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Federal, State Parks Offer Free Admission for Fourth Graders Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today joined Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio in announcing that for the fifth consecutive year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will provide free admission to national public lands and state parks to fourth-grade children and their families. The program, called Read the Rest…
Stand With Maryland’s Defenders Oct. 26-27 Visitors are invited to Point Lookout State Park the weekend of Oct. 26-27 to witness “Invasion,” a living history reenactment of American forces during the War of 1812. Volunteers in period costumes and uniforms will interpret the life of soldiers and other Marylanders during the War of 1812, along Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 26 and 27, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Higher Turkey Population Anticipated This Year The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces that the fall turkey hunting season will open Oct. 26 and continue through Nov. 3 in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties with a bag limit of one turkey per hunter. “Although many hunters are focused on deer this time of year, the Read the Rest…
The stormy weather during September and October often bring fishy friends from southern waters to the coast of Ocean City. Don Whittington of Bivalve, Wicomico County, was fishing near some offshore lobster pot buoys recently when he caught an 11-pound tripletail, a new addition to our state record species list.
Wicomico County Angler Holds First Record for Species Angler Don Whittington of Bivalve reeled in the state’s first-ever record tripletail off the coast of Ocean City. The 11-pound, 25.25-inch long fish was caught Oct.19 near Baltimore Canyon in the Atlantic Ocean.
Facilities in Calvert and Queen Anne’s Counties Meet Standards Two facilities recently passed inspection by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ voluntary Clean Marina program, earning the Maryland Clean Marina Award. Solomons Landing Marina and Kent Narrows Boatel met the award criteria, bringing the total number of Clean Marinas and Clean Marina Partners to 147. Read the Rest…
The Time is Now to Think Spring! Orders are being accepted for the spring 2020 planting season for shrubs and trees from the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery, managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Trees benefit the environment as well as enhance natural habitats for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. Almost all Read the Rest…
While searching for the best plants to include with a garden, you have likely come across cultivars for sale. The use of native cultivars (aka nativars) has been growing as the popularity of native plants surges.
Maryland is home to 437 species of bees, just over a quarter of which are members of the family Halictidae: sweat bees. Unlike other bee families, like the Andrenids (mining bees), sweat bees are often generalists, visiting whatever flowers pique their interest. While this may seem like an advantage, sweat bees have to navigate different Read the Rest…
With lilac purple rays and a bright yellow center, New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) brings a pop of color to fall gardens. This tall, branching aster can reach heights up to six feet if allowed to grow to its full potential. Each stalk can have over a dozen composite flowers at its tips that bloom Read the Rest…
Despite its name, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) isn’t a fly, rather it is a plant hopper, which is native to China, India and Vietnam. The first infestation in the United States was reported in Pennsylvania in 2014; this insect has now been detected in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York. The first Maryland Read the Rest…
Thirty Employees Trained for Education and Enforcement The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently graduated a class of 30 new Forest Wardens, a special commission that authorizes employees to perform educational and enforcement activities. The warden training school was held at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury and attendees included current Maryland Forest Service employees ranging Read the Rest…
Spawning Down Among Several Species The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the results of the young-of-year striped bass survey, which tracks reproduction of the species in Chesapeake Bay. The 2019 juvenile striped bass index is 3.4, below the 66-year average of 11.6. The young-of-year striped bass survey measures the annual spawning success of the Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 19 and 20, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Without a doubt we are now in a fall weather pattern, and those sunny days will become less and less frequent. Some are taking advantage of these remaining warm days and catching the last of the Chesapeake Bay’s summer bounty of blue crab.
Nottingham Resident Catches Ten Species to Earn Award The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has recognized its first FishMaryland Master Angler Award recipient. Gary Simpson of Nottingham, Baltimore County, caught a total of 10 different species meeting all the minimum set requirements of the department’s new recreational fishing award program. Simpson’s award-sized catches include: chain Read the Rest…
Traditional Firearms Hunt Remains Popular The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the first segment of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer season opens statewide Oct. 17. This is one of many deer hunting opportunities offered in the state and typically coincides with pleasant fall weather. The early muzzleloader season runs from Oct. 17-19 statewide. Hunters in Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 12 and 13, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Pleasant daytime temperatures make ideal conditions for taking our younger fishermen out for some family fun close to home. Community ponds usually offer plenty of freshwater species such as bluegill sunfish. The fall trout stocking program is underway and community ponds are one of the many places fish will be stocked near your home. Northern Read the Rest…
Everyone Can Join the Action Oct 12-13 Fort Frederick State Park welcomes visitors this weekend to experience military life during the French and Indian War with the men and women of the Maryland Provincial Companies of Foot. Highlights of the event include cannon firing demonstrations, musket firing presentations, hearth cooking, military drills, and a special Read the Rest…
Wildlife Activity Ramps up for Fall Fall means cool weather and colorful foliage. It can also mean unpredictable wildlife. Deer mating season is right around the corner, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges motorists to stay alert for deer and other wildlife as these animals seek food supplies and mates before winter.
Hunters Can Apply for Opportunities in Late November The Maryland Department of Natural Resources presents opportunities for Canada goose hunting on Deep Creek Lake and waterfowl hunting at Broadford Lake, both in Garrett County, on Nov. 25, 26, and 27. Hunters can participate in these hunts by permit and reservation only, during select days of Read the Rest…
Taking The Lead on Protecting Our Natural Resources I recently had the honor of swearing in Colonel G. Adrian Baker as the new Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Colonel Baker has an impressive track record and a wealth of relevant experience – both of which will serve the department and Maryland well. The Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Oct. 5 and 6, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. True fall weather is on the way! Garrett County is anticipating nighttime temperatures dipping into the 3os this weekend, reports Melissa Nash, forester and project manager. With the change in temperature comes Read the Rest…
Maryland Department of Natural Resources monitoring data show that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay mainstem were higher than average in September. The hypoxic water volume — waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen — was 0.73 cubic miles in September, down from the 1.06 cubic miles seen in late Read the Rest…
As we transition to October, summer-type weather has continued to hold on and everyone would agree we could use some rain. Fishing conditions are very good in most areas and the Chesapeake Bay could hardly be better with an abundance of Spanish mackerel, and red drum to please any angler.
New High-Quality, Native Shrubs and Trees 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 high quality, native shrubs and trees, Read the Rest…
$200,000 Available for Community Beautification, Greening, and Environmental Initiatives The Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is now accepting applications for the Keep Maryland Beautiful grants program. Four different grants are being offered to help volunteer and nonprofit groups, communities, and land trusts support environmental education projects, litter removal, Read the Rest…
Public Meetings Held in October The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will host four open house events to solicit public input regarding the development of a work plan for the second phase of the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. The fund is providing $1 million annually for three years to protect and restore state-owned Read the Rest…
Living History Program Oct. 5-6 Point Lookout State Park invites visitors to its annual “Soldiers Timeline Weekend” event Oct. 5-6, highlighting the site’s long history of defending Maryland and the entire country during wartime.
Marylanders Urged to Take Extra Precautions The Maryland Department of Natural Resources warns residents and visitors that potential for wildfires has steadily increased in the past several weeks due to a lack of rain and unseasonably high temperatures. While open-air burning is legal in parts of Maryland, the department strongly encourages homeowners to refrain from Read the Rest…
Collection Sites in Frederick and Washington Counties Open Until Oct. 26 Marylanders with black walnut trees on their property are asked to donate extra walnuts to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Maryland Forest Service will use the walnuts to grow and plant trees along creeks, rivers, and streams as part of state’s tree Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Sept. 28 and 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “As we officially welcome fall this week, the cool nights and sunny days are making for a beautiful start to a colorful display in Garrett County,” reports Melissa Nash, Garrett County forest Read the Rest…
As summer slips into history and we step into fall, there is a lot of exciting fishing in Maryland. Trout fishermen are getting ready for the fall stocking program that begins in October. The Chesapeake Bay is teeming with Spanish mackerel and behemoth red drum, providing some amazing catch-and-release fishing.
Conservation Easement Preserves Green Space Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, partnered with the Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming Inc. to complete a conservation easement protecting green space in downtown Silver Spring. The one-acre property is home to Koiner Farm, an urban agricultural and educational enterprise. Maryland Environmental Read the Rest…
Monarch Butterfly Festival in Prince George’s County The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites everyone to Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary to celebrate the fall migration of the monarch butterfly on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults and kids of all ages are encouraged to take part in a variety of activities, including tagging Read the Rest…
‘Artillery Weekend’ Highlights Wartime Roles History buffs of all ages are invited to the annual Civil War Artillery Weekend event Sept. 28-29 at Point Lookout State Park. Programs run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Point Lookout is a peninsula in St. Mary’s County where the Potomac River Read the Rest…
Three-Day Course Held in Garrett County The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will offer a Hunter Safety Education Class on Oct. 1, 2, and 5 at Herrington Manor State Park, Oakland. Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the last weekend of summer, Sept. 21 and 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Having melted down almost daily through a typically hot and humid — and exceptionally wet — Maryland summer, you just might be looking forward to the official Read the Rest…
Opportunity for New and Lapsed Hunters The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites all junior license holders, apprentice license holders, and lapsed hunters to apply to participate in a mentored pheasant hunt Nov. 23-24 at Wild Wings Hunting Preserve, located in Friendsville. Participants will enjoy a day at Wild Wings that will include a hunter Read the Rest…
The change of seasons is always a push-and-pull affair – recently it seemed that summer was just not ready to let go. This is a wonderful time of the year to still enjoy the outdoor activities Maryland’s warm weather affords, and is perhaps the best time of the year to enjoy large and heavy crabs Read the Rest…
Eligible Hunters Can Apply Until Oct. 18 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites junior, apprentice, and lapsed hunters to apply to participate in this year’s stocked pheasant hunts, which take place November 23-24. These do-it-yourself hunts will take place on nine wildlife management areas across the state and two state forests in western Maryland. Read the Rest…
DNR Begins Implementation of the Maryland Oyster Management Plan The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has issued season limits for the 2019-2020 oyster harvesting season. Effective immediately, the 2019-20 season will begin October 1, 2019 with no commercial harvesting on Wednesdays, and temporary closures to wild harvesting in certain areas where there is a low Read the Rest…
Public Meeting Scheduled in Salisbury Sept. 24 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has developed a new, revised proposal for administering hunting leases on Chesapeake Forest Lands. A copy of the new revised proposal and place for comment is available on the department’s website. Additionally the department is hosting a public meeting from 6 p.m. Read the Rest…
New Public Opportunities in Charles and Queen Anne’s Counties The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce two new public hunting opportunities in state wildlife management areas. Browns Branch Wildlife Management Area in Queen Anne’s County and Popes Creek Wildlife Management area in Charles County are now open to regulated hunting and trapping.
Fan Favorite Winner to be Chosen on Facebook The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the winners of the 2019 Natural Resources Photo Contest, with the grand prize going to David Illig of Gambrills for his stunning close-up shot of an eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources monitoring data show that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay mainstem were near average in late August. This is a significant improvement from hypoxia results observed earlier this summer. The hypoxic water volume (waters with less than 2 mg/l oxygen) was 1.06 cubic miles in Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Sept. 14 and 15, 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 newly raked piles of leaves and we’ll all “fall” back to Eastern Standard Time Read the Rest…
September is an exciting month for those who love the outdoors and fishing is usually at the top of the list. Mild late summer weather is providing exciting fishing opportunities across the Maryland landscape from the western mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. In the Chesapeake Bay, we have relatively warm water, higher salinities, and a Read the Rest…
