Exploring & Preserving Maryland's Natural Treasures
The oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet and are its dominant feature. Studying the ocean is studying the earth. In this full day course, all aspects of the Oceanography merit badge will be covered except #8 (see below). The hands-on class will begin at the Natural History Society of Maryland from 9 […]
Cost: $20-25
Located in Montross, VA (on the south side of the Potomac River, adjacent to Westmoreland State Park), Stratford Cliffs are part of the Calvert Formation, a rare geological phenomenon along the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. Among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region, they were formed when land replaced an ancient […]
Cost: $30
Look to the sky along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline and you’ll likely see an osprey. The Bay supports the largest osprey breeding population in the world. From a low of 1,500 breeding pairs due to DDT contamination in the 1970s, osprey populations have rebounded to an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 breeding pairs in the mid-Atlantic. […]
Cost: $30-45
Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon) is Maryland’s rarest extant fish species, presently known from only a single location in the state within the Nanticoke River basin. Population research efforts beginning in 2006 indicate that this species has declined from historical levels in the Chesapeake Bay and greater Delmarva Peninsula. The remaining population in Maryland is small, […]
Cost: $0-5
Can’t afford to buy your own island? Could you build one instead? It’s not impossible if you’re part of the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project, located on Poplar Island. Poplar Island slipped away into the Chesapeake Bay, dwindling from 2,000 to two acres throughout hundreds of years. This island’s fate was commonplace with records […]
Cost: $0-15
Enjoy a front row seat to one of nature’s greatest shows as we guide you past Wade Island, one of the largest nesting islands for wading birds in Pennsylvania. You will be surrounded by tiny and adult great egrets, black-crowned night herons, double-crested cormorants, and more! This section of the Susquehanna River has a few […]
Cost: $70-100
As masters of ecosystem engineering, the beavers’ amazing talent for dam construction makes many farmers and land owners consider them pests. However, their role in the ecosystem proves useful in helping to manage water-related issues such as drought, flooding, and water pollution. Join us for a walk with Ranger Bill Curtis to learn how to read […]
Cost: $10-20
If crack-of-dawn birding excursions aren’t your thing, maybe it’s time to give moth-watching a try. Since moths come out when the sun goes down, moth-watching, or mothing, is a great activity for night owls. In partnership with the DNR, join moth expert Tim Hoen, Ranger Jen Cashell, and our team of volunteer experts in exploring […]
Cost: $4-5
Welcome summer with a morning hike through the diverse habitats of Downs Park. A variety of birds frequent the park’s fields, shoreline, and forests. We hope to spot gulls and terns, shorebirds, warblers, vireos and flycatchers, swallows, orioles, eagles, osprey, and possibly cuckoos or kites. We’ll hike two to three miles on paved paths and […]
Cost: $15-20
Take a step back into history with this unique paddling experience! Located on the Susquehanna River just south of the Safe Harbor Dam is one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs in the Northeast U.S. Found primarily on two islands named Big Indian Rock and Little Indian Rock, these petroglyphs are thought to be as […]
Cost: $50-100