Natural Resources News
Late August 2019 Hypoxia Report
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 late August, down from the 1.77 cubic miles seen in early August. A small volume (0.006 cubic miles) of anoxia (waters with less than 0.2 mg/l oxygen) was detected. Read more…
Fall Foliage and Festival Report – Sept. 14-15, 2019
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 and grab that extra bit of sleep. Although Autumn 2019 will not officially arrive until the early morning of Sept. 23, the full moon that falls nearest to the Fall Equinox, the Harvest Moon, is scheduled for its annual appearance on Saturday evening. Sometimes called the Full Corn Moon, it is so bright farmers could work by the light of it. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – September 11
Photo by Captain “walleye” Pete Dahlberg
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 very strong run of Spanish mackerel which is delighting those who are able to get out and fish for them.
2019-20 Trapping Bid Packets Available for the Lower Eastern Shore
Annual Privileges at State-Owned Properties
Muskrat den at Taylors Island Wildlife Management Area
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now accepting bids for the 2019-2020 trapping season at several Eastern Shore public lands. Individuals with the highest bid for each area will be awarded annual trapping privileges. Locations and bidding dates are as follows:
For Cedar Island, Deal Island, E. A. Vaughn, Fairmount, Isle of Wight, Johnson, Maryland Marine Properties, Pocomoke River, Pocomoke Sound, South Marsh Island, and Wellington wildlife management areas, along with Janes Island State Park, bid packages must be picked up and submitted by noon on Oct. 15 at the Wellington Wildlife Management Area, 32733 Dublin Road, Princess Anne. Sealed bids will be opened at 1 p.m. on Oct. 15. More information for these locations is available by calling 410-543-8223 between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Read more…
Fall Trout Stocking Begins in October
Anglers Can Sign Up For Notifications
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will stock thousands of brown, golden, and rainbow trout in several creeks, lakes, and rivers starting in early October. The majority of this year’s trout stocking come from the department’s Albert Powell Hatchery near Hagerstown.
Throughout the summer, staff have been looking after thousands of trout ranging in size from one-half pound to one pound. However, several trophy-sized spring “holdovers” in the three-pound range will also be stocked. Read more…
Early Teal Season Opens Sept. 16
Special Season Provides Additional Waterfowl Opportunity
Photo by Alan D. Wilson
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces that the September teal-only hunting season will be open from Sept. 16 through Sept. 30. Shooting hours are one half-hour before sunrise to sunset, the daily bag limit is six teal (blue or green-winged), and the possession limit for teal is three times the daily bag limit.
Seasons and bag limits for all other migratory game birds can be found in the 2019-20 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping. Read more…
Maryland Wildfire Crew Deployed to Northern California
First Out-of-State Deployment of the Season
Maryland has assembled and mobilized a crew of wildland firefighters to help battle ongoing wildfires in northern California as part of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. It’s the first out-of-state deployment for a Maryland crew this season.
The 20-person crew assembled this weekend at the Madonna Ranger Station in Harford County and is departing from Harrisburg, Pa. today along with four other crews from the Mid-Atlantic region. The crews will receive their assignments upon arrival at a staging area in Redding, Calif. Read more…
Elk Neck State Forest Shooting Range Reopens
Critical Maintenance Completed for Sept. 6 Opening
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce the rifle and shotgun ranges at Elk Neck State Forest in Cecil County reopens at 9 a.m. Sept. 6, following completion of a critical maintenance project this summer.
During the six-week project, the department’s contractor enhanced numerous safety and comfort features. Upgrades include a new concrete slab with new pavilion posts aligned with the shooting range baffles. The contractor also constructed and installed new shooting stations, lane partitions, and pavilion back rests. Read more…
Various Events Commemorate Battle of South Mountain
The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Lives Again This Weekend
Visitors to South Mountain State Battlefield can help commemorate the 157th anniversary of the Civil War battle that occurred there, with a series of battlefield hikes, tours, and living-history events Sept. 7-8.
On both days, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests can experience “Fury at Fox’s Gap,” where interpreters, representing both Union and Confederate regiments who fought in the Battle of South Mountain at Fox’s Gap, will be onsite near the Reno Monument. They will conduct infantry drill and firing demonstrations and highlight soldiers accounts of the battle.
Read more…
Department Receives Federal Funding for Atlantic Sturgeon Research
Prehistoric Fish Once Thought Gone from Maryland
Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been awarded more than $700,000 in federal funding to study and monitor the endangered Atlantic sturgeon. The money will be used over three years to continue the department’s tagging and tracking of fall spawning Atlantic sturgeon in the Nanticoke River and Marshyhope Creek.
Until recently, Maryland’s Atlantic sturgeon population was believed to have been decimated. In 2014, biologists discovered a fall spawning adult sturgeon population in the Nanticoke River, making an appearance for the first time in 40 years. Read more…
Secretary’s Message: September 2019
September is a Great Time to Enjoy Nature and to Give Back
Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so while I am sad to see summer coming to an end, I am also looking forward to cooler weather and changing leaves. Autumn is a great time of year to experience outdoor recreation in Maryland; and there are many great events planned for the month of September that are the perfect excuse to get outside and assist us with our mission, starting with Day to Serve.
Governor Larry Hogan recently issued a proclamation declaring September 11 through October 10, 2019 as “Day to Serve” month in Maryland. As part of the announcement, Governor Hogan is encouraging all Maryland citizens and state employees to choose a day to participate in a volunteer activity. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – September 4
Marty Zupancic decided to show us the toothy face of a Spanish mackerel he caught recently. Photo by Marty Zupancic
Now that Labor Day activities are behind us, anglers can focus on fishing more with family and friends. Cooler weather will begin to show its face and Maryland waters will begin to shake off the summer heat. Fishing for Spanish mackerel has been very popular in the bay.
Take a Tour of “America in Miniature”
Admiring the geology of Cunningham Falls State Park; by Joe Andrucyk
If you look at a map of the United States, Maryland appears small—so small that depending on the map, you may hardly be able to see it at all.
But when you’re here, the land of the Free State is actually quite expansive and diverse. In the 1970s, National Geographic dubbed Maryland, “America in Miniature,” due to the fact that nearly every kind of terrain can be found here – from the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the expansive marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, to vast acres of farmland and the rocky Appalachian mountains. In between, you’ll find the beautiful rolling hills of Maryland’s horse country, the spectacular sight of massive sunflower fields, and miles upon miles of water trails to travel by kayak or canoe, just like those who came before us. Read more…
Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future: Program Open Space Continues Maryland’s Tradition of Conservation
Aerial photo of Piney Run Rural Legacy Area; department photo
Four centuries ago, Captain John Smith discovered the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding region of thick forests, fertile valleys, serene rivers, rolling mountains, lush marshes and sandy beaches. Smith’s view of this “delightsome land” has since been transformed by four centuries of growth and development. Read more…
Timeline: Our Story Begins
The units that make up today’s Department of Natural Resources mostly date back farther than 1969, many having gone through numerous names and structural changes before and even after becoming part of the department.
The earliest version of what is now a Department of Natural Resources function is the Maryland Geological Survey, which originated with a brief tenure from 1834-41 and resumed activity in 1896.
The oldest continuing unit is the Maryland Natural Resources Police, which was organized as the State Oyster Police force in 1868. Read more…
Back from the Brink: Once Almost Extinct in Maryland, Three Species Survive!
River otter, by Maureen Lemire
In terms of wildlife, with many species predating the time humans arrived on the scene, 50 years may not seem like a long time.
But as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources celebrates our 50th anniversary this year, we can look back on the Maryland of 1969 and see that significant changes took place.
The year of our founding was a simpler time, but also a challenging time for wildlife species – one in which there were no river otters in western Maryland, wild turkeys were reduced to a fraction of their original numbers statewide and Maryland black bears were merely a tall tale. But through a lot of hard work and dedication, we’re happy to report that these species now star in some of Maryland’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories. Read more…
From the Field: Biologist Brooke Landry
Brooke Landry’s passion for biology started early. “I was a little science geek,” she laughs.
Her interest in underwater grasses really picked up as she snorkeled around coral reefs and beds of seagrass on a middle school class trip to Belize. A few undergrad summers spent studying salt marshes on Maryland’s Eastern Shore immersed her in the wonders of bay life, and she went on to specialize in coastal habitats for her University of Virginia environmental science degree. Landry then worked on a long-term habitat assessment project off the southern tip of Florida during her graduate studies.
Now, having returned to her Chesapeake Bay roots as an underwater grasses biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, she focuses on the health of the bay’s submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and chairs the Chesapeake Bay Program’s SAV Workgroup. Read more…
Outside Perspective
Fifty years ago, Governor Marvin Mandel replaced the former Board of Natural Resources with the cabinet-level Department of Natural Resources and our operations began. As we celebrate this milestone, DNR is proud of the fact that our work is making a difference in every county and community across Maryland. Read more…
Ask an Expert: Earthquakes in Maryland
Maryland Geological Survey staff members install a seismometer on the McHenry campus in Garrett County in June 2018. The state-of -the-art sensor uses a suspended weight to detect vibrations in the Earth and feeds the signal into a nationwide monitoring system. Photo by Rebecca Adams.
It seems like a lot of earthquakes have been in the news in recent years. How often does Maryland have earthquakes and why do they happen here?
(Lourdes in Baltimore City)
Read more…
The Nature of Change
Maryland has changed quite a bit in the past 50 years, but one thing has remained the same: the dedication and hard work of the employees of the Department of Natural Resources.
Since its official founding on July 1, 1969, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has conserved, protected and restored the critical areas of our state, including our forests, fish, parks, waters and wildlife. Read more…
Maryland Deer Archery Season Opens Sept. 6
Hunting Continues Through Jan. 31
Photo by Jan Branscome
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that archery hunting for white-tailed and sika deer opens statewide Sept. 6, and continues through Jan. 31, 2020.
For the 2019-20 season, the statewide bag limit for white-tailed bucks is two deer (no more than one per weapon season). Maryland hunters in Region B (the state’s central, southern, and eastern regions) have the option to take one additional bonus buck after purchasing a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp. The antlerless deer bag limits differ between deer management regions. In Region B the antlerless archery limit is 15. Read more…
Free Trees at Corsica River Day in Queen Anne’s County
Department Provides Native Seedlings Sept. 15
Pin oak seedlings being grown at the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will give away potted native tree seedlings on Sept. 15 during the Corsica River Day celebration at Corsica River Yacht Club in Centreville. A mix of 50 native species will be available at the Maryland Forest Service table on a first-come, first-served basis.
Species of tree seedlings will include eastern red cedar, sycamore, bald cypress, and assorted oaks including pin, swamp white, and willow oak.
Woodmont Lodge Hosts Open House Sept. 8
Visitors Can Explore Historic Washington County Hunting Grounds
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites the public to visit Woodmont Lodge on Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The annual open house will allow guests to tour the hunting lodge and its picturesque surroundings while hearing vivid stories of the early days of conservation and wildlife management in Maryland.
Built in 1930, the massive three-story fieldstone structure features enormous beams, huge stone fireplaces, and wood paneling and floors. Great leather chairs, bear skin rugs, photographs of special guests, and hundreds of game trophies still fill the rooms. Now part of the Woodmont Natural Resources Management Area, the lodge sits on the grounds of what was the Woodmont Rod and Gun Club. Under a management agreement with the Izaak Walton League, the Woodmont Club uses the property six months out of the year. Read more…
Fort Frederick State Park Hosts Nature Exploration Weekend
Visitors can explore the wild side of Fort Frederick State Park during the annual Nature Exploration Weekend Aug. 31 through Sept. 2.
Staff-led outdoor nature activities for all interest levels and ages will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday. A wide variety of special programs will include a a honeybee presentation with beekeeper Louis Capezuto, 10 a.m. Saturday; Mammals of Fort Frederick, 3 p.m. Saturday through Monday; and an Owl Pellet Dissection, 1 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
Film Debuts Sept. 14 at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
Harriet Tubman’s Life and Legacy Immortalized
Painting of Harriet Tubman displayed at Visitor Center
The new film, “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom” debuts September 14 at 2 p.m. at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Dorchester County. The 15-minute short featuring acclaimed actor and narrator Keith David with B. Cherie Patterson portraying Tubman, will be shown daily – three times an hour – to visitor center guests. Read more…
Lt. Governor Boyd K Rutherford, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Celebrate Grand Opening of Wolf Den Run State Park
Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today joined Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, as well as parks staff and state and local elected officials, for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of Wolf Den Run State Park, the newest state park in Maryland. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – August 28
The recent cooler weather has been a welcomed relief for all, and the hot summer months are beginning to fade into memory. Fishing has been good and recreational crabbers, in particular, are enjoying the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay, providing healthy and heavy crabs for crab picking with family and friends.
Maryland Submits Chesapeake Bay Clean-Up Plan
Final Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan Sets Path to Achieving Bay Restoration Goals by 2025
Maryland has developed a comprehensive plan for the next steps in continued progress in restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
The Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan — submitted Aug. 23 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — was developed to meet Maryland’s pollution reduction targets by 2025 as part of a multi-state bay restoration effort. Maryland developed the plan using extensive engagement with local governments and the public to identify aggressive but achievable pollution reduction strategies that balance responsibilities among wastewater treatment plants, urban stormwater runoff, septic systems, farms and other key sectors and problem solvers. Read more…
Early August 2019 Hypoxia Report
Maryland Department of Natural Resources monitoring data show that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay mainstem were larger than average in early August. The hypoxic water volume (areas with less than 2 mg/l oxygen) was 1.77 cubic miles in early August, down from the 2.01 cubic miles seen in late July, but significantly higher than the 1985-2018 early August average of 1.19 cubic miles. The hypoxic volumes ranked third-largest since 1985 for the early August time period. Read more…
G. Adrian Baker Named Superintendent of Natural Resources Police
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced that Chestertown Police Chief and Natural Resources Police veteran G. Adrian Baker will serve as superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Baker will be taking the place of Colonel Robert K. “Ken” Ziegler Jr. who resigned today. The appointment takes effect Sept. 11.
Baker has nearly two decades of command experience, including the past seven as Chief of Police in Chestertown. Baker’s experience also includes six years serving as the commander of the Natural Resources Police central region. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – Aug. 21
Memories are made while fishing and crabbing and this guy is lucky enough to have a grandfather to take him crabbing. Photo by Jim Livingston
We are on the back end of August and there are signs everywhere that the summer season is coming to a close — but there’s still time for families to spend some quality time together fishing. Read more…
Trapper Education Class Offered in Garrett County
Registration Deadline Sept. 13
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is holding a free trapper education class Sept. 21 at the Casselman Valley Sportsman Club in Grantsville. The class runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read more…
Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons 2019-2020 Announced
Mourning Dove Season Opens Sept. 2
Photo by Larry Hindman
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the state’s 2019-2020 migratory game bird hunting seasons. Bag limits, season dates, and shooting hours can be found in the 2019-2020 Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping. Read more…
Maryland Angler Tops Record for Common Dolphinfish
Catch Record for Mahi Set Just Three Weeks Ago
Kristi Frashure poses with her husband Ryan and the record fish she caught off Ocean City.
A Pasadena woman reeled in a new Maryland state record common dolphinfish, also known as mahi mahi. Kristy Frashure was participating in the Poor Girls Fishing Tournament in Ocean City on Aug. 16 when she caught the 74.5-pound fish. Read more…
Department Seeks Local Proposals for Public Outdoor Recreation Projects
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that counties and municipalities can now apply for grant funding from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund. Local governments should submit preliminary application forms by Sept. 19.
Land and Water Conservation Fund projects must be in direct support of public outdoor recreation. Eligible proposals include the acquisition, development, and maintenance of outdoor recreational areas, facilities, and properties, including athletic fields, boat launches, fishing piers, playgrounds, trails, and more. Municipalities and counties are eligible for up to a 50% matching fund with requests capped at $1 million.
Maryland Fishing Report – August 14
Photo by Michael Carr
No matter how seasoned one is as a fishermen, catching a noteworthy fish brings out excitement that is too often suppressed deep within us. Our daily trials can take a toll on our sense of childlike fun. This photo made me smile and caused me to relive a few moments that I shared with friends when catching a truly exciting fish. Fishing brings joy, no matter how the fish is taken or if it is an invasive fish that carries the distinctive name of northern snakehead.
Four Resiliency Projects Approved by Board of Public Works
The Board of Public Works today approved $248,480 for four Resiliency through Restoration projects, selected through a competitive solicitation, to help Maryland’s communities enhance their resiliency to the effects of climate change, erosion, flooding, and extreme weather. Read more…
Chesapeake Forest 2019 Hunting Lottery Now Open
Deadline for Hunt Clubs to Enter Lottery is Aug. 27
Hunt clubs interested in obtaining a hunting lease agreement on Chesapeake Forest Lands can enter a lottery for individual, non-leased tracts in Dorchester, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will accept online entries until Aug. 27. Read more…
Manokin River Chosen for Oyster Restoration
Ten Sites Now Selected Toward Chesapeake Bay Program Goal
The Chesapeake Bay Program and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are pleased to announce that the Manokin River has been approved as the 10th Chesapeake Bay tributary for large-scale oyster reef restoration. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement calls for the restoration of the native oyster population in 10 tributaries by 2025—and the Manokin River is the final tributary to be selected for this Chesapeake Bay Program partnership effort.
The Manokin River joins four other large-scale Maryland oyster restoration sites: Harris Creek, Little Choptank, Tred Avon, and Upper St. Mary’s rivers. Situated off Tangier Sound, along Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Manokin River is more than 16,000 acres and has been an oyster sanctuary area since 2010. Read more…
French and Indian War Muster at Fort Frederick State Park, August 24 and 25
Reenactors to Exhibit Life in Western Maryland During French and Indian War
Historical reenactors will take visitors on a journey back in time to the French and Indian War with volunteer living historians exhibiting the life of the French, British, and American Indian cultures during the French and Indian War Muster. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
“Activities throughout the weekend will give visitors a look into the lives of the people who fought on Maryland’s western frontier during the French and Indian War,” said Bob Study, Park Ranger at Fort Frederick State Park. Read more…
Maryland Celebrates Smokey Bear’s 75th Birthday
Fire Prevention Message Spreads Through Public Lands
The public is invited to join the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Aug. 9 in honoring one of the country’s iconic conservation heroes on his birthday. For 75 years, Smokey Bear has served as a national symbol for wildfire prevention — the longest running and most recognizable public service advertising campaign in U.S. history.
“The importance of Smokey’s message is as relevant today as it was 75 years ago,” Maryland State Forester Donald VanHassent said. “The best birthday present anyone can give Smokey Bear is learning how to prevent forest and wildland fires — as Smokey says, only you can prevent forest fires.” Read more…
National Hunting and Fishing Day 2019 Focuses on Veterans
Maryland Dedicates Annual Event to Those Who Served
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites all current and former service members and their families to Patriot Point in Dorchester County Sept. 21 to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day.
The annual event includes fishing, archery, shooting sports, and other activities centered on the outdoors and wildlife. A mentored dove hunt will also be offered for new and apprentice hunters.
Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed 2019 as the Year of the Veteran in Maryland. This year-long observance raises awareness of the brave service and sacrifice our United States veterans and families have made for Maryland and our country.
Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – August 7
Photo by Eric Packard
Just like us humans, fish are seeking relief from the summer heat wherever they can find it, and some fish are more tolerant of high temperatures than others. Many anglers have chosen to curtail fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay this month and are enjoying other fishing opportunities.
Spanish mackerel, bluefish, white perch and spot are providing plenty of fun fishing action for bay anglers. There is plenty of fishing action to be had in the Ocean City area, and species such as northern snakeheads, blue catfish, and other freshwater fish are providing plenty of often overlooked opportunities.
Secretary’s Message: August 2019
Natural Resources Careers Offer A Great Way Up
Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Senator George Edwards gear up to climb a tree at Hickory Environmental Education Center.
Two of the most important things that we can do for our young people is to teach them environmental stewardship and to provide them with opportunities for their future. I’m proud to say the Maryland Department of Natural Resources works hard to do both.
Recently I had the honor of speaking to 28 young men and women at their graduation from the Maryland Conservation Corps. This is such an important program – providing young adults crucial, hands-on, experience that supports community service and conservation stewardship. Read more…
July 2019 Hypoxia Report
Maryland Department of Natural Resources monitoring data show that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay mainstem were larger than average in July, as the result of many factors. The hypoxic water volume (areas with less than 2 mg/l oxygen) was 1.92 cubic miles in early July and 2.01 cubic miles in late July. The early July 1985-2018 average hypoxic volume is 1.36 cubic miles, and late July is 1.34 cubic miles. The most recent hypoxic volumes were respectively the fourth-largest for early July and second-largest for late July since 1985.
Larger than average hypoxia was predicted for this summer in part due to massive rainfall causing high flows into the Chesapeake Bay the past year, which delivered higher nutrient loads. Those nutrients fuel algal blooms, which die and are consumed by bacteria, which then deplete oxygen in bottom waters. Also, average winds were generally low in July, which prevented oxygen from mixing into deeper waters. Read more…
2020-2021 Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest Now Open
Entries Judged at Easton Waterfowl Festival
“The Resting Place” by Gerald W. Putt, 2019-20 Migratory Game Bird Stamp Winner
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites artists to submit their original works for the 46th Annual Migratory Game Bird stamp design contest by Nov. 1. The winning entry will appear on the 2020-2021 Migratory Game Bird Stamp hunters purchase to hunt migratory game birds in Maryland.
New this year, the contest will be held in conjunction with the 49th Annual Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Nov. 8-10. The Waterfowl Festival will hold a “People’s Choice Award,” which will let festival-goers cast their vote for their favorite entry. The department will officially judge the entries at noon on Nov. 10 to select the winner. Read more…
Graduation Day for Maryland Conservation Corps Class of 2019
Award-Winning Program Graduates 28 Young Men and Women
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources honored 28 members of the 2018-2019 Maryland Conservation Corps during their graduation program July 31 at Wye Island Natural Resource Management Area in Queen Anne’s County. The ceremony commemorated the students’ completion of 10 months of job training, conservation work, and stewardship with the Maryland Park Service.
Members from across the country, all between the ages of 17 and 25, completed 1,700 hours of service. This year’s crews planted thousands of trees, bay grasses and native plants; treated trees against harmful insects and diseases; and taught environmental education programs to more than 40,000 students, youth, and park visitors. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – July 31
Jeff Wright was fishing off Ocean City recently when he caught this 72.8-pound bull (male) dolphin, a massive fish by any standards. Congratulations to Jeff, captain and crew for such a fine catch. Photo by Alfred Hughes.
Maryland offers a wide variety of exciting fishing opportunities to those who fish her waters. We are pleasantly reminded of the amazing resources that are available to us when an extraordinary specimen is recognized as a state record. These listings keep a permanent record and help promote those resources.
Bloede Dam Removal Project Complete
Patapsco River Surges Back to Life
The former Bloede Dam was breached with explosives in September 2018; all removal work is now complete.
One of the most important dam removal projects in the Mid-Atlantic is officially complete. Project partners announced today that the Bloede Dam removal and river restoration is finished and a significant portion of the Patapsco River now flows freely through Patapsco Valley State Park.
After 18 months, often spent battling the elements during one of the region’s wettest years on record, crews have completed all construction work, including dam demolition, replacing portions of both Baltimore and Howard county sanitary sewer lines, and rebuilding the Grist Mill Trail. This area of the park re-opened just in time for the busy summer season. Visitors are enjoying the full range of outdoor recreation, anglers are fishing from newly emerging boulders in the former dam impoundment, and families are exploring the riverside trail. Read more…
Cambridge Angler Reels in Record Mahi Mahi near Ocean City
Catch Tops Maryland Record Held Since 1985
Jeff Wright (right) of Cambridge caught this 72.8-pound common dolphinfish off the coast of Ocean City.
Jeff Wright of Cambridge has broken a 34-year-old Maryland state fishing record in the Atlantic Division for a common dolphinfish, or mahi mahi. Wright caught the 72.8-pound fish July 28 off the coast of Ocean City. Read more…
1-888-373-7888
233733