Natural Resources News
Waterfowl Blind Site Licensing Process Now Available for 2022-23
Online Lottery, Virtual Appointments to Secure Hunting Locations
Photo by Jake McPherson, Ducks Unlimited
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is again offering an online-only process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2022-2023 waterfowl blind site license. From now through July 26 at 11:59 p.m., hunters may enter the annual lottery for the opening days of blind site licensing through the department’s Compass licensing portal.
Hunters can register to be entered into a random lottery for a county of their choice. Landowners who would like to license their own property may also enter the same lottery. Read more…
Secretary’s Message – July 2022
Better Days Ahead in Maryland’s Waters
Upgrades at Chestertown Marina were funded by the Waterway Improvement Fund. Photo by Stephen Badger, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Fifty-six years ago, Maryland’s Waterway Improvement Fund was established to fund waterway improvements, promote recreational and commercial boating, and improve the safety and navigation of Maryland’s waterways for the benefit of the general boating public.
Since its inception this important program has provided more than $300 million in funding for 4,500 projects at public boating access sites across Maryland. If you use a publicly owned boat ramp or marina in our state, there is a good chance that it was funded and is maintained with funding from this program. Read more…
Governor Hogan Announces $18.8 Million for Chesapeake Bay Restoration Projects
Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Supports 22 Projects at 77 Sites
Native tree planting figures prominently in many projects funded by the Trust Fund. Maryland DNR photo
Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the award of $18.8 million to 22 ecological restoration projects that will improve water quality and habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, while building local resilience to climate impacts. These awards encompass 77 unique sites that will be restored using best management practices, including riparian buffer and reforestation plantings, stream restoration, stormwater management, and wetland creation.
“Our administration’s commitment to environmental stewardship has included making record investments in Chesapeake Bay restoration, including fully funding the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund,” said Governor Hogan. “Each of these projects plays a critical role in improving the quality of the bay, and making our ecosystem more resilient.” Read more…
Maryland Sport Fishing Achievement Awards Presented for 2022
Third Annual Awards from Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission
Captain Bruno M. Vasta (third from left) and family of the late James W. “Jim” Gracie attend the Maryland Sport Fisheries Achievement Awards presentation in Annapolis. Maryland DNR photo
The Maryland Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are proud to announce Captain Bruno M. Vasta and the late James W. “Jim” Gracie each as recipients of Maryland Sport Fisheries Achievement Awards for 2022. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – July 6
Photo by Eric Packard
Maryland is full of outdoor adventures, and getting out on the water is one of the most enjoyable. Being the captain of your own vessel can be a thrill and a learning experience for our younger anglers, under the watchful eye of adults tagging along and capturing those special moments.
Read more…
Safety Urged for Maryland Waterway Users This Holiday Weekend
Enhanced Enforcement to Target Impaired Boaters on the Waterways
Maryland Natural Resources Police patrol the waters off Sandy Point State Park. Photo by Stephen Badger, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland’s waterways are expected to be crowded this weekend, and officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement and water rescue are working to make sure the fun is not mixed with tragedy.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources joined with the U.S. Coast Guard and Anne Arundel County Fire Department to send this message during a news conference June 29 at Sandy Point State Park. The Maryland Natural Resources Police also announced plans for its annual participation in Operation Dry Water, a nationally coordinated effort to educate boaters about the dangers of boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Read more…
Anne Arundel County No Discharge Zone Takes Effect July 1
New Protection in Place for 13 Bodies of Water
Photo by Emily Carter Mitchell
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), along with the Severn River Association, Anne Arundel County, and the City of Annapolis, announce that a federally approved No Discharge Zone (NDZ) designation for 13 bodies of water in Anne Arundel County, including Annapolis Harbor, takes effect July 1, 2022.
After receiving a request for an NDZ from the Severn River Association, Anne Arundel County, and the City of Annapolis, DNR and MDE applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for additional protection of Anne Arundel County waters in May 2020. After significant review and public comment, the NDZ is now final. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 29
Viyaan Ranjith caught his very first fish while fishing with his dad and it was a bluegill sunfish. Congratulations Viyaan! Photo by Ranjith Kunjayi
Summer is in full swing and we’re going into one of the most popular weekends of the season – Fourth of July! It is a wonderful time to spend time with family and friends enjoying all that Maryland has to offer. The feisty bluegill is one of Maryland’s treasures that entertain anglers young and old in small community ponds to our larger reservoirs. Read more…
Bird-Safe Window Treatments Installed at DNR Headquarters
Protective Applications Help Birds Avoid Glass
Photo by Claudia Donegan, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Safe Skies Maryland recently partnered to install special window treatments that reduce and prevent bird collisions with windows at the department’s Tawes State Office Building headquarters in Annapolis. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 22
Dominic Kronk spent Father’s Day fishing for white perch with his dad. Photo by Kenny Kronk
The arrival of summer provides plenty of opportunities for special family time in the great outdoors. This past Sunday was a wonderful Father’s Day for dads, grandads, and other father figures to spend fishing with sons and daughters.
Read more…
Summer Waterway Users Should Be Alert for Marine Wildlife
Citizens Should Report Stranded Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles
Photo by Dennis Raulin, submitted to the 2018 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
As summer approaches, 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 Ocean and coastal bays. Read more…
Maryland Natural Resources Police Report — Spring
Maryland Natural Resources Police photo
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) this spring issued citations throughout the state for waterfowl poaching, deer spotlighting, turkey baiting, illegal fishing and oystering, outdoor fire violations, and more.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website lists all state regulations for hunting and fishing. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 15
Photo by Alan Klotz
We often hear that we should take more time outdoors with family and friends, and fishing is a great way to do that. A dedicated angler never feels they are fishing enough – time is short so grasp every opportunity you can. Read more…
Snakehead Derby Returns to Gunpowder Falls State Park June 25
‘Snakes on the Dundee II’ Invites Anglers to Battle Invader
Entries are judged during the 2021 Snakes on the Dundee fishing derby. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is teaming up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to host its second annual snakehead derby at Gunpowder Falls State Park in Baltimore County. Snakes on the Dundee II will take place June 25 at Dundee Creek Marina.
Anglers of all ages are invited to participate in this free event, which features fishing lessons, door prizes, a fileting demonstration, a fish printing activity, and cooking techniques. Prizes will be awarded in two age groups, for anglers 17 and younger or 18 and older. Read more…
Maryland Waterway Improvement Fund Awards $13.5 Million for FY2023
Projects Funded Statewide for New and Improved Boating Access, Navigation, and Safety
Solley Cove Boat Ramp in Anne Arundel County, completed in 2021 with support of the Waterway Improvement Fund. Photo by Carla Fleming, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $13.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to enhance and improve public boating access, facilities, and navigation throughout the state.
This funding is awarded to 45 applicants statewide, supporting efforts that include new public boating access, amenities, and facilities; dredging of navigable waterways; emergency vessels and equipment for local first responders; and other important infrastructure and initiatives. Read more…
Nesting Platform Initiative in Maryland Coastal Bays Begins Second Year
Conservation Partnership Again Deploys “Island” for Colonial Nesting Waterbirds
Tern platform with new solar platform, May 2022. Photo by Archer Larned, Maryland Coastal Bays Program.
The partnership of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Audubon Mid-Atlantic, and Maryland Coastal Bays Program is continuing an innovative conservation project to preserve three of Maryland’s state listed endangered colonial nesting waterbirds — the common tern, royal tern, and black skimmer.
The project, now in its second year, is providing a floating wooden-framed platform as a nesting site for endangered colonial waterbirds, which have declined by a staggering 90-95% since the mid-1980s due to sea level rise and the erosion of their natural barren sand nesting islands in the coastal bays. The initial year of the project was an immediate success. The platform was successfully used for nesting by 23 pairs of common terns, making it the largest breeding colony of this species in the Coastal Bays in 2021. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 8
Young anglers (left to right) Ronae’ Heard, Emily Jackson, and Lincoln Christopher proudly hold up their first catches. Photos by (left to right) Angel Renee Stewart, Adam Jackson, and Kristin Christopher.
Even if it’s not official yet, summertime is here and families are enjoying time fishing together. Bluegill sunfish, white perch, and catfish are some simple species that are easy for our younger anglers to catch and feel the excitement that fishing can provide. Read more…
State Record Common Carp Caught in Susquehanna Flats
Baltimore County Angler Breaks Record Held 44 Years
Logan Kuhrmann of Essex is the new state record holder for common carp in the state’s Chesapeake Division. Photo by Matt Weber, used with permission.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed Logan Kuhrmann of Essex is the new state record holder for common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) in the state’s Chesapeake Division. Kuhrmann, 24, caught the 49-pound carp June 4 while bass fishing in the Susquehanna Flats area of the Chesapeake Bay. Read more…
Secretary’s Message – June 2022
By Land and Water, Maryland is Ready for the Summer
Fly-fishing at Morgan Run Natural Environment Area, Carroll County. Photo by Patrick Siebert, Maryland State House
June is Great Outdoors Month and we hope to see you out enjoying Maryland’s natural spaces, including our vast system of state parks and forests, and of course the state’s world-renowned waterways.
This is peak season for one of Maryland’s favorite pastimes, fishing, from the cold streams and rivers of Western Maryland to the Atlantic surf. If you want to try your hand at fishing in Maryland before deciding on getting your license, you can enjoy one of our license-free fishing days in June and July; and if you already know the joys of fishing in our waters, bring a friend! Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 1
This happy angler is all smiles with this massive northern snakehead. Photo by Josh Trenary
Maryland anglers are adjusting to some unexpectedly changing fisheries and are targeting invasive species. Northern snakeheads, blue catfish, and flathead catfish populations are expanding rapidly in Maryland waters, and anglers are taking up the challenge to reduce their populations. The old adage of making lemonade out of lemons comes to mind, since they all taste so good.
The next two Saturdays, June 4 and June 11, are license-free fishing days in Maryland waters, so don’t let them pass without taking someone out who has not been fishing in a while, or someone who has never fished before. The last free fishing day of the year will be July 4.
Horseshoe Crabs Begin Migration onto Atlantic Coast
Citizens Can Help Scientific Survey of Ancient Creature
Maryland DNR photo
The annual spawning migration of horseshoe crabs – Limulus polyphemus – is now returning to Maryland beaches. The peak of the horseshoe crab spawn depends on late spring and early summer high tides, culminating on or around each full and new moon in June. Dating back an estimated 350 million years, this yearly event along the Atlantic coast is thought to be the world’s oldest and largest wildlife migration.
Biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) monitor the returning horseshoe crab population for ecological and scientific research purposes. The department encourages the public to report any spawning activity and sightings of horseshoe crabs to DNR’s Horseshoe Crab Volunteer Angler Survey. Read more…
Maryland’s Spring 2022 Turkey Harvest Sees 8% Increase
Hunters Bag 4,208 Turkeys; Five Counties Set Records
Photo by Stephen Badger, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland hunters harvested 4,208 wild turkeys during the spring 2022 regular and junior turkey seasons, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported. This year’s harvest was 8% higher than the 2021 harvest and just 2% below the record harvest of 4,303 set in 2020. Read more…
Maryland Urges Waterway Safety as Boating Season Hits Full Throttle
Safe Practices Can Help Avoid Tragedy
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The outdoor temperature is rising, and Maryland’s waterways are about to get a lot busier. The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) reminds anglers, boaters, swimmers, and all waterway users to take proper precautions.
In 2021, Maryland had 145 reportable boating accidents; 51 of those accidents caused injuries, and six were fatal. These numbers are down from the previous year when Maryland saw 155 reportable boating accidents, 64 injuries, and six fatal accidents resulting in seven deaths. Read more…
Three License-Free Fishing Days Scheduled for 2022
Dates in June and July Opportune Time to Try Fishing
Photo by Jeff Swartzendruber, submitted to the 2020 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announces its 2022 license-free fishing days will be held on Saturday, June 4, Saturday, June 11, and Monday, July 4. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 25
Emily Salada gets a quick hug and picture before sliding this beautiful red drum back into Tangier Sound waters. Photo courtesy of Hunter Smith
Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and with it the traditional start of summer activities. The three-day weekend offers some wonderful opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends.
If you have a friend you’d like to introduce to fishing, Maryland offers license-free fishing days the first two Saturdays in June and also on July 4. Make some plans and take advantage of this offer from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The 2022 baywide blue crab winter dredge survey results are available on the DNR website.
Since May 16. much of the Chesapeake Bay has been open to fishing for striped bass measuring 19 inches or more. Some areas of the upper Bay and tidal rivers are still closed to fishing for striped bass. All areas of the Chesapeake Bay and the tidal rivers will be open to striped bass fishing on June 1 – be sure to check the DNR website for seasonal regulations in your area of the Bay.
Maryland Conservation Corps Recruiting Young Adults for 2022-23
Award-Winning Program Provides Practical Experience and Skills Training
Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now recruiting members for the Maryland Conservation Corps, an award-winning AmeriCorps program that engages young adults aged 17-25 in extensive conservation, environmental, and natural resources management projects across the state.
The department seeks to hire 35 full-time members who will work on eight teams for an 11-month period, beginning in late September 2022. Read more…
Maryland State Parks Invite Public to Support Our Pollinators
‘Project Butterfly & Bumblebee’ Includes Activities and Donation Opportunities
This spring, the Maryland Park Service has launched Project Butterfly & Bumblebee, an ongoing slate of programs and activities to educate the general public about the role pollinators play in maintaining diverse ecosystems and the nation’s food supply.
Pollinators are any insect or animal that transfers pollen from one plant to another in order to facilitate the fertilization to form fruits or seeds. They include a number of species of bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, wasps, flies, ants, and even birds. Maryland State Parks are committed to the protection of these vital creatures. Read more…
Tagging Study Offers Money for Harvesting Northern Snakeheads
Snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay or Blackwater River Worth up to $200
Northern snakeheads caught in the Blackwater River. Photo by Stephen Badger.
In an effort to monitor invasive northern snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay and Blackwater River, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announces a new tagging program in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Both agencies are placing yellow or blue tags on up to 500 northern snakeheads. Each tagged northern snakehead caught and harvested from now until 2024 could be rewarded with a gift card of $10 or $200 depending on the tag. Read more…
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey Results Released
Maryland and Virginia to Review Survey Results, Decide Management Approach
Staff examine a juvenile blue crab as part of the annual winter dredge survey; photo taken in 2017. Photo by Stephen Badger, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the results of the 2022 Baywide Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), which annually estimates the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay. Read more…
Maryland Natural Resources Police Award Officers for Achievement
Maryland NRP Superintendent Col. Adrian Baker and Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Robert Kersey, with the NRP Color Guard, open the awards ceremony. Maryland DNR photo
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) held its annual award ceremony to recognize the achievements made by conservation law enforcement officers in 2021. The annual event was held May 14 at Anne Arundel Community College. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 18
Glenn Simpkins and his daughter with a nice-sized crappie at a pond in Harford County. Photo by Glenn Simpkins
Warm and sunny weather returned to Maryland and fishing conditions are getting back to normal, with lighter winds and less rain this week.
The shad run is winding down, but should continue until the end of May. With the warmer weather, fishing for invasive snakeheads is starting to improve in the shallow waters of Blackwater and in other river systems, along the shorelines and weed beds.
Summer striped bass season regulations started May 16 and the entire Bay will be open to fishing starting on June 1 – be sure to check the DNR website for seasonal regulations in your area of the Bay.
Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in 53 Deer in Western Maryland
Positive Samples Were Entirely Within Existing Management Area
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported that 53 white-tailed deer sampled within Allegany and Washington counties in 2021 tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a neurodegenerative disease found in deer and elk. All of Maryland’s positive samples were found within the existing Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 11
Angler Alonzo Magee caught his first fish — a bluegill — in a Gaithersburg pond. Photo by Leroy Hyson
The big story recently was a major storm system with heavy rains and northeasterly winds, which brought flooding conditions to the Potomac, Susquehanna, and other rivers and streams across Maryland. Fishing conditions should slowly get back to normal with a stretch of warmer sunny days and lighter winds. The shad run should continue until late May, and the 2022 striped bass trophy season will run through May 15. Summer season regulations start on May 16 – be sure to check the DNR website for seasonal regulations in your area of the Bay.
With the weather improving the next few days, don’t forget to take your kids out on the water and introduce them to the great sport of fishing!
Secretary’s Message – May 2022
Opening Up Maryland’s Great Outdoors
Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford join Ranger Melissa Acuti at Sandy Point Nature Center, Sandy Point State Park. Photo by Patrick Siebert, Governor’s Office
As we approach the start of summer season, DNR is prepared to meet it with new additions to our Maryland State Park system and a growing list of outdoor recreation and education opportunities. Read more…
Maryland State Forests Earn Sustainability Certification for 19th Consecutive Year
Five Forests Have Met International Standards for 2022
Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford and Maryland DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio join Maryland Forest Service staff for a tour of Pocomoke State Forest on May 3, 2022. Photo by Patrick Siebert, Maryland State House
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the major five state forests comprising Maryland’s state forest system – totaling more than 200,000 acres –- this year received two favorable independent audit reports recognizing that DNR is managing the state forests according to internationally accepted Forest Certification standards for sustainability.
These positive 2022 surveillance audits by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) show Maryland’s state forests meet their standards for sustainable certification.
Lt. Gov. Rutherford Boyd K. Rutherford and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio recently visited Pocomoke and Chesapeake forests to view some of the Maryland Forest Service’s sustainable management practices. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 4
Brady Matthew enjoyed a great family day of fishing with his daughters, catching both sunfish and golden shiners.
The shad run is on, and fishing for both American shad and hickories has been very good for catch-and-release anglers.
The striped bass trophy season got off to a fair start with some large fish in the 40-inch to 50-inch range caught on the first day, May 1.
The 2022 striped bass trophy season will run through May 15. Summer season regulations start on May 16 – be sure to check the DNR website for seasonal regulations in your area of the Bay.
Arbor Day Celebrated at Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Colleges Eligible for Tree Campus Higher Education Award
As part of celebrating the 150th National Arbor Day on April 29, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces that all four Maryland historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have completed the first step to be eligible to apply for the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education, a national recognition program, which recognizes colleges and universities efforts to establish and sustain healthy community forests.
This year marks the first time all four HBCUs – Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Morgan State University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) – have conducted Arbor Day plantings, one of the five steps toward eligibility. Maryland Forest Service staff will be assisting the schools as they develop their plans to complete the additional steps.
Maryland DNR photo
Bowie State held a tree planting on April 22 with the student group, Green Ambassadors, planting six native trees that were supplied by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
‘I Had Crossed the Line’: Philadelphia, Where Harriet Tubman Found Freedom
In the 19th century, the Mason-Dixon Line that forms the Pennsylvania-Maryland border was often seen as the invisible line between freedom and slavery. For freedom seekers like Harriet Tubman, crossing the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania represented a step into a better world. Read more…
Supporting Stream Communities from Bottom to Banks: Mussel and Tree Plantings Bring Healthy Waters to Town Creek
As a tree’s canopy spreads over a stream and its roots anchor into the soil, humans and wildlife alike reap the benefits. These include cleaner water through erosion and runoff control, cleaner air through leaves’ absorption of carbon dioxide and other particles, and food, shelter, and shade for all life forms. Read more…
If You Build It, Will They Come? An Artificial Island May Be the Lifeline Maryland’s Common Terns Need
The sections of nesting platforms are assembled, locked together, and anchored for the summer nesting season (photo by David Harp for Audubon)
Under a bright blue sky in early May 2021, about 20 people gathered at a boat ramp south of Ocean City, Maryland, to launch an unusual structure into Chincoteague Bay: a makeshift island that could be common terns’ best chance to survive in the region. The volunteers wheeled eight 8-by-16-foot wooden platforms into the water and connected them two at a time. Then a backhoe operator coated them with crushed clam shells, and—painstakingly slowly—a boat captain pulled each quadrant to an undisclosed location that would provide protection from curious tourists, hungry predators, noisy boats, and extreme weather. There, the team bolted everything together to create a single floating island the size of a small apartment. Read more…
Maryland Arbor Day Poster Contest 2022: Trees Are Terrific, and Maryland Forests Are Too!
First-place winning poster by Camden Steiner of Harford County
Each year, fifth-grade students submit their entries to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Arbor Day Poster Contest. The posters are created using varied artistic techniques, including colored pencils, crayons, markers and paint, all illustrating an annual theme. For 2022, the theme was, “Trees are Terrific…and Maryland Forests are Too.” Read more…
From the Field: Paul Petzrick, Energy Resource Administrator
Paul Petzrick is in his 30th year as an employee of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Such longevity isn’t unusual, but for Paul it comes after he had already retired from 30 years in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy. At 92, he still has more to accomplish. Read more…
The Year of Harriet Tubman
March 2022 marked the bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth, and the fifth anniversary of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center in Church Creek, Dorchester County. Through the weekend of March 12-13, more than 1,500 people attended the events celebrating Tubman’s bicentennial, despite cold and snowy weather. It was obvious people were ready to celebrate Tubman! Read more…
Tools of the Trade: Midwinter Wildfowl Survey
Waterfowl survey single-engine plane ready on the tarmac
Each winter, aerial survey teams of pilots and biologists from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service make visual estimates of the ducks, geese, and swans along the state’s tidal shorelines. This survey helps wildlife managers collect information on waterfowl habitats and populations in Maryland, and is part of a larger national effort. Read more…
Outside Perspective
While the Maryland Department of Natural Resources may be best known for its conservation of Maryland’s treasured natural resources, our mission also includes the preservation and interpretation of Maryland’s historical and cultural resources. That’s why this spring we have been proud to celebrate all our public lands and the important historical figures that are tied to our natural history. Read more…
Maryland Departments of General Services and Natural Resources Celebrate Arbor Day
Marylanders Plant Trees Coupons & Gift of Trees Donation Forms Distributed to Guests of State Facilities in Honor of the Day
The Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day today by presenting Marylanders Plant Trees coupons and Gift of Trees donation forms to visitors and employees at state of Maryland facilities in Baltimore and Annapolis. Read more…
Angler Catches Record White Perch in Isle of Wight Bay
Worcester County Resident Sets Record for Atlantic Division
Photo courtesy Robert J. Hudson
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed a new state record for white perch in the state’s Atlantic division. Robert “Bob” Hudson, of Ocean Pines, unexpectedly landed the 1.85-pound white perch in the Isle of Wight Bay near Ocean City. Read more…
DNR Advises Keeping Fawns and Other Wildlife Safe in the Wild
Anyone Encountering a Fawn Should Leave it Alone
Photo by April Price, submitted to the 2014 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cautions anyone who encounters a fawn to avoid disturbing it and resist the urge to feed or handle it. Removing deer from the wild and keeping them in captivity is dangerous, harmful to the animal, and against the law.
Deer are born with specialized adaptations, including a lack of odor that prevents predators from locating them; remarkable camouflage that makes it hard to see them; and “freezing behavior” that allows them to stay absolutely motionless when approached by potential predators. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – April 27
Reza Karimi was fishing Seneca Creek when he caught this trophy-sized rainbow trout. Photo courtesy of Reza Karimi
April has been a wonderful month for fishing, especially for our put-and-take trout anglers. Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff have been out each week stocking trout waters around the state.
The 2022 striped bass trophy season begins Sunday, May 1, and our Chesapeake Bay anglers will be out in force – be sure to check the DNR website for seasonal regulations in your area of the Bay.
Maryland Dedicates Trail Area to Conservationist Jim Gracie
Stretch of Gunpowder Falls State Park Adjacent to Fishing Spots
Photos by Stephen Badger, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has dedicated a portion of the Gunpowder North Trail in memory of Jim Gracie, trout fisherman and stream restoration advocate who died in 2020. A ceremony at Gunpowder Falls State Park was attended by his wife, Jane Gracie, numerous current and former state officials, and others in the fishing and conservation communities.
A plaque on the trail reads a list of Gracie’s accomplishments: “An avid conservationist and leader of the Maryland Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Jim was instrumental in working together with the Department of Natural Resources to negotiate an agreement with the City of Baltimore establishing a minimum flow of cold water from the Prettyboy Reservoir, thereby securing the healthy and ideal habitat necessary for the proliferation of wild trout, and establishing the Gunpowder River as a world-renowned Blue-Ribbon trout stream.” Read more…
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