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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) selected Josh Montgomery as the winner of the Inaugural DNR Waterfowl Photo Contest, with his image of his retriever carrying a canvasback duck. This image will be available on a new hard-card license offered through the MD Outdoors licensing and registration system, and on the DNR 2026 Maryland Natural Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is awarding $29 million from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to 27 ecological restoration projects encompassing 160 sites throughout the state for Fiscal Year 2026. These projects were selected based on their ability to improve water quality and provide other benefits such as resilience to Read the Rest…
The long-term effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay has made steady progress, and there is still more work to do. We’re on track to complete or have already completed more than half of the outcomes we set for ourselves in 2014, when all seven watershed jurisdictions (six states and DC), the federal government, and the Read the Rest…
The Chesapeake Bay is now home to one of the largest populations of the bird in the U.S. For 18 years, Glenn Therres watched the recovery of Maryland’s bald eagles from the window of a four-seater plane. The long-time bald eagle biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Therres had counted nests for the Read the Rest…
It’s Independence Day weekend, the kids are out of school, and summer is officially here – all wonderful things. Summer offers a fantastic time to get the whole family out for a fishing adventure tuned to their capabilities. July 4 is designated as a Free Fishing Day where no fishing license is needed to fish Read the Rest…
As summer has begun, Maryland Department of Natural Resources scientists caution the public to be vigilant about freshwater algae mats that can sometimes be a health hazard for dogs and other animals. Benthic algae mats are accumulations of algae that can vary in structure and appearance, but are often dense, green, and fibrous. Benthic cyanobacteria Read the Rest…
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, and Rural Legacy programs The Board of Public Works today approved more than $4.7 million in grants to local governments and land trusts from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to improve park facilities and conserve land in Allegany, Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Read the Rest…
Anyone convicted of impaired boating can spend a year in prison and lose their boating license This Independence Day weekend, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) will ramp up patrols and enforcement efforts throughout the busiest boating holiday of the year. NRP will conduct its 17th annual Operation Dry Water, focusing on heightened outreach, education, Read the Rest…
Landowners, hunters can enter lottery to secure waterfowl hunting locations The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is again offering an online process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2025-2026 waterfowl blind site license. From July 16 through July 29, hunters and riparian landowners may enter the annual lottery for the opening days of Read the Rest…
When Isaac Tyson Jr. looked out across the sparsely vegetated hills in the serpentine barrens of Baltimore County 200 years ago, he saw something others didn’t see, because he knew something others didn’t know. Underground, the land was far from barren. It contained a mineral that would make Maryland a leader in 19th century industry, Read the Rest…
There is plenty of good fishing to be found in Maryland this week and for those wishing to fish open waters and not owning a boat, there are fishing guides, light tackle fishing guides, charter boats, and party boats to take customers out fishing. They are in the business of putting smiles on people’s faces. Read the Rest…
Maryland’s chronic wasting disease management area has expanded to include Howard County The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday that 62 white-tailed deer sampled in 2024 tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a neurological disease found in deer, elk, and moose. Of the positive samples, all but one came from within the existing chronic wasting disease management area, which included Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ new online licensing system, MD Outdoors, is now available for residents and visitors to purchase Maryland hunting and fishing licenses as well as associated stamps and permits, boat and off-road vehicle renewal registration, and other services. MD Outdoors provides residents and visitors a convenient one-stop shop, replacing the former Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting grant proposals for the FY 2027 Community Parks and Playgrounds program. The Community Parks and Playgrounds program provides flexible grants to municipal governments to rehabilitate, expand, or improve existing parks, create new parks, or purchase and install playground equipment. The proposals will be reviewed and considered Read the Rest…
The Maryland Natural Resources Police took action on numerous violations of criminal and natural resource law from March through May. During those months, individuals were charged for violations including hunting out of season, baiting game animals, spotlighting deer, weapons charges, commercial oyster violations, and other crimes.
Maryland anglers are seeing some wonderful fishing opportunities this week as freshwater species settle into predictable patterns and an influx of summer marine species begin to move into Maryland waters.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks residents and visitors enjoying coastal and tidal waterways to remain alert for marine mammals and sea turtles into summer through early fall. Dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales, and other marine wildlife are regular seasonal visitors to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and coastal Read the Rest…
The record invasive fish, also known as northern snakehead, weighed 21.8 pounds The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recognizes Matt Foreman of Crownsville as the new state record holder for Chesapeake Channa— also known as northern snakehead (Channa argus) — in the state’s Invasive Division. Foreman caught the 21.8-pound fish on the evening of June Read the Rest…
Officers were awarded for lifesaving action, conservation enforcement, and more The Maryland Natural Resources Police held its annual award ceremony June 13 to recognize the achievements made by conservation law enforcement officers and professional staff in 2024. The officers were presented honors by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Sec. Josh Kurtz and Natural Resources Police Read the Rest…
One of the most wonderful things about fishing is that anyone can do it anytime and almost anywhere.
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space – Local The Board of Public Works today approved more than $3.2 million in grants to local governments from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to construct trails and park facilities in Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Prince George’s, Washington, and Worcester counties.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will introduce its new online licensing system, MD Outdoors, on June 24. This centralized system replaces the current system, COMPASS. MD Outdoors will continue to offer products for all outdoor activities, including all Maryland hunting and fishing licenses and associated stamps and permits, boat and off-road vehicle renewal registration, Read the Rest…
Board of Public Works has approved more than $4.3 million in grants to support 20 projects under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Greenspace Equity Program. These awards will benefit local governments, land trusts, and nonprofit organizations working to enhance green spaces in underserved communities across 14 counties. An additional $567,382 in grants for two Read the Rest…
Summer vacation season has arrived and millions of Marylanders are making plans to head for the great outdoors. Our public lands are ready to receive this annual influx with a little help from a logistical solution to a longstanding problem. For many years, the popularity of our public lands presented issues to be resolved: People Read the Rest…
When it comes to competitive bass fishing, Maryland stands out as a prime destination for anglers across the country. With abundant waterways offering diverse and healthy fish populations, the state provides ample opportunities to catch both sizable smallmouth and largemouth bass. From tidal rivers to expansive reservoirs to the nation’s largest estuary, Maryland’s waterbodies are Read the Rest…
UPDATE: The Maryland Park Service’s new day-use reservation system, parkdayuse.maryland.gov, is now in operation for five Maryland State Parks through the end of the summer season. Visitors to Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks will be able to make day-use reservations beginning June 12 for the Juneteenth holiday, June 19, and then Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Park Service have reactivated 17 members of the Maryland Conservation Corps (MCC), who were demobilized in late April after a sudden termination of grant funds by the federal program supporting it. Following the federal government’s termination of numerous AmeriCorps programs on April 25, late on a Friday Read the Rest…
We approach the longest daylight hours of the year that reach a peak on the summer solstice June 20. There are extra daylight hours to go fishing so get outdoors! The first two Saturdays in June – this year, June 7 and June 14 – are free fishing days in Maryland, when anglers do not Read the Rest…
The softball-sized, onomatopoeically-named bobwhite quail needs four things in its habitat: a place to nest and raise its young, a place to hide from predators, a place with food, and a place for the winter. A century ago it was easy to find all four. By a decade ago, it was almost impossible. The groundbird’s Read the Rest…
Nathan Choinski began fishing and pursuing the Master Angler title in 2020 Nathan Choinski of Churchville has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program. Choinski is the 20th Master Angler since the program began in 2019. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch ten trophy-sized fish of Read the Rest…
Season total decreases 2% from last year but remains above 10-year average Maryland hunters harvested a total of 4,851 wild turkeys during the 2025 spring regular and junior turkey seasons. While this year’s harvest was slightly lower than the 2024 season total of 4,959, it remained well above the 10-year average of 4,350.
Grants are used to help organizations that run programs to introduce beginners and increase access to outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, and mountain biking The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now taking applications for the second year of outdoor equity grants, which support outdoor recreation activities in Maryland’s underserved communities with funding Read the Rest…
by Paula Becker, Outreach Ecologist We all know that using native plants in our human landscapes is great for so many reasons. Native plants provide habitat for our native wildlife, birds, and pollinators. They improve water quality and soil health. They support human physical and mental health. AND they can increase the value of our Read the Rest…
By Edwin Guevara, Natural Heritage Program Imagine this: You’re on a scenic woodland hike in Maryland. Birds are chirping, squirrels are scurrying — and suddenly, you spot smoke rising from the forest. Your first instinct? Panic. Your second instinct? Call Smokey Bear. But wait — what if we told you that fire was… helping? Welcome Read the Rest…
By Katy Gorsuch, Education Specialist It’s Sweat Bee Summer! We’ve covered sweat bees in a previous edition, but with the temperature rising, the temptation to return to our favorite iridescent insect is undeniable (don’t tell the other bugs!) As the name suggests, sweat bees are sometimes found collecting sweat from humans. The purpose of such Read the Rest…
by Sarah Witcher “Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” ~Russell Baker Imagine that you are a box turtle. You slowly meander through woods and backyards, in search of water and snacks. The dappled browns and oranges on the top of your shell (your carapace) blend seamlessly with the Read the Rest…
Illegal and unlicensed operators cut corners and can leave customers out on a limb As Maryland homeowners freshen up their properties and landscape for the summer season, they should know the proper steps to take when hiring tree removal companies to clear damaged and downed trees, limbs, and branches. In addition to the damage that Read the Rest…
Funds available to cover processing fees for donated deer The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for its 2025 venison donation grant program. Grant money is available to organizations to assist with the direct costs of butchering and processing deer with the resulting venison being donated to programs who assist Marylanders in need. A Read the Rest…
There are fun fishing adventures waiting out there and hopefully everyone can spend some time at their favorite fishing hole, or perhaps seek out a new spot or species. The first two Saturdays in June are free fishing days where no fishing license is required, so consider taking a friend fishing – it could change Read the Rest…
Jeffrey Spicer of Parkville has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch ten trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland. Spicer is the 19th angler to achieve the highest milestone in the FishMaryland program. He learned about the Master Angler Read the Rest…
The public is invited to join two focus group meetings to help assess the opportunities, challenges, and pathways forward to the future establishment of Gwynns Falls State Park as the premier example of a “partnership park” between the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore. Input on seven topics will be collected ranging from Read the Rest…
UPDATE: Contest Deadline Extended through Dec. 31, 2025 To mark its centennial, the Maryland Big Tree Program is offering $500 to whoever can find the biggest tree in a state forest. In partnership with the Maryland Forest Service, the program is offering its Big-Tree Centennial Contest, encouraging the public to explore Maryland state forest and Read the Rest…
Largemouth bass are Maryland’s most popular freshwater sportfish. Found in lakes, and nontidal and tidal rivers throughout the state, many anglers enjoy fishing for them because of their size, the sport they provide, or the tournaments that are hosted throughout the state. Recently, though, the fish has undergone a name change—sort of. The American Fisheries Read the Rest…
Next year’s blue crab stock assessment expected to inform management options, help better understand low juvenile recruitment The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, estimates 238 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2025, a decrease Read the Rest…
There is a lot of great fishing to enjoy this week from western Maryland to the coastal regions. One fishing scene that will be enjoyed by our youngest and oldest anglers are white perch, which can now be found near docks in every tidal river and creek of the Chesapeake Bay.
Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space -Local projects The Board of Public Works today approved more than $4.7 million in grants to local governments from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to construct park facilities in Baltimore, Frederick, Garrett, Prince George’s, and Washington Counties.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission named writer Shawn Kimbro the 2025 recipient of the annual Maryland Sport Fisheries Achievement Award. The commission and department recognize Kimbro for his decades of advocacy for fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Kimbro has written extensively on fishing ethics and techniques, and championed successful Read the Rest…
Whether someone is just dipping a line for the first time or ready to jump back into the hobby of fishing, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers the chance to enjoy the thrill of a catch without spending a lot of money. Licensing fees directly fund DNR’s important conservation work – the department Read the Rest…
Weekend and holiday reservations required at the two parks starting Saturday, May 24 Beginning today, visitors planning to attend Greenbrier State Park or Sandy Point State Park for Memorial Day weekend as well as future weekends and holidays can make reservations at parkdayuse.maryland.gov. The Maryland Park Service’s new day pass reservation system requires all visitors Read the Rest…
Benchmark stock assessment completed this year estimates more than 12 billion oysters are in Maryland’s waters of the Chesapeake Bay The population of Maryland’s oysters has grown significantly in the past 20 years, according to the results of the latest benchmark stock assessment for the species. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the University Read the Rest…
