History, Nature and Free Fishing Offered Throughout the Old Line State It’s our nation’s birthday and the Maryland Park Service is ready to celebrate. Maryland’s rich history and natural beauty is on display throughout the park system and many of the events planned this weekend provide a perfect way to enjoy Independence Day with the Read the Rest…
Today the Chesapeake Bay Trust in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the City of Baltimore Office of Sustainability announce $843,486 in funding for the Chesapeake Bay Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns Grant Program.
For many it seems hard to believe that the 4th of July holiday is upon us, for others it probably seemed like it would never get here. One thing is for certain, the kids are out of school and ready to have some vacation adventures with their parents or smaller outings which are often more Read the Rest…
Industry, Scientists and Stakeholders Approve Plan Following weeks of scientific review and discussion among key stakeholders, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is making modest but important changes to the commercial harvesting of Chesapeake Bay female hard crabs later this season. Harvesting will close Nov. 20, and bushel levels for the month of November will Read the Rest…
Public Comment on Project Accepted Until July 7 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District has opened a public comment period ending July 7 for an environmental assessment for a navigation improvement project at Rhodes Point in collaboration with Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Somerset County. The Corps’ Baltimore District proposes to realign Read the Rest…
Maryland Natural Resources Secretary and Mayor Help Dedicate 64th Street Boat Ramp Maryland Governor Larry Hogan joined Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton and Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan today to officially open the public 64th Street Boat Ramp. This free facility, located at the base of the water tower, is operational 24/7, Read the Rest…
Focus on Development, Diversity, Outreach, Research and Training The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Morgan State University, a doctoral public urban research university in Baltimore City, signed a new educational agreement today that seeks to promote collaborative research, community outreach, economic development and opportunity, and workforce training. This first-of-its-kind agreement between the two state institutions was signed Read the Rest…
Dissolved oxygen conditions in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay mainstem were near average in early June.
As we all know Sunday was Father’s Day, and sons and daughters made every effort to be with dad and to share in some time together. Dads usually get to pick what they wish to do on Father’s Day, and when they team up with their sons and daughters it is a heartwarming sight to Read the Rest…
Team Honored for Creating First Regional Ocean Action Plan A team of ocean experts, including Gwynne Schultz of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, received the prestigious Peter Benchley Ocean Award for more than three years’ work developing the first Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Action Plan. Schultz, director of the Office of Coastal and Ocean Management, Read the Rest…
It’s hard to imagine a time when there were no state parks. Most of Maryland’s were created between 1945-1975, though even by 1960 there still weren’t very many. Under the direction of Gov. J. Millard Tawes, the state began acquiring property and creating several new sites.
In the United States, we are fortunate to have access to vast public lands, from local parks and state-managed assets to national monuments and other cultural sites for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. The Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone. These household names instantly call to mind dramatic, inspiring and somehow familiar Read the Rest…
What IS that?!” an Advanced Placement biology student from Broadneck High School exclaims, squinting into the microscope eyepiece. “Ooooh…” squeals another. “Check out this thing! It looks like a segmented hair, but it’s totally moving on its own!” This can only mean one thing: it’s plankton identification lab time at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary!
Sharks are an important component of Maryland’s marine and estuarine ecosystems, and some are highly sought-after as gamefish. There are four main areas where anglers actively pursue sharks in Maryland: the Atlantic coast surf, nearshore Atlantic waters, offshore Atlantic waters and the Coastal Bays. This article provides a primer on how to responsibly fish for Read the Rest…
Where are the fish? It is an age-old question Chesapeake Bay anglers ask when searching countless tidal creeks, rivers and bays stretching over 4,500 square miles and averaging 21 feet deep. We all understand that fish are influenced by food, shelter and water conditions. So where do we find this information? The answer is just Read the Rest…
Welcome to Somers Cove in Crisfield, Maryland—the largest single marina on the Chesapeake Bay and the only one owned and operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources! We offer 515 magnificent slips that can accommodate boats up to 150 feet, as well as the best fuel prices and least expensive, annual, semiannual and transient Read the Rest…
Republished with permission from Herald-Mail Media. Visitors at Williamsport’s Riverbottom Park might be doing a double-take once the National Park Service completes its next multimillion-dollar attraction next to the Cushwa Basin.
The warm days of late spring and early summer provide many opportunities throughout the state’s natural areas to see a wide variety of blooming flowers, shrubs, trees and vines. From the low-lying coastal plains to the rocky meadows in the mountains, Maryland is in full bloom. Unfortunately, within these diverse and colorful landscapes, scientists and Read the Rest…
Few people would consider allowing a family member or friend to ride on the hood of their moving car. Yet every summer, boat operators permit their passengers to ride on the bow—legs dangling over the front—or perch along the sides, or sit on the stern. The practice, called bow riding, is dangerous and sometimes deadly. Read the Rest…
It all started with a phone call over the weekend this past January. There was a small deer—most likely a button buck—roaming the Bel Air neighborhood of Glenwood with a clear plastic jug stuck on its head.
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers on surveillance at the Nanticoke River Oyster Sanctuary charged a Wicomico County man with illegal harvesting and public health violations.
Department Program Assists Planning for Coastal Hazards The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will provide $125,000 total to three communities to reduce the impact of tidal flooding. These competitive Community Resiliency Grants will help local governments prepare for weather-related hazards, including flooding, sea level rise and storm events. CoastSmart Communities is a department program dedicated to Read the Rest…
Reenactments Highlight Historic Weekend June 24-25 Fort Frederick State Park invites Marylanders to experience what life was like at the fort during the American Revolution, as it presents “To Garrison the Fort” June 24 – 25. Living historians and members of the Maryland Independent Rifle Company will demonstrate hearth cooking, military drills, musket firings, and Read the Rest…
Department of Natural Resources Offers Funds for Improved Access to Open Spaces The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting grant applications from cities and towns seeking to build, enhance or rehabilitate local parks and playgrounds. Funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program can be used to restore existing areas and features or to develop and expand Read the Rest…
Despite increased water releases at the Conowingo Dam in the past week, water temperatures in the lower river area are climbing into the mid 70s this week. Fishing for channel and flathead catfish near the dam pool and the lower river has been very good.
18 Maryland Counties Receive Waterway Improvement Fund Grants The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $10.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to improve public boating access and navigation throughout the state. Passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Larry Hogan, this critical funding will go toward 49 projects in 18 counties from Allegany Read the Rest…
Lexington Park Resident Sets Standard with 8.27-Pound Catch The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed a St. Mary’s County man has set a new state fishing record for white catfish. The fish was recognized as a game fish a few years ago, but until now nobody had broken the seven-pound minimum weight to be eligible for state Read the Rest…
“Es Mi Parque” Engages and Serves State Park Visitors The Maryland Department of Natural Resources kicked off a new citizen outreach program, “Es Mi Parque,” or “This is My Park,” designed to better serve the growing Hispanic population at state parks throughout Maryland. The first outreach event of 2017 took place June 10 at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.
A Dundalk man was found guilty Thursday in district court of stealing Maryland state park passes and waterfowl hunting stamps, and selling them online. Charles Edward Ruddlesden Jr., 22, was sentenced to 90 days in the Baltimore County Detention Center and was ordered to pay $150 in restitution to the state.
Signs New Executive Order Promoting Outdoor Learning For Maryland Youth Governor Larry Hogan is renewing Maryland’s commitment to environmental education to ensure that every child in Maryland has the opportunity to learn about their local environment, develop a connection with nature, and have a better sense of place in their natural surroundings. The governor today Read the Rest…
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Awards $21.54 Million to 18 Local Projects Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has awarded funding to 18 recipients through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to improve the health of Maryland’s waterways. The Trust Fund directs critical grant funding to the most cost-effective and efficient Read the Rest…
The weather forecast looks very promising for this coming weekend. For those looking for some family fun, there could hardly be anything better than participating in one of Maryland’s free fishing days, or going to one of many other children’s fishing events also being held this Saturday.
460-Acre Parcel Set to Become Bohemia River State Park The Board of Public Works today unanimously approved a Maryland Department of Natural Resources item to acquire 460 acres in Cecil County for the future development of a new state park. The new water-access site, located near Chesapeake City, will complement existing Maryland Park Service properties in the Read the Rest…
A Charles County man was arrested on criminal assault charges after anglers on Middletown Branch complained that he fired on them. The victims told Maryland Natural Resources Police officers that they were bowfishing at about 10:30 p.m. May 13, when a man began yelling obscenities at them and shining a light on them. They then Read the Rest…
Annual Event Takes Place June 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can experience what life would have been like in the 18th Century by taking part in Colonial Children’s Day June 3 at Fort Frederick State Park. Youngsters, ages 8 to 12 years old, can participate in pastimes offered by the Maryland Park Service, with games Read the Rest…
Beach Visitors Encouraged to Help Arthropods in Trouble Through the month of June, visitors to Maryland’s beaches can expect an astonishing sight – millions of horseshoe crabs will make their annual pilgrimage from the Atlantic Ocean to our shores. Dating back at least 350 million years, it’s one of the largest spawning events of horseshoe crabs in the Read the Rest…
June is Great Outdoors Month Children are counting down to summer vacation in hours, not days. Fireflies are beginning to light up the backyard. And bikes, kayaks, tents, camp stoves, snorkels and other gear are coming out of storage. June is Great Outdoors Month, and it’s time to go outside and play!
State Agencies Report Progress on Implementing Construction Program Maryland state agencies have reported their progress in implementing the Coast Smart Construction Program, a statewide effort to address impacts from coastal flooding, storm inundation and sea level rise on state-funded building projects. These initiatives are recorded in the first Annual Report issued by the Maryland Coast Smart Read the Rest…
Nicole Carlozo is a Natural Resource Resiliency Planner for the Chesapeake and Coastal Service. Specializing in coastal resiliency and spatial analysis, she works to integrate climate change and coastal data into the state’s conservation, restoration and waterfront planning activities.
As of April 2017, the Pocomoke River Restoration project has reconnected approximately 2,032 acres of floodplain forested wetlands with Pocomoke River. Additionally, in late 2016 the Nature Conservancy acquired a 693-acre farm in the headwaters of Nassawango Creek. Future plans include using this site to demonstrate agricultural best management practices, including wetland restoration and ditch enhancement techniques, Read the Rest…
Marine Mammal, Sea Turtle Strandings Should be Reported As warm weather settles in and the days grow longer, Maryland’s waters become a destination not for just humans, but also marine animals. In the past century, 23 different species of marine mammals and sea turtles have been documented in and around state waters. Visitors include bottlenose dolphins, Read the Rest…
