Ask an Expert: Fall 2017
What can you do with your pumpkins after Halloween is over? What should you know about selecting firewood? Our experts break it down in our fall magazine!
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Aboveboard: Fall 2017
As fall settles in across the Old Line State, we become a little more sensitive to the sounds of rustling leaves on the ground, the moan of wind through the trees, and the eerie sensation out in nature that we’re not alone. In this edition of the Maryland Natural Resource, we investigate some fascinating phenomena Read the Rest…
The Nature of Change: Fall 2017
The Chesapeake Bay is Maryland’s most treasured natural asset. Since taking office, our administration has made incredible progress toward protecting the bay, including more than $3 billion in restoration efforts—an unprecedented investment. We continue to make great strides—this year the bay received one of the highest scores calculated by scientists at the University of Maryland Read the Rest…
Celebrating 50 Years: Greenbrier State Park
It’s hard to imagine a time when there were no state parks. Most of Maryland’s were created between 1945-1975, though even by 1960 there still weren’t very many. Under the direction of Gov. J. Millard Tawes, the state began acquiring property and creating several new sites.
Es Mi Parque: This is my park
In the United States, we are fortunate to have access to vast public lands, from local parks and state-managed assets to national monuments and other cultural sites for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. The Great Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone. These household names instantly call to mind dramatic, inspiring and somehow familiar Read the Rest…
High School Detectives: Investigating plankton’s connection to water quality
What IS that?!” an Advanced Placement biology student from Broadneck High School exclaims, squinting into the microscope eyepiece. “Ooooh…” squeals another. “Check out this thing! It looks like a segmented hair, but it’s totally moving on its own!” This can only mean one thing: it’s plankton identification lab time at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary!
Sharks of Maryland: Coexisting with the kings of the ocean
Sharks are an important component of Maryland’s marine and estuarine ecosystems, and some are highly sought-after as gamefish. There are four main areas where anglers actively pursue sharks in Maryland: the Atlantic coast surf, nearshore Atlantic waters, offshore Atlantic waters and the Coastal Bays. This article provides a primer on how to responsibly fish for Read the Rest…
Click Before You Cast: Using online resources to catch more fish
Where are the fish? It is an age-old question Chesapeake Bay anglers ask when searching countless tidal creeks, rivers and bays stretching over 4,500 square miles and averaging 21 feet deep. We all understand that fish are influenced by food, shelter and water conditions. So where do we find this information? The answer is just Read the Rest…
Somers Cove Marina: The front door to the bay’s bounty
Welcome to Somers Cove in Crisfield, Maryland—the largest single marina on the Chesapeake Bay and the only one owned and operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources! We offer 515 magnificent slips that can accommodate boats up to 150 feet, as well as the best fuel prices and least expensive, annual, semiannual and transient Read the Rest…
Restoration of the Conococheague Aqueduct Took Tenacity: Williamsport groundbreaking
Republished with permission from Herald-Mail Media. Visitors at Williamsport’s Riverbottom Park might be doing a double-take once the National Park Service completes its next multimillion-dollar attraction next to the Cushwa Basin.
Setting Our Lands A-buzz: Creating sustainable habitat
The warm days of late spring and early summer provide many opportunities throughout the state’s natural areas to see a wide variety of blooming flowers, shrubs, trees and vines. From the low-lying coastal plains to the rocky meadows in the mountains, Maryland is in full bloom. Unfortunately, within these diverse and colorful landscapes, scientists and Read the Rest…
Ride Inside: Avoid the risk of bow riding
Few people would consider allowing a family member or friend to ride on the hood of their moving car. Yet every summer, boat operators permit their passengers to ride on the bow—legs dangling over the front—or perch along the sides, or sit on the stern. The practice, called bow riding, is dangerous and sometimes deadly. Read the Rest…
From the Field: Saving Jughead, Wildlife response team
It all started with a phone call over the weekend this past January. There was a small deer—most likely a button buck—roaming the Bel Air neighborhood of Glenwood with a clear plastic jug stuck on its head.
From the Field: Sgt. John Buchanan, Helicopter Pilot
“When I was about 7 years old, my dad—a former naval aviator—put me in the back seat of a small plane,” said Maryland Natural Resources Police Sgt. John Buchanan. “We took off and I was immediately fascinated. First he demonstrated his crop dusting maneuvers. Then, he told me to grab the stick in front of Read the Rest…
Dedicated to Service: Maryland Conservation Corps
Each year a new team of young adults from diverse backgrounds unite to work toward the common goal of improving public lands. These 17-25 year-olds make up the heart of the Maryland Conservation Corps, which is managed by the Maryland Park Service and partially funded by an AmeriCorps grant through the Governor’s Office on Service Read the Rest…
Trout in the Classroom: Hands-on stream health
Kamloops… What a funny word to introduce to an elementary student; or a middle or high school student for that matter. And what does it have to do with teaching about water quality? Kamloops is a variety of rainbow trout, a fish in the Salmonidae family. Fertilized Kamloops trout eggs are the hook to engaging Read the Rest…
Osprey Watch: Protecting raptors and preventing outages
Osprey are one of the Chesapeake Bay region’s crown jewels. The raptors’ return each March causes nature lovers to gaze skyward as the birds rebuild their nests for breeding season. They seek high ground to keep their young safe. They are also highly adaptable making nearly anything a potential site for their homes, from trees to utility poles.
The Journey North: Harriet Tubman State Park
Among the wooded marsh in a small town called Church Creek sits Maryland’s newest state park, honoring the life and legacy of Dorchester County’s own Harriet Tubman.
Cultivating the Next Generation of Stewards: Natural Resources Careers Camp
Nestled in the lush, cool mountains of Western Maryland near the town of Accident, the Natural Resources Careers Camp has quietly carved out an important niche in the region’s environmental education landscape for more than 40 years.
The Parkers Creek Preserve: A land preservation success story
On the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, there is a place where you can paddle through 2 miles of tidal marsh and see no signs of human development; where you can explore 20 miles of hiking trails through 3,000 acres of permanently protected woodlands and see native wildlife and plants flourish. This place is Read the Rest…
Conserving, Protecting and Restoring: Chalk Point Aquaculture Center
The aquaculture center at NRG’s Chalk Point Generating Station was built in 1987 to support the Maryland Department of Natural Resources striped bass restoration activities. It produced approximately 3.6 million striped bass between 1985-2000. Out of those 3.6 million, 2.5 million were tagged and released into the Chesapeake Bay. The rest were used for research Read the Rest…
The Shared Trails: Mountain biking today
The notion that the journey should be as important (and as fun!) as the destination is a timeless adage. And one that pretty much defines mountain biking!
From the Field: Marshall Brown, Cold Water Production Manager
He’s an angler, hunter and general outdoorsman but for a living, he raises babies—baby fish that is. Marshall Brown and his team care for hundreds of thousands of trout each and every year in the state’s hatcheries, where eggs are raised through adulthood in order to stock waters throughout Maryland. Without stocking, some fish species Read the Rest…
Chronicles of the Freedom War: A look at Civil War sites within state parks
As a border slave state that remained loyal to the Union, the State of Maryland played a key role in the American Civil War, one of our nation’s most important and bloody conflicts. The Old Line State saw many of the same political and social conflicts over slavery, secession and states’ rights that played out Read the Rest…
Reel Experts: Celebrating state fishing records
It was nearly noon and bitterly cold on the second day of a new year when the state cell phone, affectionately called the bat phone, indicated an incoming call. One might ask who would be fishing on a day like this and the answer is simple: Maryland anglers! The Department of Natural Resources maintains a Read the Rest…
White-tailed Deer: Management across diverse landscapes
Much has happened with deer management in Maryland during the nearly 20 years since White-tailed Deer, Another Perspective first appeared in the Natural Resource magazine. At the time the article was written, deer were rapidly increasing in number and the problems associated with overpopulation were escalating.
Animal Treks: Identifying tracks in the snow
When visitors think of Maryland, they tend to picture a small state split by the Chesapeake Bay with mountains to the left and flat marshes to the right. They may also imagine a densely-populated state smack dab in the middle of the great Northeast Corridor, home to the urbanized belt running between Baltimore and Washington, Read the Rest…
The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay: The nation’s next National Marine Sanctuary?
In Charles County—only an hour drive from the nation’s capital—is a place unlike any other in the country. Emergent at low tide, the withering remains of more than 100 World War I steamships rest in a shallow embayment on the Maryland side of the Potomac River: the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay.
Taking a Bite Out of Crime: Maryland Natural Resources Police K-9 unit
Sometimes, the good guys arrive on four paws. Maybe they’re asked to find a hiker, lost and cold, in the woods. Perhaps, it’s to look for a weapon used in a crime and tossed into an overgrown field. Or it could be to zero-in on wildlife illegally shot by a poacher and hidden away from Read the Rest…
Trail of Trees: Arbor Day planting leads to a restored forest
As fall creeps in and the growing season fades, the Maryland Forest Service still has one thing in mind: planting trees. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, the Forest Service continually partners with the community in its mission of getting trees in the ground. Whether on public or private land, shovels are always in Read the Rest…
The White-Nose Mystery: A silent killer of bats
It sounds like a case made for Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine, but unlike a cartoon, there is a very real danger facing Maryland bats each winter: Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the cause of the fatal white-nose syndrome. This cold-loving fungus attacks bats while they hibernate by growing on and into their skin. As a result, Read the Rest…
Autumn Falls: A photo essay
Simply put, waterfalls are nothing more than rivers flowing over rocks but that doesn’t stop them from being among the most wondrous sights our natural world has to offer. You may think the only way to enjoy such areas beyond social media is to travel to faraway states, but I’m here to show you the Read the Rest…
The Chesapeake Clarity Comeback: Monitoring progress in bay health
A tide of good news on Chesapeake Bay health has been rolling in over the past couple of years. Anecdotal accounts, backed-up by scientific monitoring programs of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and its partners, have observed promising improvements in water quality, aquatic habitats and the abundance of crabs and oysters. The question on Read the Rest…
If These Walls Could Talk: Maryland’s Resident Curatorship Program
From the remains of Native American settlements to development undertaken by Europeans, it is difficult to find a part of Maryland that does not possess a unique story to tell. As the largest single public landowner, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources manages a huge portfolio of historically significant properties full of important archeological, architectural Read the Rest…
Taking Care of (Fish) Business: Levels of management
Have you ever grumbled about the minimum size requirement, especially after you threw back that sixth undersized fish of the day? Have you ever wondered who makes these rules, why or how? Fisheries management, like much of what we do at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, can be considered a balancing act between two Read the Rest…
Game of Bones: Investigating the lives of marine animals
A large crowd enjoys a hot day on the beach. A small family strolls down to the shore. A group of friends prepares for a day of fishing and boating bliss. All of a sudden something washes ashore. It’s the stuff of evening news headlines and social media click-bait. But for the department’s Marine Mammal Read the Rest…
Hurricane Preparedness: What to do before, during and after a storm
Living in a coastal region has its perks, along with its own potential downsides. You can never predict exactly what may happen during hurricane season, but you can always prepare for it and handle worst case scenarios in a way that will the least impact on your loved ones, your assets and your day-to-day life.
Taking Action at Cattail Creek: A community effort to restore a stream
The Magothy River has long been cherished by the communities in its watershed: Arnold, Broadneck, Pasadena and Severna Park. While the commitment to local stewardship continues to grow, one community is making waves to improve its stream. The stream is Cattail Creek and the community is Berrywood of Severna Park.
On Duty: State park lifeguards
Maryland State Parks annually host more than 6 million visitors between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They come to enjoy the campgrounds, trails and playgrounds, and to cool off in the water. Many parks boast water attractions like lakes and beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay and Deep Creek Lake, and even a couple Read the Rest…
Coyotes in Maryland: Where they came from and what to expect
No, coyotes didn’t ride into the state at the hand of insurance companies looking to thin out the deer herd to reduce deer-vehicle collisions. And no, wildlife management agencies didn’t stock them across the state. These are two funny but common myths surrounding the arrival of these highly adaptable mid-sized canines and their arrival in Read the Rest…
Sandy Point State Park: The fastest-growing town in Maryland
The sky is just beginning to wake up when the line begins forming. In the time it takes the horizon to go from inky black to soft blues and pinks, cars multiply and snake from the entrance of Sandy Point back toward the U.S. Route 50 exit ramp.
Go West, Young Angler, Go West! Float-fishing on the North Branch
If you would like the adventure of an entirely different trout fishing experience similar to that of the western states, look no further than the North Branch Potomac River.
Tern Island: This place is for the birds
Barely rising above the waterline in Isle of Wight Bay is, perhaps, the last hope for some of Maryland’s beach-nesting birds. A small, four-acre disk of sand, about a half a mile west of Ocean City, is where scientists and bird lovers hope black skimmers, royal terns and common terns will come each spring to Read the Rest…
Birds Without Borders: Continental bird conservation
One hundred years ago, North America united for birds. This August marks the 100th anniversary of the first Migratory Bird Treaty. This groundbreaking international agreement between the United States and Canada was our country’s first international commitment to protect natural resources across political boundaries. This milestone set the stage for continent-wide cooperative protection of migratory Read the Rest…
Dear Friends of Soldiers Delight: Celebrating our mentors
One of Maryland’s most valuable resources is its people. Throughout my life, some truly awe-inspiring folks exposed to me the wonder of nature—taught me how to appreciate it, took me places to enjoy it and revealed to me how to find it on my own. This past February, I had the honor of interviewing two Read the Rest…
Calling for Help: A profile on emergency dispatchers
When trouble strikes on the Chesapeake Bay, in the woods or at a state park, the call for help is answered by one of most important Department of Natural Resources employees you will never see: a police dispatcher.
Better Boating for All: Partnerships supporting recreation on the water
Maryland boasts a rich maritime history, a vast array of freshwater and saltwater venues and an enthusiastic constituency of recreational boaters who have more than 180,000 recreational vessels. Standing by to serve citizens and visitors alike are more than 600 marinas and 500 public boat ramps and launches.
Saving Smith Island: A Vision Plan to Save the Future
“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.”
A Walk in the Park: Rocks
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.