Natural Resources News
Department Adjusts Chronic Wasting Disease Approach
Expands Management Area, Alters Deer Baiting Rules
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has updated its management approach for chronic wasting disease after discovering that five white-tailed deer tested positive last winter in Allegany County. One of the positive deer was harvested near Cumberland, approximately 10 miles west of all previous cases, marking the first documented case outside of the original Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area. Read more…
Poachers Nabbed; Drunken Driver Jailed In Recent Cases
Officers charged crab and oyster poachers, and secured jail time for a drunken driver who crashed in a state park, in cases recently handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Read more…
Maryland Watershed Forester Earns Regional Award
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ own Jamie Weaver was named Forester of the Year by the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters. Weaver, a watershed forester, works to enhance forest lands and water quality in Baltimore and Carroll counties. Read more…
Officers, Park Staff and Civilians Honored at Natural Resources Police Event
Officers, park rangers and lifeguards were honored for two rescues involving nine boaters off at Sandy Point State Park during a dangerous storm.
Officers, park employees and civilians were honored for their contributions to conservation law enforcement in 2015 during the Maryland Natural Resources Police annual awards ceremony. Read more…
Reminder: Riparian Property License Applications Due June 1
Photo by Larry Hindman
As a reminder, riparian (waterfront) property owners who want to apply for offshore blind and shoreline licensing must have their applications postmarked before June 1. Read more…
Winners Chosen in Maryland’s Black Bear and Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contests
Moving Through by Larry Smail
A Pennsylvania man won the Maryland Black Bear Conservation Stamp Design Contest and the top Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design went to a St. Mary’s County man, as chosen by a panel of judges last week at the annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival in Ocean City, Md. Read more…
Maryland Names Top Tree Farmer and Tree Farm Inspector of 2016
Tree Farmer of The Year, Robert Shives, holds his award after being recognized in the Senate on April 1.
As part of Maryland’s annual recognition of outstanding individuals in the tree farm industry, landowner Robert Shives has been named Tree Farmer of the Year, and state project forester Dan Hedderick earned Tree Farm Inspector of the Year in awards given by the Maryland Tree Farm Committee earlier this month. Read more…
53,000 Acres of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Mapped in Maryland
Record Grass Abundance Indicates Progress on Bay Restoration and Improved Water Quality
Widgeon grass in clear mid bay water
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported today that underwater grass abundance – a key indicator of water quality– in the state’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay increased 29 percent between 2014 and 2015, reaching a new record of 53,277 acres. This puts Maryland at nearly 94 percent of its 2017 restoration goal of 57,000 acres. Read more…
Susquehanna State Park Home to New American Indian Petroglyph Exhibit
On weekends from Memorial Day through Labor day at Susquehanna State Park, visitors can view a collection of ancient, carved rock fragments, known as the Bald Friar Petroglyphs. These storied stones, which are thought to have been carved by American Indians, were once part of an historic island-sized boulder that parted the waters of the Susquehanna River. Read more…
Sunday Turkey Hunting Now Permitted on Private Lands in Carroll County
Photo by Lori R. Bramble
Legislation signed today from the 2016 General Assembly permits turkey hunting on private land in Carroll County on all remaining Sundays during the 2016 spring season ─ May 1, 8, 15 and 22. Read more…
Statewide Eyes Program Calls on Citizens to Help Find Invasive Plants
Department to Host Trainings Statewide, Seeks Participants
Statewide Eyes participants on the hunt for invasive plants
Citizens and scientists are working together to tackle the problem of invasive plants on state lands through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ new Statewide Eyes program. Statewide Eyes is seeking people interested in identifying and mapping invasive plants that threaten ecologically sensitive sites.
Charles County Man Convicted of Dumping; Two Turkey Poachers Charged
Feeder used to bait turkey
Two men were charged with baiting turkey and a man was charged with illegally dumping fish and geese last week in separate cases brought by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Read more…
Natural Resources Police Seek Information About Thomas Point Break-in
Investigators for the Maryland Natural Resources Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating individuals who broke into and vandalized the Thomas Point Lighthouse between April 15-16.
Read more…
Governor Larry Hogan Announces New Partnership during National Park Week Visit to Assateague
Maryland Park Service to Honor “Every Kid in a Park” Pass
In recognition of the National Park Service’s Centennial celebration, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton announced today that the Maryland Park Service will honor the national “Every Kid in a Park” program. Through this initiative, which provides complimentary national park admission to fourth grade students and their families, Maryland will accept the pass for admission to state parks. The Earth Day announcement was made during a National Park Week visit to Assateague Island National Seashore and tour of Assateague State Park.
Winners Named in Color Maryland Green Contest
Record Number of Students Submit Original Art Inspired by Nature
In celebration of Earth Day, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of the Environment today announced the winners of their annual Color Maryland Green contest. A record 300 students, grades K-12, submitted original artwork, film and poetry inspired by their appreciation for the Maryland’s great outdoors.
Officers Nab Striped Bass, Turkey Poachers; Arrest Drunken Driver
Turkey seized in poaching case
Striped bass poaching cases on the Eastern Shore, illegal turkey hunting in western Maryland, and the arrest of a drunken driver in Washington County highlight cases recently handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Read more…
Marylanders Urged to Avoid Attracting Bears
Black bears are starting to leave their dens after a long winter slumber and search for food. Since natural foods, such as plants, berries and insects are scarce in the early spring, bears are particularly attracted to human-provided sources. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds Marylanders to be proactive and exercise good judgment to avoid contact. Read more…
Hunting and Trapping Regulations Submitted for Final Approval
After spending several months obtaining and reviewing public input, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has selected regulation changes for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 hunting seasons. The regulations are currently being drafted and will be submitted to the Maryland Register for final approval. Read more…
Two Men Lose Hunting Privileges in Deer Poaching Case
Two men will lose their hunting privileges after pleading guilty Monday in Harford District Court to deer poaching charges. Read more…
Spring Turkey Season to Open
Junior Turkey Hunt Days April 16-17
Youth hunters will kick-off Maryland’s spring turkey season with a Junior Turkey Hunt Day on April 16 statewide and on April 17 in select Sunday hunting counties. The regular spring turkey season will run from April 18 through May 23 statewide. Read more…
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Population Shows Improvement
Spawning-Age Female Number Nearly Doubles
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today released the results of the 2016 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, which show another year of growth in the stock of the Chesapeake Bay crab population and bodes well for a better harvest this year. The survey indicates a bay-wide crab population of 553 million, a 35-percent increase over last year. This is the fourth highest level in two decades, and builds on last year’s 38-percent boost in abundance. Read more…
Draft State Wildlife Action Plan Open for Public Comment
Responses due May 8
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on its draft State Wildlife Action Plan, a plan that each state is required to review and revise every 10 years as requested by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read more…
Anglers Nabbed for Poaching; Animal Cruelty Case Settles
Two men were charged with poaching striped bass, and an incident involving animal cruelty was settled in court this week in cases brought by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Read more…
Bloede Dam Removal Project Receives Approval
The Board of Public Works today granted approval for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to move forward with the Bloede Dam removal project. The department and its partners have been working for several years on a comprehensive, cost-effective plan to remove the public safety hazard and fish obstruction on the Patapsco River in Patapsco Valley State Park. Read more…
Anne Arundel County Student Wins Annual Arbor Day Poster Contest
1st Place: Leonardo Perez-Alfaro of Glen Burnie
The Department of Natural Resources today announced the winners of the 2016 Maryland Arbor Day poster contest open to fifth-graders across the state. The top three contestants were chosen from more than 500, who submitted art showcasing the importance of trees in urban environments as per this year’s theme, Trees are Terrific… in Cities and Towns. The grand prize went to Leonardo Perez-Alfaro of Freetown Elementary School in Glen Burnie. Read more…
Department Donates 625 Trees to Allegany County
Gift of Trees Program Helps Beautify Communities
In celebration of Maryland Arbor Day, forestry staff, Conservation Corps members and Allegany College Students planted 29 trees in Flintstone on April 5, 2016.
In one of the largest projects in Gift of Trees history, the Maryland Forest Service donated 625 trees to school and community groups for planting on 13 public properties throughout Allegany County. Read more…
Howard County Man Arrested for Illegal Off-Road Riding, Assaulting Officer
A Howard County man has been charged with illegal dirt bike riding at a state park, assaulting a police officer, providing false information and resisting arrest, the Maryland Natural Resources Police said. Read more…
Governor Hogan Restores and Protects Funding for Land Conservation and Preservation Programs
Governor Larry Hogan signed HB 462, a bill that restores and protects state funding to transfer tax-funded land conservation, preservation and recreation programs, into law this morning at an event at the State House. Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton, Assistant Secretary Daryl Anthony, and Land Acquisition and Planning Director Emily Wilson were all in attendance. Read more…
Former Crisfield Police Chief Charged with Setting Woods Fire
The former police chief of Crisfield was arrested Thursday by a Natural Resources Police investigator and charged with setting a fire last September in a grove of pine trees. Read more…
New Pumpout Boat Destined for Eastern Shore
To help protect the Wye and Miles rivers, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources secured federal funding for a new pumpout boat on the Eastern Shore. The vessel will join two other public-service pumpout boats, which serve Annapolis and Shady Side. Read more…
Migratory Game Bird Seasons Submitted for Final Approval
Photo by Larry Hindman
After receiving and reviewing public input, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has selected the 2016-2017 migratory game bird hunting seasons. As the last step in the process, these recommendations are now pending final approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read more…
Thirty-one Recruits Begin Natural Resources Police Academy
Senior Officer Norris Shannon instructs the new recruits
Thirty-one men and women took the first step today to becoming Maryland Natural Resources Police officers as they entered the agency’s 58th basic recruit class.
The class begins training on the same day 148 years ago that the police department was formed as the State Oyster Police. Read more…
Officers Arrest Striped Bass Poachers, Drug Dealers and a Fugitive
Four anglers were charged with poaching striped bass in Dorchester County, three juveniles were arrested for attempted drug dealing in a state park in Worcester County, and an unlicensed tree contractor in Garrett County was cited in cases handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police last weekend.
Five Deer Test Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has received laboratory confirmation that five white-tailed deer harvested in Allegany County tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a neurological disease in deer, bringing the total overall cases to 11. Four of the five deer were harvested in the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area (the eastern one-third of the county). The other deer was taken near Cumberland, marking the first documented case outside of the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area. Read more…
Maryland Natural Resource Photo Contest is Underway
2013 Photo Contest Submission: Fox Siblings by Susan Cardaro
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is accepting entries for its annual photo contest through Aug. 31, 2016. Enter now—online or by mail—for the chance to win cash, park passports and other terrific prizes! Read more…
Oyster Violations in St. Mary’s, Somerset Counties
Two watermen were charged with illegal oyster harvesting in separate incidents in St. Mary’s and Somerset counties by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers. Read more…
Watermen Charged in Oyster, Yellow Perch Poaching Cases
Officers of the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged watermen in Talbot and Harford counties with poaching, and arrested a Garrett County man on drunken driving charges in cases highlighted this week. Read more…
Saving Smith Island: A Vision Plan to Save the Future
Crab pots; by Stephen Badger
“Welcome to Mayberry,” jokes Eddie Somers as our boat docks at Smith Island’s Ewell—his hometown. With a total population of 276 year-round residents, it’s safe to say everybody knows everybody, even when part-timers arrive, swelling the population to upwards of 600.
The American Tree Farm System: Celebrating 75 years
Department of Natural Resources forester Scott Daniels remembers that day nearly 30 years ago like it was yesterday.
He was on his way to the Dorchester County homestead of Richard Abend, a federal worker who spent his free time tending the 106-wooded acres of Abend Hafen Farm—German for “Evening Heaven.” Read more…
A Walk in the Park: Rocks
The Susquehanna River; by Scott McDaniel
Residents and visitors seeking a magnificent outdoor adventure in Harford County need not look further than Rocks State Park. Totaling 855 acres and nestled within Deer Creek Valley, the park boasts three separate day-use areas—Hills Grove, Rock Ridge and Wilson’s—each providing unique recreation opportunities. Read more…
Partners in Pollination: Flowers and plants and the animals who love them
Top: rue anemone (by Karen Messick), purple pitcherplant (by Lisa Garrett), bloodroot (by Kerry Wixted), trillium (Karen Messick); bottom: tickseed, Virginia bluebells, trumpet creeper, dutchman’s breeches (all by Kerry Wixted)
Did you know? More than 3,000 plants species—including an amazing number of wildflowers, from mysterious orchids to carnivorous plants and everything in between—call Maryland home. Much of that diversity results from animal pollinators, which account for nearly 80 percent of pollination around the world. Read more…
From the Bay and Back Again: The lifecycle of the blue crab
Adult and juvenile; courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Program
The blue crab embodies a unique life experience for aquatic animals in the Chesapeake Bay.
Unlike finfish, this invertebrate has a hard exoskeleton and must molt, or shed, its shell in order to grow. As you can imagine, this process puts the crab in a vulnerable situation as it loses its protective hard shell and becomes a soft crab—a top menu item on many predators’ lists, including ours.
Before a crab can achieve this delectable point in its life, it must survive a gauntlet of challenges from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay out into the Atlantic Ocean and back up the bay toward Maryland. Read more…
It Can Happen to You: How to stay safe on the water
Wake; department photo
Brad Stemcosky is a careful boater. He knows all the rules and owns all the best safety gear.
Experienced and cautious, he’s a walking poster boy for boating safety.
Yet on a late December afternoon last year, he and a fishing buddy were flailing in the frigid waters of the Potomac River, the day’s light failing and their options running out. Read more…
Man Gets Jail Time for Stealing Gear During Ocean City Fishing Tournament
A Berlin man will spend one year in jail after pleading guilty Tuesday in Worcester County Circuit Court to stealing fishing gear from vessels participating the White Marlin Open, the Maryland Natural Resources Police said. Read more…
Officers Investigate Boat Fire, Charge Impaired Boater and Illegal Angler
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers investigated an Eastern Shore boat fire, arrested a man for impaired boating in Washington County and charged another man with illegal striped bass fishing at a state park in incidents this past weekend. Read more…
Robert K. Ziegler Jr. Named Superintendent of the Natural Resources Police
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced that Governor Larry Hogan has appointed law enforcement veteran Robert K. “Ken” Ziegler Jr. to serve as superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police. The appointment takes effect immediately. Read more…
Conowingo Dam Report Shows Time is Now for Collaboration, Innovation on Chesapeake Bay Cleanup
Scouring Nutrients and Sediment May Affect Implementation of Bay Goals
A newly finalized report on the Conowingo Dam underscores the urgency of finding innovative multi-state solutions to reduce the water pollution that threatens the Chesapeake Bay. The Lower Susquehanna River Watershed Assessment Study ─ conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in coordination with the state of Maryland ─ confirms that the Conowingo Dam reservoir and two dam reservoirs further upstream have essentially reached their capacity and are no longer capable of trapping sediment and associated nutrients over the long term. Read more…
Dry and Windy Conditions Elevate Wildfire Risk
Firefighters Battle Mountain Fire in Gambrill State Park
With spring’s high winds and dry foliage, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges citizens to use caution in outdoor fire activities and postpone open-air burnings. Just last night, nearly 60 firefighters spent two hours battling a five-acre blaze in Gambrill State Park in Frederick County. Read more…
Four Watermen Charged with Poaching Oysters from Protected Waters
Four watermen were charged with poaching oysters from protected state waters in Dorchester County by the Maryland Natural Resources Police in separate incidents last Wednesday. Read more…
Rare Plant Rediscovered in Maryland after 112 Years
Riverbank Goldenrod Found in Montgomery County
Riverbank goldenrod (Solidago rupestris)
After 112 years, riverbank goldenrod has been rediscovered in Maryland. Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service Ecologist Wes Knapp and a team of researchers discovered the rare flower in Montgomery County. Read more…