Food Forests Bring Harvests and Deeper Connections to Land

The Edible Trail is what might be called a food forest, or a forest garden. It’s an example of agroforestry—a range of practices that incorporate primarily native fruit and nut-bearing trees and shrubs as well as herbaceous species and fungi into the landscape. Agroforestry aims to create multi-purpose areas that benefit people and the environment. Check out this month's video or Read more.

Rural Legacy Farmers and Partners Celebrate 25 Years 

Whether it’s waterfront farmland , culturally important land where Harriet Tubman resided, a working farm in Baltimore County, or a stretch of quiet woodlands in Western Maryland, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Rural Legacy Program has been protecting it for a quarter century. Read more.

The Gunpowder Falls Tailwater: Assessing One of Maryland’s Coldwater Trout Fisheries

Between the Prettyboy Reservoir and the Loch Raven Reservoir is a 17-mile stretch of fertile trout habitat, where wild brown trout have flourished since the late 1980s due to one of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ greatest success stories. Read more.

DNR Announces Next Three Large-Scale Oyster Restoration Sanctuaries

The department will conduct oyster restoration and monitoring in sanctuaries in Herring Bay, the Nanticoke River, and Hoopers Strait. Planning for these new restoration efforts comes as the department concludes its initial restoration of the “big five” sanctuary sites as required in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Initial restoration is complete at four sanctuaries, with work on the last site in Manokin River scheduled to be completed on target for 2025. Read more.

Treading Lightly: Recreation with Rare Species in Mind

With cooler fall weather comes some of the most popular times to get outside and enjoy our favorite forms of recreation. Whether that’s camping, hiking, biking, climbing, just parking at a scenic spot to watch the sunset, our activities can and do have a profound effect on the wildlife with whom we share Maryland’s natural resources. Many are aware of the famed Leave No Trace Principles, a beloved tenet of seven ideals for outdoor recreation.

For those that keep protection of Maryland’s rarest species front of mind, the ideal low-impact recreation can go beyond Leave No Trace. Here are some tips from the staff at the Wild Acres Program on being the best, most responsible stewards as you explore wildlife outside your backyard habitats. Read more.

Secretary’s Message: There is a Place for Everyone in Maryland’s Outdoors

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, share environmental stewardship ideas, and expand economic opportunities.

Selling or Buying Firewood in Maryland? Check the License

When selecting a firewood dealer you should take several things into consideration. They must have a Forest Products Operators License issued by the Maryland Forest Service. For anyone who wants to sell firewood, information on obtaining your license is available on the Maryland Forest Products Operators webpage. For consumers, a search tool for licensed operators is available on that page. 

State Tree Nursery Now Taking Orders for Spring 2025 Planting

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery is accepting orders for spring planting. The online tree seedling catalog can be found at nursery.dnr.maryland.gov. Read more.