Governor Hogan Announces Office of Outdoor Recreation

Proclaims Sept. 25 for National Public Lands, Fishing and Hunting Day

J. Daryl Anthony (left) and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford attending the 2019 First Day Hike at Patapsco Valley State Park. Photo by Joe Andrucyk, Maryland State House.

Governor Larry Hogan today announced the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the hiring of J. Daryl Anthony to serve as its first executive director. 

“One of our state’s hallmarks is the stewardship of our lands and waters by the Marylanders who love them,” said Governor Hogan. “Our sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support efforts to protect fish, wildlife, and their habitat. Today we are honoring this partnership for the outdoors while assuring that it continues to grow with the establishment of Maryland’s first Office of Outdoor Recreation.”

Anthony will work with DNR, the Maryland Department of Commerce, and other agencies and stakeholders to support and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and the economic benefits they produce. This includes implementation of the recommendations of the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Economic Commission (MOREC), which the governor established by executive order in 2017. 

Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio of DNR and Secretary Kelly M. Schulz of the Maryland Department of Commerce co-chaired the commission and continue working to enact its recommendations, including naming dozens of businesses and organizations as Maryland Outdoor Recreation Ambassadors. The outdoor recreation industry is of growing economic importance in both urban and rural areas. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis recently reported that outdoor recreation makes up 2.2% of U.S. GDP, generating $778 billion in gross output and supporting 5.2 million jobs.

The announcement comes in advance of National Public Lands Day and National Hunting and Fishing Day, both observed Sept. 25. The governor issued proclamations declaring both commemorative days in Maryland.

National Public Lands Day is an annual volunteer event for public lands, in which many parks and state-owned lands host public cleanups and volunteer activities to help steward Maryland’s natural resources. National Hunting and Fishing Day recognizes the importance of these traditional outdoor activities as a vital element in conservation efforts.

“I am honored and pleased to help lead the effort to enhance outdoor recreation in Maryland,” said Anthony. “With the leadership of Governor Hogan, Lt. Governor Rutherford, Secretary Riccio, and Secretary Schulz, I believe this is an exciting time to build and grow upon Maryland’s world class outdoor recreation capabilities.”

Daryl Anthony, then DNR Assistant Secretary, and Forest Service staff at the 2017 grand opening of the off-road vehicle trail at St. John’s Rock in Garrett County. Photo by Stephen Badger, Maryland DNR.

Anthony served 35 years with DNR, ultimately as assistant secretary for land resources. He joined DNR in 1983 as a park ranger at Patapsco Valley State Park in Howard County, and served as regional manager for the Maryland Park Service’s southern, central, and western regions until Governor Hogan appointed him assistant secretary in 2015.

Anthony’s many accomplishments include leading efforts to create cutting edge recreational opportunities such as the formation of two new all-terrain vehicle parks. Since retiring in 2018, Anthony has remained active with the Maryland Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance and serves on several volunteer boards, including Friends of Carrie Murray Nature Center, NorthBay Adventures, Howard County Parks and Recreation, Garrett Trails, and the Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee.