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Award-winning AmeriCorps Program Engages Young Adults in Natural Resource Projects The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently welcomed 35 new members into the Maryland Conservation Corps. This award-winning AmeriCorps program involves young adults aged 17-25 in comprehensive natural resource management projects and substantial conservation and environmental education efforts at public lands and parks throughout the state.
The recent cold evenings this week are beginning to have an effect on water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay and tidal rivers. Bay surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the tidal rivers are in the mid to upper 60s. As a result, the upper bay region striped bass fisheries are Read the Rest…
Grants Permanently Protect 6,500 Acres Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Board of Public Works, including Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, unanimously adopted a Maryland Department of Natural Resources recommendation approving 17 Rural Legacy Program grants – totaling over $23 million. Funding from these grants will permanently protect over 6,500 acres of working farms, forests and Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 7 and 8, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. In Garrett County, oaks are just starting to change and there are pockets of brilliant color, mostly maples, sassafras and sumac. The wet areas and swamps continue Read the Rest…
Stocking Adds to Plentiful Autumn Fishing Opportunities The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will begin fall trout stocking in early October, introducing nearly 28,000 brown, golden and rainbow trout into select Maryland creeks, lakes and rivers by the end of the month.
Living History Highlights ‘Picketing the Potomac’ Oct. 7-8 Fort Frederick State Park invites visitors to a commemoration of life during the 1862 Maryland Campaign, a critical point in the Civil War. Living history performances and tactics demonstrations will mark the anniversary of this conflict that raged in the Old Line State 155 years ago. “Picketing the Read the Rest…
More than $200,000 Available for Initiatives Throughout Maryland The Maryland Environmental Trust is now accepting applications for funding through Keep Maryland Beautiful, comprising five grants designed to help volunteer and nonprofit groups, communities and land trusts support environmental education projects, litter removal, citizen stewardship and solve natural resource issues in urban and rural areas. Applications Read the Rest…
Officers aboard a Maryland Natural Resources Police patrol boat in Ocean City apprehended a Delaware man Saturday night wanted for the attempted murder of two police officers. Antonio Ambrosino, 18, of Seaford, was wanted after his vehicle struck an Ocean City officer and a Worcester County deputy sheriff attempting to arrest him on drug charges. Read the Rest…
Department Provides a Record $102,548 to 45 Departments in 17 Counties The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that a record number of volunteer fire departments applied for and received Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants in 2017, resulting in the most funding distributed in state history. “Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants allow us to support our first Read the Rest…
Opening Month Reserved for Divers and Tongers Maryland’s 2017-2018 public oyster harvest season kicks off Oct. 2 and runs through March 31, 2018. The opening month is reserved for divers and watermen using patent and shaft tongs, as well as recreational oystering. The recreational harvest of oysters in Maryland is open to any resident during the season. Each Read the Rest…
Cooler water temperatures stir various types of catfish to think about eating even more than they do during the warmer summer months. Catfish can be found in all of the tidal creeks and rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay, and many lakes throughout Maryland. Catching them is simple and provides some fun fishing from lake Read the Rest…
Weather is Cooling, But Outdoor Activity is Just Warming Up The summer has come and gone, and now it’s time to celebrate nature’s fall splendor. Comfortable days and temperatures, and spectacular scenery make October an exceptional month to enjoy the great outdoors. Pick a forest, park or waterway and make a plan to bike, boat, Read the Rest…
The heat and humidity hanging over Maryland continues to hold a grip on us, but it won’t be long before fall is here to stay. The striped bass fishing in the upper bay remains rather stable this week due to warm weather keeping water temperatures in the mid-70s. However, at some point in early October Read the Rest…
Robert Martin Hauls in 18-pound Fish The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a teenager from Carroll County set a new state fishing record in the Atlantic Division for sheepshead. Sykesville resident Robert Martin, 17, caught an 18-pound sheepshead Sept. 22 off the coast of Ocean City.
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers patrolling the Potomac River in Montgomery County Sunday charged a Virginia man with fishing with a spear gun and fishing without a license. Witnesses said two men were in a boat and one man caught a smallmouth bass with a spear gun. The officers questioned the two men, who denied the Read the Rest…
Nice Weekend for the Calvert County Fair, National Public Lands Day and Apple and Pumpkin Festivals Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. October arrives this weekend and soon the full Read the Rest…
Beach-goers, Paddlers, Whale Watchers Asked to Participate Recreational ocean stakeholders and users are invited to participate in the Mid-Atlantic Non-Consumptive Recreation Workshop Oct. 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the South Coastal Public Library at Bethany Beach, 43 Kent Avenue, Bethany Beach, Delaware. The joint Delaware-Maryland workshop is part of a series of public Read the Rest…
Tree-Mendous Maryland Orders Being Accepted; More Selections and Sizes Available The Maryland Department of Natural Resources aims to expand tree cover on public lands across the state, offering affordable and attractive trees for planting on community lands and open space through its Tree-Mendous Maryland program. New this year, the department is offering nearly double the number of high quality, native shrubs Read the Rest…
Effort will improve public safety, health of Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay Construction workers broke ground this month on a major project to restore the health of the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay and improve public safety in Maryland’s Patapsco Valley State Park. Workers are relocating a sewer line and preparing the site in preparation Read the Rest…
It seems almost foolish to try and introduce the common raven. Our comprehension is nearly automatic, innate even. But why?
Using materials I had at home, I skipped the costume shop last Halloween and floated through the holiday as a jellyfish. There’s no shortage of spirit and creativity among natural resources staffers this time of year, either. Below I’ll share how I made my outfit from scratch, and show you what some colleagues came up Read the Rest…
By day, Maryland State Parks are showing off their vibrant views and welcoming visitors with every cozy comfort the season brings. Cabin stays, harvest crafts, hayrides, pumpkin patches, warm cider. We’ll get to that with the next article, but first, let’s take a look at what some of our parks are up to when the Read the Rest…
After the candy is eaten and the costumes are put away, our focus shifts to our natural world’s final glorious display of the year. It’s official. It’s autumn in Maryland. Living in the Old Line State, you know how lucky we are. Although small geographically, the landscape is quite diverse and complex, often referred to Read the Rest…
From their unique mating rituals to their importance for biomedical research, spiders are fascinating yet highly misunderstood creatures.
When the phone rings at the Maryland Natural Resources Police communications center, a dispatcher has no idea whether it is a boater’s cry for help or a homeowner with a frog in their bathtub.
Ask any fisherman what the largest freshwater impoundment in the state is, and most will confidently say Deep Creek Lake. It’s a good guess—the man-made Western Maryland lake does span 3,900 acres—but not entirely correct. Deep Creek Lake is the largest impoundment fully within Maryland. However, from a fishing access perspective, the Conowingo Reservoir on Read the Rest…
Once the Federation Equestrian Internationale gives its stamp of approval this fall, one of the world’s great equestrian competitions is going to be calling Maryland—more specifically the 5,600-acre Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area—its permanent home.
From an ice cream shop that hands out small samples to an auto dealership that has a weekend loaner program, introductory offers have long been used to entice potential shoppers to try a product. In order to build a relationship with an un-tapped customer base, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is rolling out a Read the Rest…
Two decades ago, staff of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources connected with our customers through letters, the occasional television or radio story, phone calls, and articles in newspapers that were published from press releases we physically mailed out. Fax machines, landline phones, single reflex cameras and typewriters were the communications tools of the day. Read the Rest…
Employees of the Maryland Forest Service perform many roles. Some plant trees, some manage their harvest, some inspect properties. Some even battle wildland fires and educate the public about fire safety. Leading this operation is Fire Supervisor Monte Mitchell. As part of my internship, I sat down with him to ask how it all works.
A staple in our quarterly magazine, fall’s recipe is sure to make mouths water.
What can you do with your pumpkins after Halloween is over? What should you know about selecting firewood? Our experts break it down in our fall magazine!
As fall settles in across the Old Line State, we become a little more sensitive to the sounds of rustling leaves on the ground, the moan of wind through the trees, and the eerie sensation out in nature that we’re not alone. In this edition of the Maryland Natural Resource, we investigate some fascinating phenomena Read the Rest…
Judge Upholds Department’s Decision on “Doc” Wexler An administrative law judge has upheld a decision of Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials to revoke the wildlife rehabilitation permit of a Calvert County man who was convicted of practicing veterinary medicine without a license. Ronald Gene Wexler, 69, of Lusby, who had appealed the November action, Read the Rest…
New Zealand Mudsnail Found in Baltimore County; First Known Presence in Maryland The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the first known presence of a new, non-native, freshwater mollusk in Maryland waters. After being notified in early September of small snails in the Gunpowder River, department biologists and species expert Edward Levri confirmed the Read the Rest…
The Chesapeake Bay is Maryland’s most treasured natural asset. Since taking office, our administration has made incredible progress toward protecting the bay, including more than $3 billion in restoration efforts—an unprecedented investment. We continue to make great strides—this year the bay received one of the highest scores calculated by scientists at the University of Maryland Read the Rest…
All-Day Celebration Sept. 30 Features Outdoor Events and Open House The Maryland Department of Natural Resources proudly celebrates the golden anniversary of Pocomoke River State Park. Marylanders are invited Sept. 30 to take part in the story of this unique state park — boasting America’s northernmost cypress trees, a blackwater river darkened by fallen cypress needles and a Maryland Read the Rest…
Many would agree we are entering one of the most beautiful times of the year in Maryland. Mornings are cool and daytime temperatures are inviting for outdoor activities. Where I live crops are being harvested, wildlife is on the move, bait in the tidal rivers is beginning to feel the urge to move out into Read the Rest…
Ecologically-Important Area Conserved and Preserved; Public Access and Recreation Expanded The Board of Public Works today unanimously approved the Maryland Department of Natural Resources acquisition of 2,009 acres in Western Maryland for the development of a new state park. This acquisition in Garrett County consists of three parcels near Kitzmiller, with two of the parcels being adjacent Read the Rest…
Four Demonstration Projects Proposed The Board of Public Works today approved funding for a new Coastal Resiliency Grant Program to help Maryland’s coastal communities enhance their resiliency to the effects of extreme storms and weather. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources program will help design four shoreline improvement demonstration projects across the state with an additional two Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Sept. 23 and 24, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Office of Tourism. It’s official! It’s autumn in Maryland. When this weekend rolls in, thoughts will begin to turn to the sights, sounds and scents of Read the Rest…
Sealed Bids Accepted Until Oct. 18 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting bids for the 2017-2018 trapping seasons at multiple public lands located on the Lower Eastern Shore. Properties include Janes Island State Park and Cedar Island, Deal Island, E. A. Vaughn, Isle of Wight, Johnson, Maryland Marine Properties, Pocomoke River, Pocomoke Sound, South Marsh Island, and Wellington wildlife management areas.
With funding from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Capital Improvement Grant and the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, the 116-acre Irvine Nature Center has begun a stream and wetland restoration project in the Jones Falls watershed in Baltimore County.
Dana Reiss is an Implementation Project Manager for the Center for Restoration Finance within the department’s Chesapeake and Coastal Service.
Historic Friends Property in Garrett County Recognized The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that the property formerly known as Friends Delight will be officially opened and renamed Sang Run State Park. The celebration will coincide with the ninth annual Fall Fest and Open House at the Friends Store Sept. 30, which Read the Rest…
National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program Provides $55,000 On the 155th anniversary of the Battle of South Mountain, Preservation Maryland announced ambitious plans to support and enhance Maryland Park Service efforts at the historic hillside battlefield.
Natural Resources Police Investigate Boating Accident, Charge Deer Poacher, Cite Fishing Violators A St. Mary’s County man whose Maryland commercial waterman’s license was revoked in 2015 for oyster harvesting violations has been banned from any oystering activity on the Potomac River for the coming season. James Phillip Nelson, 41, of California, was convicted in St. Read the Rest…
After being away for two weeks, I’m struck by the changes that are occurring as we drift out of the grasp of summer. We all need to thank Erik Zlokovitz for doing such a great job covering the fishing report and keeping you informed of our fishing opportunities in Maryland while I was away.
Sealed Bids Accepted Until Oct. 17 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting bids for the 2017-2018 trapping seasons at several Eastern Shore Wildlife Management Areas – Ellis Bay, Fishing Bay, Idylwild, LeCompte, Linkwood, Nanticoke River, Taylor’s Island and Wetipquin.
Dissolved oxygen conditions in a portion of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay mainstem were better than average for late August, reports the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The hypoxic water volume (areas with less than 2 mg/l oxygen) in the study area was 0.33 cubic miles, which is much smaller than the late August 1985-2016 average of 0.80 cubic miles for that reduced Read the Rest…
