Funding from DNR’s Program Open Space Local and Rural Legacy programs will support new Edgewater Recreation Center and conservation easements in Southern Maryland The Board of Public Works today approved Maryland Department of Natural Resources items totaling about $2.9 million in grants to local governments and land trusts to improve parks and protect land with Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage Report for November 12, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Fall colors have finally reached their peak in Southern Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore. Plan a drive or hike to get out and see the foliage this weekend!
Welcome to the Fall Foliage Report for October 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This season continues to bring on the best fall color Maryland has seen in years, as Washington and Frederick counties reach peak foliage.
Funding for Resiliency in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, and St. Mary’s Counties The Board of Public Works today approved funding for two Resiliency through Restoration projects and one Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund grant, to help Maryland’s communities enhance their ability to withstand the impacts of climate change, erosion, flooding and extreme weather.
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for Sept. 28 and 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “As we officially welcome fall this week, the cool nights and sunny days are making for a beautiful start to a colorful display in Garrett County,” reports Melissa Nash, Garrett County forest Read the Rest…
‘Artillery Weekend’ Highlights Wartime Roles History buffs of all ages are invited to the annual Civil War Artillery Weekend event Sept. 28-29 at Point Lookout State Park. Programs run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Point Lookout is a peninsula in St. Mary’s County where the Potomac River Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the last weekend of summer, Sept. 21 and 22, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Having melted down almost daily through a typically hot and humid — and exceptionally wet — Maryland summer, you just might be looking forward to the official Read the Rest…
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 Read the Rest…
Order Deadline is April 12 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering free tree seedlings to St. Mary’s County landowners who have a creek, drainage ditch, stream or other waterway on or near their property through the Backyard Buffers program. Trees and shrubs planted along waterways help improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients, lowering peak Read the Rest…
Garrett County Youth Awarded Grand Prize The judging is complete for the annual fifth-grade Arbor Day poster contest sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Three schools in Maryland that are home to the top winners will benefit with tree plantings this spring. The contest is judged annually by a panel of forestry experts and Read the Rest…
Conservation Easements Protect Farmland and Watersheds The Board of Public Works today approved Rural Legacy Program grants totaling $2.1 million that will provide dedicated state funding to permanently protect working farms and forests, and provide vegetative stream buffers to improve water quality and bolster climate resilience in designated areas across the state. Working through local governments and Read the Rest…
Conservation Easements Protect Farmland, Forests and Waterways The Board of Public Works today approved Rural Legacy Program grants totaling $3 million that will provide dedicated state funding to permanently protect working farms and forests, and provide vegetative stream buffers to improve water quality in designated areas across the state. Working through local governments and private Read the Rest…
Increased Public Access Is Coming Your Way One of my top priorities is to make sure all Marylanders have access to the enjoyment of nature and the great outdoors. To that end, I’m pleased to say that 2018 has been a banner year for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. A proud accomplishment of this Read the Rest…
Maryland Wildlife Crimestoppers Can be Reached Anytime, Anywhere The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police is cracking down on the illegal killing of fish and wildlife through a partnership with Maryland Wildlife Crimestoppers. This newly established nonprofit organization serves as the state affiliate of International Wildlife Crimestoppers, a group dedicated to stopping illegal hunting and Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 17 and 18, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Forester Rob Clarke succinctly wraps up the final report for 2018 with, “Let the raking begin!”
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The good news is that leaf peepers have an excellent chance of catching fall foliage at its peak in many parts of the state. However, predictions are that this Read the Rest…
Enhanced Access at Two Southern Maryland State Parks The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and National Park Service announced the completion of a project to expand and enhance paddle-in camping opportunities in Southern Maryland. The improved access allows longer overnight paddling excursions along the Potomac River with beautiful landing spots at Point Lookout State Park and Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. What a difference a week makes! In Western Maryland, autumn began with a slow start; however, the most recent field reports are encouraging. Garrett County Forester Melissa Nash says Read the Rest…
Positive Grades for Maryland’s Coastal Bays The Maryland Coastal Bays Program recently unveiled the 2017 Coastal Bays Report Card, a snapshot assessment on the health and resiliency of the coastal bays surrounding Ocean City and Assateague Island. The bays’ collective health received a “B-,” its highest grade ever reported! Nutrient reductions have shown a positive Read the Rest…
Minimum Size for Harvested Oysters is 3 Inches The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the 2018-2019 public oyster harvest season will open Oct. 1 and run through March 31, 2019. Opening month is reserved for divers and watermen using patent and shaft tongs, as well as recreational oystering. During the season, recreational oyster harvesting Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first full weekend of fall, Sept. 29 and 30, 2018, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. As September comes to a close, it appears the rain will diminish and we’ll have some partly cloudy to sunny days to look forward to Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the first weekend of fall, Sept. 22 and 23, 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 leaf piles you just raked and we’ll all “fall” Read the Rest…
Living History Happens Sept. 29-30 The Friends of Point Lookout are hosting a U.S. Civil War weekend Sept. 29-30 at Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s County. Programs run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The program features artillery demonstrations and other programming. Tours of Fort #3 Read the Rest…
Eastern Shore Tributary Provides Best Possibility for Success; State to Maximize Oyster Restoration in Anne Arundel County Tributaries The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced its intention to recommend the Manokin River in Somerset County as the fifth and final tributary for large-scale oyster restoration as per Maryland’s commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Read the Rest…
Dezi Collins Hauls in 10.72-ounce Fish A 24-year-old St. Mary’s County man is now the official state record holder for the warmouth in Maryland’s nontidal waters. Avid angler Dezi Collins of Mechanicsville reeled in his record 10.72 ounce catch June 11 at Gilbert Run Lake in Charles County. Collins, along with a few friends, were Read the Rest…
Invasive Fish Tipped Scales at 19.9 Pounds It was a long, memorable Memorial Day weekend for 41-year-old Andrew “Andy” Fox of Mechanicsville. Fox, along with two of his closest friends headed to Indian Head, Mattawoman Creek, in Charles County for a little overnight bowfishing for northern snakehead. The trio was out on the water for Read the Rest…
Living History Program Featured June 9 and 10 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources welcomes the public to Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s County as they look back on the War Between the States and the historic sites within the park that were impacted in the conflicted that divided North and South. The annual Read the Rest…
Projects Funded Statewide for Better Boating Access, Navigation and Safety The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $12.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to enhance and improve public boating access, facilities and navigation throughout the state. This critical Fiscal Year 2019 funding will go toward 57 projects in 18 counties, from Garrett to Wicomico counties as well Read the Rest…
A Dorchester County man caught illegally harvesting oysters inside a state sanctuary November by Natural 1, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources helicopter, was found guilty and fined $1,000. Jody Daniel Jackson, 18, of East New Market pleaded guilty in Dorchester County District Court to a single count of harvesting oysters about 2.5 miles inside Read the Rest…
Volunteers Sought for Two Sites in St. Mary’s County The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites volunteers to get outside to help clean up along the Potomac River in St. Mary’s County, from 9 a.m. to noon April 14. Crews will meet at two different locations: Newtowne Neck State Park and Point Lookout State Park. Volunteers should wear closed-toed Read the Rest…
Annual Park Day Event Held April 7 Marylanders can help preserve and maintain historic Civil War sites during the Civil War Trust’s annual Park Day event April 7. Volunteers are needed at Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s County to work on the Historic Civil War Fort #3 and Prison Pen area from 9 a.m. to Read the Rest…
Fourth Annual Season Sees Harvest in 22 of 23 Counties Hunters reported taking 87 wild turkeys during Maryland’s 2018 winter turkey season, which was open Jan. 18-20 statewide. Turkeys were harvested in 22 of the 23 counties, with St. Mary’s, Dorchester, Garrett and Washington counties reporting the highest numbers, according to the Maryland Department of Read the Rest…
Breton Bay and St. Mary’s River Selected for Large-Scale Restoration; State Pledges Investment in Manokin, Nanticoke and Severn Sanctuaries The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today announced a comprehensive plan on oyster restoration, including its intention to recommend Breton Bay and the upper St. Mary’s River as the fourth and fifth tributaries to satisfy the state’s Read the Rest…
A Maryland Natural Resources Police K-9 unit tracked a trespassing Pennsylvania man from his truck to a tree stand on public land in Kent County, where he was charged with illegal hunting. Kevin Lee King, 21, of Gordonville, received a citation Nov. 18 for hunting without written permission and was issued written warnings for failing Read the Rest…
Annual Contest Taking Submissions until Feb. 2 The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Forest Conservancy District Boards invites all Maryland fifth-graders in private and public schools to participate in the annual Arbor Day Poster Contest. The theme for 2018 is “Trees Are Terrific…and Make Communities Healthy!” All entries need to be delivered to a Maryland Forest Service office by noon Feb. 2, Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 18-19, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. Well the Maryland leaf peeper season is coming to a close. While there are some spots of red and yellow in St. Mary’s County and some oaks peaking in Read the Rest…
Complimentary Benefit Extends to Residents and Nonresidents In honor of Veterans Day, Governor Larry Hogan announced today that all military veterans, including residents and nonresidents, will be granted free admission and entrance to the network of 72 state parks managed by the Maryland Park Service. The governor’s announcement directly impacts over 414,000 veterans living in Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 11-12, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. In western Maryland it appears that everything is happening at once, as eastern Allegany, Washington and Frederick counties are all reporting peak conditions, although muted. Weather has Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Nov. 4 – 5, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. In November we’re starting to think of oyster dressing, pumpkin pie and turkey dinners, despite the fairly mild temperatures and presence of still-green leaves on Read the Rest…
Historic Reenactments of Wartime Actions Oct. 28-29 For Americans keeping watch for the approaching British during the War of 1812, the aptly named Point Lookout in St. Mary’s County served as an ideal location. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources this weekend offers visitors to Point Lookout State Park a chance to witness living history of Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Oct. 28 and 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Office of Tourism. Well, this is the weekend for ghosts, goblins and other fright-worthy tricks and treats, and there are lots of Halloween events for everyone to enjoy!
Grants Permanently Protect 6,500 Acres Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Board of Public Works, including Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp, unanimously adopted a Maryland Department of Natural Resources recommendation approving 17 Rural Legacy Program grants – totaling over $23 million. Funding from these grants will permanently protect over 6,500 acres of working farms, forests and Read the Rest…
Opening Month Reserved for Divers and Tongers Maryland’s 2017-2018 public oyster harvest season kicks off Oct. 2 and runs through March 31, 2018. The opening month is reserved for divers and watermen using patent and shaft tongs, as well as recreational oystering. The recreational harvest of oysters in Maryland is open to any resident during the season. Each Read the Rest…
Four Demonstration Projects Proposed The Board of Public Works today approved funding for a new Coastal Resiliency Grant Program to help Maryland’s coastal communities enhance their resiliency to the effects of extreme storms and weather. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources program will help design four shoreline improvement demonstration projects across the state with an additional two Read the Rest…
Welcome to the Fall Foliage and Festival Report for the weekend of Sept. 23 and 24, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Office of Tourism. It’s official! It’s autumn in Maryland. When this weekend rolls in, thoughts will begin to turn to the sights, sounds and scents of Read the Rest…
Natural Resources Police Investigate Boating Accident, Charge Deer Poacher, Cite Fishing Violators A St. Mary’s County man whose Maryland commercial waterman’s license was revoked in 2015 for oyster harvesting violations has been banned from any oystering activity on the Potomac River for the coming season. James Phillip Nelson, 41, of California, was convicted in St. Read the Rest…