{"id":47687,"date":"2026-06-18T13:55:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T17:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=47687"},"modified":"2026-06-18T13:55:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T17:55:59","slug":"board-of-public-works-approves-1-2-million-for-park-land-trail-improvements-and-communication-boards-in-three-maryland-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/06\/18\/board-of-public-works-approves-1-2-million-for-park-land-trail-improvements-and-communication-boards-in-three-maryland-counties\/","title":{"rendered":"Board of Public Works Approves $1.2 Million for Park Land, Trail Improvements, and Communication Boards in Three Maryland Counties"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Board also approves $9.73 million in Program Open Space Stateside funds for protection of more than 1,100 acres<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 365px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/1733\/42346311551_6a0dc4b12e.jpg\" alt=\"Field and mountain behind a sign for Warrior Mountain Wildlife Management Area\" width=\"355\" height=\"266\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Among today&#8217;s approvals is a 200-acre addition to Warrior Mountain Wildlife Management Area to expand public recreation opportunities. Maryland DNR photo.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Board of Public Works today approved more than $1.2 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments for parkland acquisition, trail improvements, and new recreational communication boards in Prince George\u2019s, Somerset, and St. Mary\u2019s counties.<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More than $1.2 million in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/land\/pages\/programopenspace\/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Program Open Space \u2013 Local<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> funding was approved for two projects, including the acquisition of 8 acres of new park land, expanding Prince George\u2019s County\u2019s Patuxent River Park, and trail improvements and kayak launch sites on Smith Island in Somerset County.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A total of $8,760 in funding was also approved for installing recreation <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">communication boards at three St. Mary\u2019s County locations: Cecil Park, St. Clements Shores, and Leonard Hall Childcare Center<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. These boards will improve play area accessibility by displaying photos, symbols, or illustrations to enable individuals with limited language skills to communicate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, the Board approved six <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/land\/Pages\/ProgramOpenSpace\/Program-Open-Space-Stateside.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Program Open Space &#8211; Stateside<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> projects totaling $9.73 million to acquire and protect about 1,146 acres, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adding 18.86 acres to Chesapeake Forest Lands in Worcester County, to be managed as working forestland;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acquiring a 367.73-acre conservation easement in Talbot County\u2019s Lower Choptank River watershed, which will provide public trail access;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adding 204.43 acres to the Warrior Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Allegany County, which will expand public recreation;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acquiring a 144-acre property near Assateague State Park in Worcester County, for passive recreation;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acquiring a 20.6-acre forest near St. Mary\u2019s River State Park, which will protect bird habitat; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Acquiring 390.43 acres in St. Mary\u2019s County, which will be managed by the Maryland Forest Service as working forestland and will provide public recreation opportunities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More detailed information on these and other items is available in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bpw.maryland.gov\/MeetingDocs\/2026-Jun-18-Agenda.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Board of Public Works June 18, 2026 meeting agenda<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The three-member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Information about these Maryland recreation and land conservation programs:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/land\/Pages\/ProgramOpenSpace\/Program-Open-Space-Stateside.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Program Open Space &#8211; Stateside<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">preserves natural areas for public recreation and watershed and wildlife protection across Maryland through fee simple and conservation easement acquisitions. Fee simple acquisitions are managed by the department as state parks, forests, and wildlife and fisheries management areas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/land\/pages\/programopenspace\/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Program Open Space \u2013 Local<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> provides funding for county and municipal governments for the planning, acquisition, and development of recreational land or facilities. Funds are allocated annually to every county and Baltimore City and projects funded are determined by the local government. Established under the Department of Natural Resources in 1969, Program Open Space, along with other state land conservation programs, symbolizes Maryland\u2019s long-term commitment to conserving our natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for all citizens. The program is funded by a property transfer tax.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More news on funding approved for Program Open Space, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Greenspace Equity, Rural Legacy, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Permanent Easement programs is available on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources\u2019 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/land\/Pages\/default.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Land News<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> webpage.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Board also approves $9.73 million in Program Open Space Stateside funds for protection of more than 1,100 acres The Board of Public Works today approved more than $1.2 million in grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to local governments for parkland acquisition, trail improvements, and new recreational communication boards in Prince George\u2019s, Somerset,<a href=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/06\/18\/board-of-public-works-approves-1-2-million-for-park-land-trail-improvements-and-communication-boards-in-three-maryland-counties\/\">&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the Rest&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[957,23],"tags":[2955,4994,3003],"class_list":["post-47687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-appnews","category-land","tag-board-of-public-works","tag-maryland-forest-service","tag-program-open-space"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47687"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47690,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47687\/revisions\/47690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}