The preservation of natural areas and agricultural land often go hand in hand, or in some cases, hoof in hoof. This year, a treasured agricultural resource in Queen Anne’s County has been protected forever through the work of the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET).
Science writer Cheryl Lyn Dybas and wildlife photographer Ilya Raskin visited Maryland DNR biologist Donald Webster along the Chesapeake in January 2020. Webster and his colleagues annually count canvasbacks and other wintering waterfowl on the Bay. They came back,” says biologist Donald Webster. “This year.” His voice has a wistful note, wondering if the king Read the Rest…
On a summer day in 1984, Adrian Baker entered the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) Academy excited to become a conservation police officer. He knew he had a passion for the outdoors and helping others. Now 38 years later, he has retired from NRP as its superintendent and is reflecting on the remarkable changes he Read the Rest…
With record levels of investment in recent years, Maryland State Parks are expanding, with new parks and facilities being opened and existing properties undergoing upgrades. Statewide, landscape restoration projects are also underway to improve wildlife habitat, restore streams and shorelines, and plant trees. These efforts are designed to ensure that Maryland’s award-winning state park system Read the Rest…
Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Program is a historic state directive to plant 5 million native trees on public and private land by 2031. The 5 Million Trees, 5 Million Voices series will highlight some of the planting opportunities in which Maryland Forest Service engages as the state pursues 5 Million Trees goals. A Maryland Forest Read the Rest…
For the next eight years the Maryland Forest Service will feature a familiar refrain: 5 Million Trees! The 5 Million Trees Initiative was mandated by legislation, the Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021. Part of this legislation included a historic directive to plant 5 million native trees on public and private land by 2031. These Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources produces more than 20 species of fish for stocking, education, and restoration projects at several fish hatcheries across Maryland, as well as the Piney Point Aquaculture Center in St. Mary’s County.
Entries for 20th Annual Contest Open Until August 1 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting entries for its annual photo contest. Photographers, novice or professional, are encouraged to enter for the chance to win cash, park passes, calendars, and other great prizes.
We are so pleased to present to you the 2022 winning entries of the Maryland Natural Resource Photo Contest, with some words from the photographers who captured these images. This year’s contest received nearly 2,500 photos submitted by 500 photographers. The contest is judged by a team of department experts in both visual arts and Read the Rest…
I was bleeding from my head and lying on the ground under my tree stand, unsure how I got there. Somehow, in my state of confusion, I fumbled for my phone and managed to tell my neighbor that I’d fallen from my stand. He found me on my back on top of my fallen aluminum Read the Rest…
Harriet Tubman had many roles in her 91 years of life. She was most notably a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a nurse, scout, cook, and spy during the Civil War. But she was also a consummate caretaker, an attentive daughter, a devoted aunt, a thoughtful wife, a loving mother and of course a friend. Read the Rest…
In late 2018, I read a newspaper article where Virignia’s then-governor, Terry McAuliffe, stated that his goal was to visit every park in his Commonwealth during his tenure as governor. I never found out if he actually completed his mission, but the idea caught my attention. I was already planning to participate in Maryland State Read the Rest…
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” -Dr. Wayne Dyer These days, most of us have a high-tech scientific instrument on hand at all times. Can you guess what it is? The smartphone camera has revolutionized research and data collection in the field, lab, and classroom. New applications Read the Rest…
Congratulations to Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, who completed his State Park Bucket List challenge, having officially visited all 75 Maryland Park Service properties with his October visit to St. Clement’s Island State Park in St. Mary’s County. We are grateful for his leadership in highlighting the importance of our public lands and outdoor recreation!
Fan Favorite Winner to Be Chosen on Facebook The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced the winners of the 2022 Natural Resource Photo Contest, with the grand prize going to David Terao of Silver Spring for his captivating and intricate photo of a jumping spider. This year’s grand prize package includes $500, a Maryland Read the Rest…
With record levels of investment in recent years, Maryland State Parks are expanding, with new parks and facilities being opened and existing properties undergoing upgrades. Statewide, landscape restoration projects are also underway to improve wildlife habitat, restore streams and shorelines, and plant trees. These efforts are designed to ensure that Maryland’s award-winning state park system Read the Rest…
Wild turtles are on the move in spring and summer, looking for love and a place to nest. During nesting season female turtles don’t travel far from their typical homes, often attempting to cross busy roads to reach ideal nesting habitat. Deal Island Road in the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is one such Read the Rest…
Letha Grimes grew up exploring nature. As a young angler, she loved fishing local farm ponds and the upper Potomac River. The outdoor experiences of her childhood inspired Grimes to take an entry level job as a conservation technician at the Albert Powell Trout Hatchery in Hagerstown. At this Maryland Department of Natural Resources facility, Read the Rest…
More than a decade ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began requiring anglers to pay a fee and register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry before fishing for anadromous species–those that move between saltwater and freshwater habitats. The registry is a tool that helps NOAA survey anglers to estimate recreational fishing effort and Read the Rest…
The waters off the Maryland coast are home to diverse marine life, including sea turtles and marine mammals such as dolphins, porpoises, and whales. Marine mammals, including humpback whales, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972; this and other species such as sei, right, and fin whales are also listed as endangered. Read the Rest…
Every summer since I have been Secretary, I have been proud to share with you excerpts from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Annual Report. We have long produced this document highlighting the achievements of our multiple operating units during the previous year in an effort to keep you informed of our activities. Since 2019, Read the Rest…
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.
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 Read the Rest…
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.”
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 Read the Rest…
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 Read the Rest…
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 Read the Rest…
Entries for Annual Contest Taken Until August 1, 2022 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting entries for its annual photo contest. Photographers, novice or professional, can enter for the chance to win cash, park passes, and other great prizes.
The mystique of fly fishing often intimidates anglers, preventing them from trying this fun and productive method of fishing. Sure, expert proficiency with multiple casting and fishing techniques can take years to hone, but is not necessary to catch fish to enjoy the sport.
On a beautiful autumn day in October Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and I traveled to Carroll County, Maryland to explore the nearly 2,000-acre Morgan Run Natural Environment Area. Natural environment areas are typically 1,000 or more acres and are home to significant geological or ecological resources. Development is typically limited to Read the Rest…
In September 2021, Governor Larry Hogan created the Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and I am honored and pleased to serve as its inaugural executive director.
Today, Harriet Tubman is known for her heroic exploits on the Underground Railroad, where she rescued 70 people from slavery and guided them to freedom. While most of her time in Maryland was spent on the Eastern Shore, Baltimore figured centrally in several of her daring rescue missions.
Two hundred years ago, an American hero named Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland. An Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, suffragist, veteran, and small business owner, Tubman overcame arduous odds to accomplish great feats. Today, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway follows in her footsteps from her home in Dorchester County to freedom Read the Rest…
Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) had nearly finished preparations for its spring easement monitoring season. The pandemic put a serious dent in executing MET’s plans for monitoring, which usually involves visiting properties, meeting with the property owners, and observing the landscape and land uses, all to verify adherence to conservation easement requirements. In some limited circumstances, Read the Rest…
This year Maryland commemorates the 200th anniversary of when experts believe that Araminta Ross–later to be known as Harriet Tubman–was born in Dorchester County. The Maryland Department of Natural Resource is proud to partner with the National Park Service at our Harriet Tubman State Park and Visitor Center, which is also celebrating a milestone fifth Read the Rest…
Tournament bass fishing began in earnest in the 1960s with the formation of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and other groups. Anglers competed for a limit of black bass to bring to scales, and the winner had the heaviest bag. At the time, tournament fish were kept after weigh-ins, and piles of dead fish were Read the Rest…
In late December 2020, the Maryland Forest Service added 905 acres of hardwood forest to the Stoney Demonstration Forest, a state forest in southern Harford County, permanently protecting a significant area of tree canopy and wildlife habitat. This significant conservation success is the result of a multi-year partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Read the Rest…
As fog burned off the wetlands at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge one March morning, Dr. Julie Schablitsky trudged deep into the muck. Water inundated the roads, and phragmites grew alongside. Trees succumbing to rising waters—collectively called “ghost forests”—loomed overhead.
Each year, more than one million visitors cross the Verrazano Bridge to the narrow strip of barrier island that is Assateague, which is divided into Maryland’s Assateague State Park and the federal Assateague Island National Seashore. One of the major attractions here is the freely roaming herd of wild horses. Often referred to as ponies Read the Rest…
From Assateague Island to the Youghiogheny Wild River Natural Environmental Area, Maryland’s public lands are named after a lot of geographic, historical, and cultural landmarks. Several parks are named after Marylanders who had a hand in their creation or made notable contributions to the Old Line State that others found worthy of remembrance. Here are Read the Rest…
It’s hard to find a bigger fan of Maryland’s state parks than Ranger Melissa Acuti. As Chief of Interpretation with the Maryland Park Service, she creates and supports statewide park-based programs like First Day Hikes, Junior Rangers, Scales & Tales, Es Mi Parque, and Park Quest. Anyone who has participated in any of these programs Read the Rest…
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) Color Guard is composed of disciplined officers tasked with safeguarding and displaying the flags—known as colors—at ceremonial events for law enforcement officers and civilians, including memorial services, inaugurations, and parades. The color guard honors a tradition that respects those serving in law enforcement, both present and past; and their Read the Rest…
With more than 3,000 miles of shoreline, Marylanders are accustomed to living in and around water. In Annapolis and many coastal communities, high tide or “nuisance” flooding has increased dramatically since the start of the century, and scientists expect that trend to continue as rising water and sinking land impacts these low-lying areas. More frequent Read the Rest…
Environmental educators throughout the Department of Natural Resources depend on being outdoors to share our passion and love for Maryland’s flora and fauna with our constituents. Some of the important services we provide to Marylanders include providing field experiences for school children, coordinating the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, training Master Naturalists and teachers, as well Read the Rest…
Maryland Department of Natural Resources employees take pride in the work they do—and they are noted for choosing their profession out of a love for protecting, conserving, and restoring our state’s natural treasures for the benefit of fellow Marylanders.
Wandering Marine Mammal Came to Maryland 27 Summers Ago Not many visitors to the Chesapeake Bay garner a cult-like following like Chessie. Two books tell his tales, and he has even made a film cameo. His story began nearly two decades ago, back in the summer of 1994, when this nearly 1,100-pound Florida manatee was Read the Rest…
If you love Maryland’s Atlantic beaches, you’re not alone—eight million people visit Ocean City every year; that’s more people than the populations of Maryland and Washington, D.C. combined. But when large numbers of people visit the beaches on Assateague Island and Ocean City, it can present challenges for the wildlife that live there year-round. Here Read the Rest…
Boats come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is universal on land or sea — “when you gotta go, you gotta go.” Small boats that only go out for a few hours probably won’t have an installed toilet but larger boats with enclosed areas usually have an installed toilet or “head.” What does Read the Rest…
Since August of 2020, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has conducted 64 different hunting seasons covering a variety of animals, seasons, and locations. But there’s one animal in particular that the DNR is very interested in, which has no hunting restrictions. For this species, you won’t need a spring trap or a rifle. A Read the Rest…
If there is one thing that the global pandemic has shown us, it is the value of fresh air and open space. Visitors to Maryland State Parks cashed in on that value in record-breaking numbers in 2020. At the same time many businesses, attractions, and sporting events were restricted or shut down, state parks in Read the Rest…
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