Last month, Maryland representatives joined officials from around the Mid-Atlantic region to put forth a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement that includes firm timelines, required pollution reductions, and ambitious, yet reachable goals for improving the health of the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principals’ Staff Committee approved the revised Agreement at its Oct. 28 meeting Read the Rest…
Trails named in honor of Anna Murray Douglass and Sandtown community The Maryland Park Service today marked the 50th anniversary of Tuckahoe State Park and celebrated the contributions of abolitionist Anna Murray Douglass and the Sandtown community, dedicating more than five miles of trail inside Tuckahoe State Park to these cornerstones of Black Maryland history. Read the Rest…
Federal government shutdown could impact Agreement’s finalization Last week, Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff joined representatives from other jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to recommend proposed changes to the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement based on the public feedback we received this year. The updates to this important agreement took place at the Read the Rest…
Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay are in the midst of a comeback. During the past 20 years, the oyster population in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay has tripled, according to this year’s stock assessment conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Maryland’s success Read the Rest…
Conservation and job training program plans future without federal assistance The Maryland Department of Natural Resources honored members of the 2024-25 Maryland Conservation Corps during their graduation program at Sandy Point State Park on Aug. 26. The ceremony capped 10 months of job training, conservation work, and stewardship with the Maryland Park Service. This year’s Read the Rest…
The oyster restoration projects–among the largest in the world–have been highly successful at helping bring back oyster populations and build habitat in the Chesapeake Bay Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland will formally meet its commitment to restore five oyster tributaries in the Chesapeake Bay by completing oyster restoration in the Manokin River Sanctuary Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers more than 1,400 miles of trails on land and water for all kinds of uses: hiking and running, horseback riding, skiing and snowshoeing, paddling and kayaking, and bicycling. When the sport of mountain biking rose to prominence in the 1980s, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources embarked on Read the Rest…
Maryland is celebrating the creation of four brand-new mountain bike trails in Savage River State Forest, including the first adaptive mountain bike trail on state forestlands. Tucked in the mountains of Western Maryland near Accident in Garrett County, the Margraff Plantation Trail System offers six miles of newly-constructed trails – a 1.4-mile beginner trail, a 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…
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…
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…
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…
Now that the Maryland General Assembly legislative session has ended, the Department of Natural Resources is working to act on the laws they have passed. I wanted to thank the team at the Department who dedicated countless hours providing information to state legislators on the numerous bills that impact our work to improve ecological, social, Read the Rest…
Kaliyah Thorpe of Capitol Heights Elementary School in Prince George’s County won first place in the 2025 Maryland Fifth Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest, sponsored by the Maryland Forest Service. The annual event challenges fifth graders across the state to use their creativity, crafting artful posters capturing a terrific tree-related theme. The 2025 theme was Read the Rest…
Maryland has just celebrated its own Arbor Day, well ahead of the national celebration on the last Friday of the month. This year, I’m glad to say we are catching up on an important initiative that will impact our future. Maryland made an ambitious commitment with the 5 Million Trees Initiative in 2021, and last Read the Rest…
Maryland Environmental Trust has approved 20 grants totaling $238,751 to be awarded for environmental education, community cleanup, tree planting, and beautification projects through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program. Presented annually since 1986, the grant program is managed by the Maryland Environmental Trust – a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – and Read the Rest…
The Farmer’s Almanac calls the March full moon the “Worm Moon,” a name that originated among Native American tribes. The name marks the changing of the seasons, as the coming warm weather will prompt earthworms to stir from their winter dormancy. Among other important signs of spring, it means it’s time for fishing! In Maryland, Read the Rest…
Spread across the state, watershed-scale programs will start next phase of restoration in Maryland, benefitting habitats and local communities Maryland has selected the five watersheds in the state that will receive initial state grant funding as part of the Whole Watershed Act. These watershed-scale restoration efforts will contribute to both short-term and lasting economic benefits Read the Rest…
The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act would allow interested processors to use the technique in Maryland A traditional Japanese method for processing fish may be expanding in Maryland. The technique, known as ike jime, results in a high-quality fish product and is considered the most humane way of processing fish. “With traditional practices here in Maryland, Read the Rest…
Governor Wes Moore today announced the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act as part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s legislative priorities for the 2025 General Assembly. This legislation builds upon the administration’s historic efforts to improve the Chesapeake Bay’s water quality, introduces comprehensive changes to support regenerative agriculture, and streamlines oyster aquaculture — providing new economic pathways for farmers, and Read the Rest…
At Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, we take great care to protect the state’s fish and wildlife to ensure the state’s unique opportunities are available for the next generation of hunters and anglers. Equally important is that Maryland’s magnificent natural resources are accessible to everyone – and that extends to how we provide licenses. In Read the Rest…
New public nomination process created for one of Maryland’s most prestigious environmental achievement awards The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is creating a new public nomination process for the Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay award to try to solicit a broad range of nominations for individuals who have organized communities, led restoration efforts, and helped Read the Rest…
It’s time to re-invigorate our strategy and build on significant work and progress we started more than 40 years ago to restore the Chesapeake Bay. This movement will be focused on people. It will leave no watershed behind.
In October, more than 150 people attended the inaugural Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit. The event, held at Rocky Gap State Park, represents a milestone for the Department of Natural Resources. We welcomed academics, park rangers, business owners, students, nonprofit leaders, and others who are engaged in outdoor recreation activities to the summit to build networks, Read the Rest…
Science is the foundation of everything we do at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. To emphasize this point, DNR conducted its second annual Science Week from Sept. 23 to 27 to highlight the department’s field experts working to conserve and protect our lands, waters, and wildlife. During this week I traveled more than 500 Read the Rest…
State will select up to five watersheds for a five-year targeted investment for restoration The Whole Watershed Restoration Partnership, created to address multiple conservation goals in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays and their watersheds, has released a Request for Proposals seeking watershed restoration project proposals to review and consider for state investment across multiple Read the Rest…
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn toured water quality projects and explored opportunities for new and improved trail connections at a joint event in Maryland and Pennsylvania on Tuesday. The event also served as a way for the two state Read the Rest…
The lush summer greenscape all around us is soon to give way to the glow of autumn. While we know warm weather will be lingering for some time, we can already feel the brisk breezes of fall in the evening air. We are entering a great time to visit the majestic vistas of Maryland, walk Read the Rest…
For many years, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recognized a disparity in relating laws, regulations, and safety information to one of the fastest-growing communities enjoying the outdoors. Spanish-speaking residents faced multiple barriers to access at the parks, particularly with customer service and community programming. In 2016, DNR launched its program, Es Mi Parque Read the Rest…
More than 125,000 acres permanently preserved throughout Maryland Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program is celebrating 25 years of active land preservation across the state this year. Since its inception, the program and its partners have protected more than 125,000 acres of ecologically valuable properties, productive farms, and forests, representing a public investment of more than $405 Read the Rest…
Trip highlights opportunities to enjoy farm-fresh Maryland ice cream after hiking at a state park or natural resource management area Today, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz visited Rocky Point Creamery in Tuscarora after hiking a trail at the Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area in Dickerson Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and partners will bring displays, exhibits, and fun activities about blue catfish, campsites, hunting, and more to the Maryland State Fair in Timonium. Fairgoers are invited to visit the exhibits located inside the Mosner Miller Building at the fairgrounds to engage with field experts and learn more about fishing, Read the Rest…
It has been one year since Gov. Wes Moore announced that Maryland was shifting its Chesapeake Bay cleanup strategy to align with the latest science that recommends focusing water quality improvement efforts on increasing shallow water habitat and living resources, such as populations of fish and crabs. At the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we’ve Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Chesapeake Conservancy recently partnered to produce an updated mapping of Maryland’s Habitat Connectivity Network. The data improves the state’s understanding of where the most important natural habitat areas in the state are currently located, how these areas are connected, and how these areas have changed through Read the Rest…
Governor Wes Moore’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes more than $47 million for local grants through Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Program Open Space and Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, to expand and enhance public access to recreation and open space throughout Maryland. “Maryland is a leader in land conservation, and supporting these important programs Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will provide $21.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund allocations to communities and projects throughout Maryland in Fiscal Year 2025, which began July 1. The funds will support new and improved public boating access facilities, dredging of navigable public waterways; emergency vessels and equipment for local first responders; and other Read the Rest…
Criteria to help identify eligible watersheds for pilot restoration program The Maryland Whole Watershed Restoration Partnership has released a preliminary list of watershed criteria, along with available data sets, to aid local governments, non-governmental organizations and project sponsors to assess local watersheds for proposed restoration and funding. The Whole Watershed Act (SB 969/HB 1165) establishes Read the Rest…
The recent dry spell notwithstanding, the Atlantic hurricane season is underway. NOAA National Weather Service forecasters’ outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, predicted an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year. Maryland’s 3,190 miles of shoreline – including land abutting Read the Rest…
Today, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission by a 5-4 vote repealed the longtime prohibition on dredging for blue crabs during the winter near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources strongly disagrees with Virginia’s decision.
June is Great Outdoors Month, and this year the month kicked off with National Trails Day. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers thousands of miles of great trails for hiking, biking, horse riding and other activities. These marked paths can be found for any skill level or terrain, within the hundreds of thousands of Read the Rest…
Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland has achieved a milestone goal for land conservation required by state legislation six years ahead of schedule. The Maryland Department of Planning, in the latest update of the Maryland Protected Lands Dashboard, reports that Maryland has already met the 30% mark with more than 1.85 million acres of land Read the Rest…
In April, the Department of Natural Resources celebrated State Parks Week, an annual acknowledgement of the special significance of our public lands. Our state parks, under the leadership of the department’s dedicated Park Rangers, provide the amenities and activities that nearly 20 million Marylanders enjoy every year, each with its own unique opportunities to connect Read the Rest…
Governor Wes Moore today visited the Maryland Department of the Environment’s headquarters in Baltimore in celebration of Earth Day. During the visit, the governor discussed the agency’s work to combat climate change, reduce pollution, and promote environmental stewardship. Governor Moore also participated in a ceremonial tree planting and signed an executive order establishing the Maryland Outdoor Learning Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) formally welcomed Orlando D. Lilly as the 11th Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police on Wednesday. The former Baltimore County Police Major and Navy veteran was sworn in at DNR headquarters in Annapolis. Lilly assumes the rank of Colonel.
Program Open Space, Rural Legacy among programs funded The Board of Public Works today approved Maryland Department of Natural Resources items including more than $14.8 million in grants to local governments and land trusts to preserve and protect land, and provide recreation opportunities for Marylanders.
Comptroller Brooke Lierman joins DNR as guest judge The top three prizes have been awarded for the 2024 Maryland Fifth Grade Arbor Day poster contest, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Maryland Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman joined DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz and staff to review submissions and award three Maryland schools with Read the Rest…
Welcoming Back our Birds, Bees… and Bears! We are surrounded by the sights and sounds of wildlife emerging at the beginning of spring. It’s the time of the year when we hear more birds singing in the budding trees and animals becoming more active. But perhaps the biggest sign of spring, lumbering through many parts Read the Rest…
Officers were awarded for lifesaving action, exceptional conservation enforcement, and more The Maryland Natural Resources Police held its annual award ceremony to recognize the achievements made by conservation law enforcement officers and civilians in 2023. The officers were presented honors by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Sec. Josh Kurtz and Natural Resources Police Acting Lt. Read the Rest…
