
Stopping a scheme to defraud the state and nabbing a man who shot at a deer decoy highlighted recent enforcement activities by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Second Portion Runs Dec. 17-31 The second portion of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season is set to reopen Dec.17 through Dec. 31. Hunters who possess a valid hunting license and a Muzzleloader Stamp may use muzzleloading firearms to hunt white-tailed and sika deer during the season. Hunters are reminded that the sika deer season is now open Read the Rest…
Family-Owned Smith’s Marina Earns Statewide Recognition Smith’s Marina in Crownsville has been certified as the newest Maryland Clean Marina by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Anne Arundel County business located on the Severn River earned the recognition after adopting practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, meeting all department and environmental requirements, and Read the Rest…
Illegal deer hunting topped the cases handled in recent days by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Grant Funding Available to Enhance Resiliency and Sustainability Local communities have an opportunity to apply for funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to help them prepare for climate and weather-related changes and incidents, including flooding and storm events, as well as expand their use of ‘green’ infrastructure to increase community resiliency and sustainability.
30 Years of Private and Public Sector Experience The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced the appointment of William C. Anderson as assistant secretary for aquatic resources. In this capacity, Anderson will oversee the units responsible for boating, fishing and water quality monitoring as well as the Power Plant Research Program.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources sent more than a dozen firefighters to battle wildfires this fall in the Southern United States. Crews and three fire engines just returned after serving in Georgia and North Carolina. Answering the call to service were 10 firefighters from the Maryland Forest Service, one from the Maryland Park Service, Read the Rest…
Illegal deer hunting topped the cases handled in recent days by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
24 Percent Harvest Increase Aided by Good Weather Sunday Hunters reported harvesting 13,488 deer on the opening weekend of the 2016 Maryland firearm season, the state’s most popular hunting season. The harvest represents a 24 percent increase over last year’s estimate of 10,859 for the same period. The total includes 6,159 antlered and 7,329 antlerless Read the Rest…
Department Urges Residents to Report Uncommon Marine Animals Following a recent stranding of a manatee in Baltimore County, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds state residents to report any sightings of uncommon marine mammals and wildlife, including dolphins, manatees, sea turtles or whales. The public can report sightings and strandings anytime to 800-628-9944.
State and Stakeholders Committed to Enhancing Facility Over the last several months, a variety of stakeholders have begun discussions with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources regarding implementation of the 2015 Maryland Horse Park System Study, which recommended Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area as an ideal equestrian field event venue. The interest was prompted Read the Rest…
App Provides All the Information and Services Outdoor Enthusiasts Need on the Go The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is pleased to be among the winners recently announced in the 2016 MarCom Awards competition. The department’s AccessDNR mobile app was awarded the Platinum MarCom Award, the competition’s highest honor, in the “App for Information” category.
Natural 1 to Complement Conservation and Enforcement Efforts With deer hunting season and oyster harvesting reaching their peaks, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has added a new conservation enforcement tool to its fleet: its own helicopter. The black-and-gold aircraft, Natural 1, has resumed its place after a seven-year absence on the department’s roster.
Deer Poacher Pleads Guilty Maryland Natural Resources Police officers secured a guilty verdict in a highly publicized deer poaching case and charged a banned oysterman with new violations in recent days.
Did you know that you can harvest fresh Maryland oysters right from the Chesapeake Bay in time for Thanksgiving dinner? It’s true; the recreational oyster harvest season is now underway and Maryland residents can harvest up to one bushel of oysters a day each day now through March 31, 2017.
Firefighters Spent Weekend Battling Blazes With this fall’s high winds and dry foliage, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources advises citizens to use caution in outdoor fire activities and postpone unnecessary open-air burnings. Wildfires occur in every month in Maryland but generally peak in the spring and fall.
Most Popular Hunting Season Runs Nov. 26-Dec. 10 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the two-week firearm deer season opens Nov. 26 and runs through Dec. 10. Hunters may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this season.
Wetlands Created to Control Stormwater Runoff The Maryland Department of Natural Resources joined Queen Anne’s County High School students Nov. 14 to plant 65 trees at the Centreville school. The department funded the project with a $44,000 grant from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
Mayor Michael Pantelides announced that the South River Federation is restoring a stream on Annapolis Conservation property, off of Bywater Road, that will provide for approximately 1,500 linear feet of stream stabilization.
Department Acquisition Opens Up Trout Fishery The Board of Public Works unanimously approved today the Maryland Department of Natural Resources acquisition of 6.5 acres in Washington County, which will secure public fishing access to Beaver Creek, a tributary to Antietam Creek.
Largest Graduation Class in Police History Friends and family gathered at The John Carroll School in Harford County Saturday for the Maryland Natural Resources Police Training Academy’s 58th Basic Recruit Class Graduation Ceremony. The class was the largest in police history, with 27 graduates.
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced a new initiative that will help improve and strengthen pollinator health and habitat. Approximately 200 acres of BGE’s electric rights-of-way (ROW) located in Maryland state parks that are currently maintained by routine mowing will be allowed to transition to meadow Read the Rest…
Deer and striped bass poaching cases topped the cases handled in recent days by the officers of the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Working Waterfront Awareness Project Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides announced the Maritime Summit, which brought together more than 100 Annapolis area maritime and marine businesses, was a huge success.
Maryland’s Most Popular Waterfowl Season Maryland’s migratory Atlantic Population Canada goose hunting season runs Nov. 19-25, and again from Dec. 16, 2016 through Feb. 4, 2017. The daily bag limit is two geese per day in this Canada Goose Hunting Zone.
Managed Goose Hunt at Broadford Lake The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today a new waterfowl hunting opportunity at Broadford Lake in Garrett County. The managed hunting opportunity complements the existing goose hunting program at Deep Creek Lake. The two hunts are by permit and reservation only during select days (Nov. 21-23). Interested hunters can Read the Rest…
Turkey Numbers Similar to Last Year The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that hunters harvested fewer deer during the early hunting season compared with last year. Maryland hunters wrapped up the early portion of the archery and muzzleloader deer seasons by harvesting an estimated 19,859 deer in September and October, a 14 percent Read the Rest…
Capture Aided by Newest K-9 Officer The Maryland Natural Resources Police handled illegal fishing and hunting cases in recent days.
Adult Mentors Pass on Hunting Safety and Ethics The Maryland Department of Natural Resources encourages experienced hunters to introduce youth to the time-honored sporting tradition this month during two Junior Deer Hunt Days. The days will be held Nov. 12 on public and private land in all counties, and Nov. 13 on private land in Read the Rest…
Illegal hunting and striped bass poaching cases highlighted enforcement actions taken recently by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. A Charles County man and a juvenile were charged Friday night with illegal deer hunting after a resident reported hearing shots near his home.
Maximum Age to Participate Increased to 16 Years Old Young Marylanders can hone their hunting skills with the help of an experienced adult during two Youth Waterfowl Hunt Days Nov. 5 and Feb. 11, 2017. Those 16 years of age or younger may hunt ducks, geese, mergansers and coots on public and private land these two Read the Rest…
A Lusby man who operated a wildlife rehabilitation facility was found guilty Thursday in Calvert County District Court on two counts of illegal drug possession and one count of practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
