As visitation at state parks climbs during the busy summer season, it unfortunately also brings an increase in reported criminal activity. Vehicles parked in Maryland state parks and other public lands can often be susceptible to theft. Criminals target cars parked at trailheads and parks as they are typically in remote areas, where the owner Read the Rest…
It is now officially summer, but with this heat we didn’t need a calendar to tell us that! The early mornings and evenings offer some relief for anglers — wading or an overhead canvas, T-tops, or the simple shade of a shoreline tree, or wading can offer a cool and peaceful place to fish. July Read the Rest…
Lower oxygen conditions this spring consistent with yearly forecast model Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University show that May 2024 dissolved oxygen conditions in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia were worse than average. The results are from samples collected during regular monitoring cruises conducted aboard Read the Rest…
The Maryland Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission and Maryland Department of Natural Resources are proud to recognize Dr. Ray Morgan as the 2024 recipient of the annual Maryland Sport Fisheries Achievement Award. The commission and department recognize Dr. Morgan for his longstanding commitment to Maryland fisheries as an educator, researcher, and for his strong stewardship of Read the Rest…
Today, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission by a 5-4 vote repealed the longtime prohibition on dredging for blue crabs during the winter near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources strongly disagrees with Virginia’s decision.
Public asked to report stranded marine mammals and sea turtles Summer is here and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources would like to remind people that marine wildlife — dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales, and others – are making their seasonal return to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, as well as the Atlantic Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced more than $2.9 million in competitive grants for 12 climate resilience projects to help communities design and construct solutions to withstand flooding and other weather-related events. The selected projects will reduce risk for vulnerable communities, incorporate climate change data into existing plans and policies, and develop nature-based or Read the Rest…
Father’s Day was a wonderful day for people to spend time with family – and many chose to go fishing and enjoy the day together. As summer officially begins this week, we can look forward to many more opportunities to join friends and family in the great outdoors. For anglers who catch striped bass in Read the Rest…
Lessons learned from past management give hope for new stock assessment In the late 2000s, the outlook for blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay was grim. Known for its ups and downs, the blue crab harvest was going through a long stretch of almost all downs. The crab population steeply declined after 1997 and remained Read the Rest…
Following a 12-month pilot program, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) has taken delivery of 275 Axon body-worn cameras, and has officially implemented an agency-wide program in which every sworn officer will wear cameras while on duty.
Summer breezes and warm temperatures set the stage for all kinds of fishing this week. Whether fishing in the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay, or just lazily watching a fishing rod nestled in a forked stick at your favorite freshwater fishing hole, it’s all good. We can all find a bit of peace and reflection Read the Rest…
Proficiency Tests Necessary to Participate in Managed Deer Hunts The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released the 2024 shooter qualification schedule, which includes 21 qualification sessions at 9 locations across the state. Additional events are available upon reservation. These events allow hunters to take the necessary proficiency test required to obtain a shooter qualification card in order Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Adult Angler Education Program is offering a four-day kayak fishing course July 9-12 at Janes Island State Park in Somerset county. Staff will teach basic skills and showcase the angling opportunities within Maryland’s brackish tidal marshes. Only a limited number of spots are available and registrants are accepted on Read the Rest…
Environmental cleanup and ecological survey will take time, but officials look forward to opening the long-inaccessible park Just past the stone ruins of an old hotel, Maryland Park Service Ranger Cliff Puffenberger came to a clearing. The edge of an outcrop revealed green mountains that filled the horizon and birds of prey that swept over Read the Rest…
June is Great Outdoors Month, and this year the month kicked off with National Trails Day. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers thousands of miles of great trails for hiking, biking, horse riding and other activities. These marked paths can be found for any skill level or terrain, within the hundreds of thousands of Read the Rest…
For those looking for an outdoor experience that truly gets away from it all, Maryland has 214,000 acres of public forest land, much of which is open to hikers, bikers, birders, anglers, photographers, and campers. Trails are available in all 11 forests managed by the Maryland Forest Service. State forests have short hikes that are Read the Rest…
Although the season doesn’t officially change until June 20, it sure feels like summer, and everyone is enjoying the outdoors, especially their favorite fishing adventures. A popular pastime is fishing for invasives like blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa, also known as northern snakeheads, which provide a wonderful dinner item. Maryland Department of Natural Resources fisheries Read the Rest…
Funding includes $2.1 million for Rural Legacy Area conservation easements The Board of Public Works today approved Maryland Department of Natural Resources items including $4.5 million in grants to local governments and land trusts to preserve and protect land, and provide recreational opportunities for Marylanders.
Maryland’s growing shellfish aquaculture operations harvested a record 94,286 bushels of oysters in 2023, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported.
The plant is widespread in Maryland, but eating their fruit can help stem their growth In the summer, spots of red begin to appear in the forests of Maryland. Wineberries pop up every year, and it’s an increasingly common tradition in the area to pick these bright red, raspberry-like fruits from forests and trails. Their Read the Rest…
State reports second-highest seasonal harvest on record Maryland hunters harvested 4,959 wild turkeys during the 2024 spring regular and junior turkey seasons. This year’s harvest was 7% lower than the record amount set last spring, but surpassed the harvest totals from previous seasons.
The Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative could be a model for urban and community-led restoration Located in the shadow of a Baltimore City hospital, within earshot of the highway, a stretch of waterfront along the Patapsco River may not appear to be a likely place for a living shoreline. But a community-led environmental partnership is transforming Read the Rest…
By Paula Becker It’s high summer. The morning sun rises with the songbird chorus. Dew glistens on last night’s webs draped on opening blooms. Vegetables swell and ripen. And insects flit about, flying in your mouth when you ride your bike, buzzing in your ears, and chowing down on your expensive landscaping plants. What’s a Read the Rest…
By Sarah Witcher “If you chase two rabbits, you catch none.” ~Confucius Across the state, spring and summer bring about sightings of one of the most commonly spotted mammals in Maryland — rabbits! These shy, crepuscular creatures from the order Lagomorpha (in other words, they’re not rodents) prefer fields and shrublands but are commonly found Read the Rest…
By Edwin Guevara Are you looking for ways to get out and explore in your area? While it is always fun to go outside on hikes and explore and identify the local flora and fauna using guidebooks, apps, or your own knowledge, sometimes you want to have a bigger assortment of options. Many naturalists contribute Read the Rest…
By Sarah Witcher Orchids are a plant species that graces many of our living rooms, is gifted frequently for holidays, and is widely displayed in botanical gardens and home improvement stores. Yet, the handful of species readily available for sale pale in comparison to the many tens of thousands of types of this beautiful flowering Read the Rest…
