Department Helps Research Invasive Predator Among wild creatures with strange legends attached to their name, the northern snakehead is said by some to be a fish that walks. The truth is this unwanted invasive species does move on land, if not by actually walking – and figuring out how they do it has captured the Read the Rest…
Additional Hunting Opportunities Begin Jan. 5 in Region B The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the winter portion of the firearm deer hunting season opens Jan. 5 in Deer Management Region B, which includes all the state but its westernmost counties. Hunters with a valid hunting license may use firearms to harvest Read the Rest…
New Approach to Digital Communications Garners National Honor The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is proud to announce that Communications Director Stephen Schatz and Design and Publications Manager Lauren Mitchell were among several nationwide recipients of the 2017 Granicus Digital Strategy Awards. The awards were given to several federal, state and local entities in the Read the Rest…
Honors Showalter Tree Farm’s 40 Years of Quality Forest Management Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forester Rob Prenger recently presented Sally Marker-Showalter of Showalter Tree Farm in Owings Mills with the 2017 Baltimore County Tree Farm of the Year Award. The Showalter family won this year’s county award in recognition of the dedication and commitment Read the Rest…
A West Virginia man was convicted Tuesday in Allegany County Circuit Court of setting three fires earlier this year that damaged 57 acres in Green Ridge State Forest. Brian Chad Twigg, 20, of Paw Paw, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree malicious burning, a felony. He was sentenced to four years in prison, with Read the Rest…
Joint Department, University Team Develops Nutrient Monitoring Plan The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and Maryland Department of Natural Resources have been named one of five winners of a $10,000 Stage 1 Prize in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge. UMCES and Maryland Department of Natural Resources worked Read the Rest…
Nonprofit Recognized for Partnership in Natural Resources Mission The Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission recently awarded the Harford County-based Susquehannock Wildlife Society the Maryland Conservationist of the Year award. The local nonprofit was recognized for accomplishments in conservation, education, research and restoration, and for the group’s partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and others in Read the Rest…
Maryland is abundant with natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources that contribute significantly to our economy and quality of life. My administration is committed to doing everything we can to expand opportunities for our citizens and visitors to appreciate all that our state has to offer, and to create and grow economic opportunities for all Read the Rest…
For the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, winter is anything but the “offseason.” Our state offers a wide range of outdoor recreation for all seasons. In this edition of the Maryland Natural Resource, our experts discuss some true winter activities: snowmobiling and ice-fishing. These sound like things you hear about in the frozen north, but Read the Rest…
Maryland boasts plenty of outdoor winter activities! Our experts offer tips on how to stay safe while ice fishing and snowmobiling.
This edition’s recipe is a Dorchester County specialty.
The call comes in late in the afternoon, as the park office is about to close for the day. On the other end of the line, a frantic mother exclaims that her son is hours past his expected arrival home from his routine hike through New Germany State Park. The park ranger on duty takes Read the Rest…
Kentucky has Daniel Boone. Davy Crockett was born on a mountaintop in Tennessee. Thanks to the literary ability of Meshach (pronounced MEE-shak) Browning, Maryland has its own early-American frontier legend, whose tales have captivated audiences for 158 years. Today, the famous rifle of our state’s most celebrated hunter is among early American items displayed in Read the Rest…
Each year, millions of visitors from throughout the United States come to enjoy the famous beach in Ocean City, Maryland. Most have no idea that the prime attraction of this tourism hot spot is actually a project engineered to protect the city from powerful coastal storms and hurricanes.
Aldo Leopold, a well-known environmental ethicist, once penned, “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” Since conservation is at the very core of our charge here at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, we are required to have a profound understanding of our ever-changing natural world and the impact of mankind upon Read the Rest…
Vulnerable, yet often still powerful, injured birds of prey pose many challenges to would-be rescuers. Whether it is a struggling bald eagle whose water-logged feathers prevent it from lifting off from a river or an osprey left dazed after flying into a plate-glass window, raptors are great forces of nature, capable of striking with formidable Read the Rest…
If you are like most Marylanders, you probably already have a general understanding of recycling and why it is important. Charged with protecting the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland’s population is particularly engaged in environmental issues. It is no surprise, then, that recycling has increasingly become the norm here, with recycling rates climbing from less than 20 Read the Rest…
Please enjoy scrolling through the top picks from our annual contest.; this year’s pool included approximately 1,500 photos from 295 participants.
When Kim Hernandez moved to the East Coast after graduating from the University of Kansas, she became known among her Atlantic coast peers as “the girl from Kansas who’s going to save the oceans.” Although she grew up in the landlocked Midwest, Hernandez wasn’t isolated from the water. She frequented the Gulf of Mexico while Read the Rest…
This fishing report will close out 2017, but there are plenty of fishing opportunities for all regions of Maryland through the winter. The preseason stocking of trout has begun and will pick up pace in January and February. Yellow perch are moving into the upper reaches of the tidal rivers while crappie, chain pickerel, catfish Read the Rest…
Somers Cove Marina Executive Director Tom Schisler Recognized at Board of Public Works Governor Larry Hogan recognized Maryland Department of Natural Resources employee Tom Schisler today with a Customer Service Heroes Award. Schisler, executive director of Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield, was honored for enhancing customer service and improving facility maintenance at the state-managed marina. Read the Rest…
Breton Bay and St. Mary’s River Selected for Large-Scale Restoration; State Pledges Investment in Manokin, Nanticoke and Severn Sanctuaries The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced a comprehensive plan on oyster restoration, including its intention to recommend Breton Bay and the upper St. Mary’s River as the fourth and fifth tributaries to satisfy the state’s Read the Rest…
Winery Donates 347-Acre Conservation Easement The Maryland Environmental Trust and the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy permanently protected 347 acres of Cecil County farmland and forestland along Route 213, the Chesapeake Country National Scenic Byway. Chateau Bu-De donated a conservation easement to protect the land surrounding its winery. The newly protected land was once part of Read the Rest…
Federal, State and Local Partners Move on Critical Navigation and Environmental Projects The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is starting work on two critical projects to benefit Smith Island residents — a navigation improvement project at Rhodes Point that includes the construction of two jetties, and dredging the Big Thorofare and Twitch Cove Read the Rest…
Sunday Hunting Contributed to Total Maryland hunters reported taking 34,412 deer during the state’s most popular hunt, the two-week firearm season. The total was similar to last year’s official harvest of 35,002. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported that more than 4,000 deer were taken on the two Sundays during the season, more than 10 percent of Read the Rest…
Winter’s grasp on the Maryland landscape is steadily getting tighter and windows of mild weather are becoming less frequent. This week high winds could make for a tough time on open water. If you do go out, be careful and wear your life jacket. Trolling along deep channel edges in the upper Chesapeake Bay region Read the Rest…
Over 300,000 Fish Being Raised for Stocking The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will begin preseason stocking for the spring 2018 trout season as early as the end of December. The early trout stocking will now include several impoundments that will receive their annual allotments in a single stocking, which will provide greater fishing opportunities Read the Rest…
Department Seeks Local Proposals to Enhance Resiliency and Sustainability Local communities and nonprofits are invited to apply for funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to prepare for coastal flooding, storms and other climate-related impacts, and to enhance community resiliency and sustainability through natural, nature-based and green infrastructure. New this year, local entities may also apply for design Read the Rest…
Celebrate 2018 in Maryland’s Parks and Public Lands The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to welcome in the New Year with a First Day Hike! Maryland Park Service rangers, staff and volunteers will lead more than 30 hikes on public lands and state parks New Year’s Day, as part of a nationwide event sponsored Read the Rest…
New Interagency Platform Enhances Renewal Process As part of Governor Larry Hogan’s Customer Service Promise to provide government services in an accessible and convenient manner, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that Maryland boat owners can now renew their vessel registration online. The new digital platform can be accessed through the department’s online Read the Rest…
Joint Police Investigation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service A man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to two counts of illegally transporting protected wildlife in a case investigated by federal agents and the Maryland Natural Resources Police. William Carl Bartlett, 65, of Eastpoint, Florida faces a maximum prison term of two years and a Read the Rest…
Second Half of Season Runs Until Dec. 30 The second portion of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season is set to open Dec. 16. Hunters who possess a valid hunting license and a muzzleloader stamp from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources may use muzzleloading firearms to hunt white-tailed and sika deer during the season, which concludes Dec. 30. “Muzzleloader hunting Read the Rest…
Pilot Project Supports Chesapeake Bay Restoration The Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration announced the start of a new stream restoration project along Gramies Run, a tributary of the Elk River in Cecil County. The multiagency pilot project, designed to Read the Rest…
Easement Covers 232 Acres of Countryside Farm and Forest Land The Maryland Environmental Trust, partnering with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, has permanently protected 232 acres of farm and forest land along Maryland Route 33, known as the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway. Gannon Family, LLC granted a conservation easement on what is locally called “Lee Read the Rest…
The striped bass fishing community always anticipates the possible appearance of large fall migrant striped bass in our portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The fall migration was late this year, but the first confirmed report came in over the weekend — so there is hope for anglers wishing to catch a trophy-sized striped bass before Read the Rest…
Board of Public Works Approves Department of Natural Resources Items The Board of Public Works unanimously approved a series of Maryland Department of Natural Resources items providing dedicated funding to Baltimore City, allocating $7.6 million for 11 different city and community projects. The portfolio includes funding from Program Open Space Local, the Baltimore City Direct Read the Rest…
Cite Four Dirt Bikers with Illegal Operation A Dorchester County man was charged with multiple counts of illegal oystering during a joint operation between Maryland Natural Resources Police officers on the ground and Natural 1, the department’s recently reacquired helicopter. Jody Daniel Jackson, 18, of East New Market, was spotted harvesting oysters with a power Read the Rest…
A Maryland Natural Resources Police K-9 unit tracked a trespassing Pennsylvania man from his truck to a tree stand on public land in Kent County, where he was charged with illegal hunting. Kevin Lee King, 21, of Gordonville, received a citation Nov. 18 for hunting without written permission and was issued written warnings for failing Read the Rest…
A Watershed Year for the Chesapeake Bay When this year began, I knew it held great promise for the future of our most precious natural resource and treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland is committed to protecting and restoring the nation’s largest estuary, and I’m pleased to say this year we’ve seen strong signs of progress.
Western Maryland Harvest Sees Jump; Junior Hunt Weekend Also Successful Hunters reported harvesting 13,514 deer on the opening weekend of the 2017 Maryland firearm season, the state’s most popular hunting season. The total includes 6,242 antlered and 7,272 antlerless deer, with sika deer comprising 201 of the antlered and 188 of the antlerless totals.
Water temperatures in Maryland continue to drop as the weather turns colder. In many areas, fish are seeking out warmer temperatures found in deeper waters. The tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay are seeing surface water temperatures in the mid-40s while the bay itself is around 50 degrees. The upper bay region has been providing Read the Rest…
New Expected Start Date in October 2018 Planned campground construction and improvements at Assateague State Park have been rescheduled to begin in October 2018. The project plans to relocate campgrounds roads and shore up eroding sand dunes, resulting in a more sustainable beach with stronger dunes that can protect the park’s amenities and campgrounds.
Two Anne Arundel County marinas earned Maryland Clean Marina awards after passing a voluntary evaluation and inspection by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Horn Point Harbor in Annapolis and Pleasure Cove Marina in Pasadena both met the criteria checklist, bringing the total number of Maryland Clean Marinas and Partners to 152.
Annual Contest Taking Submissions until Feb. 2 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Forest Conservancy District Boards invites all Maryland fifth-graders in private and public schools to participate in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest. The theme for 2018 is “Trees Are Terrific…and Make Communities Healthy!” All entries need to be delivered to a Maryland Forest Service office by noon Feb. 2, Read the Rest…
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Focuses on Water Quality; Local Governments and Nonprofits Encouraged to Submit Letters by Jan. 19 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. Through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Read the Rest…
Extremely strong winds last weekend made for a tough time fishing on the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and kept most boats at the dock. Along with that, a lot of boats were taken from the water and put to sleep for the winter months, now parked and covered in boatyards and backyards. That Read the Rest…
In high winds and rough seas, Maryland Natural Resources Police officers and local first responders performed a dramatic rescue of a boater in medical distress Thursday in the Chesapeake Bay. An emergency call by a marine towing company at about 6 p.m. triggered an all-out response to assist a 63-year-old Stevensville man aboard a sailboat Read the Rest…
State’s Most Popular Hunting Season Starts Nov. 25 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the two-week firearm deer season opens Nov. 25 and runs through Dec. 9. Hunters may use firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this hunting season. “The two-week firearms season is our most popular hunting opportunity in the Read the Rest…
Chester River Association, Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, and Sassafras River Association officially announced today the merger of their three organizations to form ShoreRivers, a new nonprofit dedicated to healthy waterways across the upper and middle Eastern Shore.
New Office Creates “One-Stop Shop” for Customers Delivering on the Hogan administration’s Customer Service Promise, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Secretary Jim Ports today joined Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Assistant Secretary Allan Fisher and Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration Administrator (MVA) Christine E. Nizer in officially unveiling a combined service Read the Rest…
