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First Cohort Kicks Off in November The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today opened enrollment for the Maryland Climate Leadership Academy, the nation’s first state-led program aimed at helping community leaders, critical infrastructure, local governments and state agencies effectively plan for and implement climate change initiatives. The Maryland Climate Leadership Academy’s first cohort will kick off Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first full weekend of fall, Sept. 29 and 30, 2018, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. As September comes to a close, it appears the rain will diminish and we’ll have some partly cloudy to sunny days to look forward to Read the Rest…
49 Fire Departments in 17 Counties Receive $104,099 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the 2018 Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 49 volunteer fire departments. The projects, distributed throughout 17 counties, aim to assist volunteer fire companies and departments enhance wildland fire protection in rural areas and communities. The Maryland Forest Service awarded $104,099 in Read the Rest…
Share Your Thoughts Oct. 20 in Kitzmiller The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational open house for Wolf Den Run State Park from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 20 at Kitzmiller Elementary School. Maryland Park Service staff will be available to answer questions about the new state park and provide comments Read the Rest…
With the fall equinox behind us, the days are getting noticeably shorter. There’s no sweeter time of the year – or place to be — than late September and October in Maryland, whether you are a fisherman or a hunter or just someone who likes to enjoy the sights and sounds of autumn.
Wildlife More Active in Fall Cooling temperatures, colorful foliage and unpredictable wildlife – all signs that the fall season is upon us in the Old Line State. As such, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges motorists to stay alert for deer and other wildlife this time of year as these animals seek food supplies and mates before Read the Rest…
Acres Added to Merkle Natural Resources Management Area and New Germany State Park The Board of Public Works today approved two Maryland Department of Natural Resources items that seek to expand two existing state parks, one in Southern Maryland and the other in Western Maryland. Program Open Space funds will go toward the purchase of Read the Rest…
“Once a Year They March” on Sept. 29 Fort Frederick State Park invites visitors to experience life for a citizen-soldier in the Maryland militia during the French and Indian War. The event takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29, beginning with a flag raising ceremony over the historic fort built in 1756. The militia was an Read the Rest…
Free Pickup Available at Several Sites in October The Maryland Department of Natural Resources aims to expand tree cover on public lands across the state by offering affordable and attractive trees for planting on public lands and open space through its Tree-Mendous Maryland program. Church, civic, community and school groups, homeowners associations, local governments, nonprofits, and others are eligible to purchase Read the Rest…
As the weather begins to cool, many species begin to prepare for fall and winter. What happens to butterflies, and how can we help them with our gardens?
Five often-asked questions answered here!
What in the world is a paw-paw? Paw-paws (Asimina triloba) are America’s forgotten fruit. These trees with mango-like fruits can be found throughout moist woods and along streams in Maryland. There are even a few local farms that grow paw-paws!
Oftentimes, the word wasp incites fear and anxiety. However, many of Maryland’s 1,200+ wasp species are relatively small and docile in nature. One neat group is potter wasps; they serve as both pollinators and predators in the garden.
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first weekend of fall, Sept. 22 and 23, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Soon the landscape will explode with vibrant colors of orange, red and yellow. Kids will be jumping into leaf piles you just raked and we’ll all “fall” Read the Rest…
Collection Sites in Frederick and Washington Counties Open Until Oct. 26 Every year, about 6 million tree seedlings are grown at the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery, located near Preston in Caroline County. About 47 different conifer, hardwood and shrub species, most native to Maryland, are grown each year, many of which are planted Read the Rest…
For those who work hard, a day off is a precious opportunity to spend time the way we want. Few activities afford us the peace to be had dangling a line in the water and being with our thoughts. Sometimes fate smiles on us and we actually have one of those days where everything works Read the Rest…
Program to Provide Quality Nutrition, Reduce Impact on Chesapeake Bay The Maryland Department of General Services (DGS)—in partnership with the departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources—has awarded contracts to Jessup-based Reliant Fish Co. and Congressional Seafood Co. for a program that will create sales of Maryland-harvested blue catfish to state institutions providing food services. The Read the Rest…
Sessions Held in Garrett County The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering a Hunter Safety Education Course Oct. 2, 4 and 6, 2018 at Herrington Manor State Park in Oakland. The course will go from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 2 and 4, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 6. Participants must attend all Read the Rest…
Baltimore County Photographer Kevin Moore Earns Grand Prize The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the winners of the 2018 Natural Resources Photo Contest, with the grand prize going to Kevin Moore of Perry Hall for his colorful autumn photo of a little blue heron. This year’s grand prize package includes $500, a 2019 Maryland State Park and Read the Rest…
Living History Happens Sept. 29-30 The Friends of Point Lookout are hosting a U.S. Civil War weekend Sept. 29-30 at Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s County. Programs run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The program features artillery demonstrations and other programming. Tours of Fort #3 Read the Rest…
Sponsors Should Sign up Now for 2019 Despite record rainfall throughout much of the state, more than 3,500 aspiring anglers participated in Youth Fishing Rodeos this spring and summer, reports the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. These free events were held throughout the Old Line State, with more than 30 different nonprofits organizations and partners Read the Rest…
Sealed Bids Due Mid-October The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is currently accepting bids for the 2018-2019 trapping season at several wildlife management areas on the Eastern Shore. For each location, the individual with the highest bid will be awarded annual trapping privileges for the chosen site. Bidding for specific locations is done through different locations Read the Rest…
Take a Closer Look at the Life of the Common Soldier Sept. 15-16 Historic Fort Frederick State Park will give visitors a look at life in the 18th century fort as volunteers exhibit the varied roles the fort played during the French and Indian War, American Revolution and Civil War. While not a turning point in Read the Rest…
Living close to the water gives one an interesting perspective on impending storms. At ports all-around the bay and coastal areas, boat owners have been lining up at boat ramps and moving their vessels to safer areas. Low-lying areas can expect flooding and it sounds like we may in for some more rain, which is Read the Rest…
Issued for Boating and Recreational Activities The Maryland Natural Resources Police has issued a safety advisory to avoid boating and other recreational activity on the Upper Potomac River until further notice. High water, debris and weakened shoreline have combined to make the river and its tributaries, from Harpers Ferry to Little Falls, hazardous for recreational Read the Rest…
Landowners Donate Easement near Historic District The Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, has partnered with The Manor Conservancy to permanently protected 12 acres in Baltimore County. Landowners John and Renae Olver donated a conservation easement to protect open space and forestland in the historic My Lady’s Manor area.
Thousands of Trout Heading for Maryland Waters The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will stock thousands of brown, golden and rainbow trout in select creeks, lakes and rivers from mid-September through the end of October. Depending on location, anglers can expect this year’s trout to range in size from one-half pound to 1 pound. This Read the Rest…
Free Resource for Hands-On Learning The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering a variety of wildlife education trunks for use by classroom teachers, home-school educators, naturalists, scout leaders and other instructors. These unique, interdisciplinary teaching tools designed to educate and engage students about local wildlife while building on fundamental disciplines like art, language arts, math, physical Read the Rest…
Fourth Year of Providing Fourth-Graders with Free Park Admission The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is once again partnering with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Every Kid in a Park program to provide fourth-grade children and their families free admission to national public lands and state parks. This marks the fourth year the Maryland Park Service will honor the Read the Rest…
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers on patrol near a Queen Anne’s County waterfront park this week charged two men with illegal fishing activity and seized 47 fish and six female crabs. Bernardo Salvador Rivera Palma, 52, of Gaithersburg, received citations for exceeding the daily limit of striped bass, possessing 32 undersized striped bass, possessing nine Read the Rest…
Dissolved oxygen conditions for Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay returned to near average for the month of August, reports the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The department tracks hypoxia throughout the summer during twice monthly monitoring cruises. Low dissolved oxygen volume was at a record low (0.26 cubic miles) in late July, due to sustained Read the Rest…
Labor Day weekend is a fleeting memory now and although we are under an intense heat wave cooler weather is anticipated as we move through September. There is still plenty daylight at the end of the day to spend some time in the outdoors with family and friends. Children love adventure and when Vincent Casagrande Read the Rest…
Board of Public Works Approves Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Acquisition The Board of Public Works today approved a Maryland Department of Natural Resources item that will grant more than $468,000 to acquire a 77-acre Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program easement in Frederick County. Program Open Space funds will be used to purchase a permanent conservation easement Read the Rest…
Board of Public Works Approves Conservation Easement The Board of Public Works today approved a Maryland Department of Natural Resources item that authorizes a $1.7 million grant to the Cecil Land Trust to acquire a 535-acre conservation easement. Rural Legacy Program funds will be used to protect productive agricultural and forestland along Northeast Creek as Read the Rest…
Board of Public Works Approves Program Open Space Acquisition The Board of Public Works today approved the Maryland Department of Natural Resources acquisition of 212 acres along the Pocomoke River as an expansion to Pocomoke River State Park. The former golf course will be repurposed to provide access to the Pocomoke River Water Trail as Read the Rest…
Eastern Shore Tributary Provides Best Possibility for Success; State to Maximize Oyster Restoration in Anne Arundel County Tributaries The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced its intention to recommend the Manokin River in Somerset County as the fifth and final tributary for large-scale oyster restoration as per Maryland’s commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Read the Rest…
Partnership Effort Restoring Patapsco River, Improving Public Safety Conservation leaders, federal and state officials, and other partners gathered today on the Patapsco River to celebrate the removal of Bloede Dam – an effort that has been a decade in the making, and will have major benefits for fisheries, public safety, recreation, and the health of Read the Rest…
Two people died in swimming accidents and five boat accidents were reported across Maryland during the extended Labor Day holiday weekend. In all, Maryland Natural Resources Police officers were in contact with 8,354 citizens and visitors where they conducted 1,446 boat safety inspections and arrested four people on charges of boating while intoxicated. The five Read the Rest…
Help Celebrate and Preserve Maryland’s Historic Beauty Labor Day may be the end of summer vacation, but now is a time when outdoor recreation is getting ready to peak. September is a month when the Maryland Department of Natural Resources highlights our state’s spectacular and diverse terrain, and the role it plays in our culture, heritage and living history. Read the Rest…
Hunters May Now Claim a Tax Credit for Donated Processed Venison The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that archery hunting for white-tailed and sika deer opens statewide Sept. 7, and continues through Jan. 31, 2019. “Archery hunting remains an effective and important part of our deer management strategy,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said. “Archery Read the Rest…
Volunteers Sought for Beach Cleanup Sept. 15 The annual International Coastal Cleanup at Janes Island State Park begins at 9 a.m. Sept. 15. This event provides volunteers the opportunity to learn more about the Somerset County park, have a boat ride and earn community service hours while cleaning beaches and marshes.
Labor Day weekend approaches and many of us are wondering, “How did we get here so soon?” The kids will be going back to school and we will slowly start to see cooler temperatures in September. If you’re trying to fit in some family fishing time, remember who your audience is – kids just want Read the Rest…
Landowners Can Reserve Native Seedlings by Sept. 13 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will give away native tree seedlings Sept. 16 at Corsica River Day at Corsica River Yacht Club in Centreville. The event is sponsored by the Corsica River Conservancy, Corsica River Yacht Club and Queen Anne’s County. Available species include mixed oak (pin Read the Rest…
Participate in Historical and Outdoor Activities Sept. 1-3 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources welcomes the public to enjoy Labor Day weekend at Fort Frederick State Park Sept. 1-3 during the annual Park Exploration Weekend. Activities will take place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day; Saturday night will feature a unique nocturnal hike at 8 Read the Rest…
Mourning Dove Season Opens Sept. 1 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the state’s 2018-2019 early migratory game bird hunting seasons. Bag limits, season dates and shooting hours can be found in the 2018-2019 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping. “The opening of dove season marks the traditional start of hunting activity in Read the Rest…
Learn About Conservation at Historic Property The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invite the public to attend an open house 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 9, 2018, at the Woodmont Lodge in Washington County. The annual event at the Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area allows guests to tour the 18,785-square foot lodge, a building rich in architecture and Read the Rest…
A Wicomico County man who billed himself as “OCSharkHunter” on social media was charged Sunday with guiding fishing trips without a license. Nicholas Ager, 43, of Willards, was cited after a two-month investigation of complaints about offers of paid shark fishing excursions on Assateague Island. Maryland Natural Resources Police officers were able to identify Ager Read the Rest…
This past weekend, I happened to pull up behind a pickup truck at a traffic light and I could not help but notice something about the license plate that impressed me. First off, there was a bumper sticker that said “Stress is caused by a lack of fishing” and there were several years’ worth of Read the Rest…
Upper Eastern Shore Location to Provide Environmental and Recreational Benefits The Board of Public Works today unanimously approved the Maryland Department of Natural Resources acquisition of 1,172 acres in Queen Anne’s County for the development of a new Wildlife Management Area that will provide conservation, habitat and recreation benefits, including birding, hiking, hunting and trapping. Read the Rest…
Harriet Tubman Rural Legacy Area Designated in Dorchester County; Five Other Areas Expanded The Board of Public Works today approved 16 Rural Legacy Program grants – totaling over $25 million – that will provide dedicated state funding to permanently protect working farms and forests in designated areas across the state. Working through local government and private Read the Rest…
