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Episode
1601 |
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Piercing the Forest |
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On the steep and rocky slopes of the Western Maryland mountains, one man walks
the deep, dark forests with an eye out for a mysterious and elusive bird called
the Goshawk. DNR wildlife biologist Dave Brinker's mission: to track down
what he believes to be the only nesting pair of Goshawks in the state, fit
the birds with expensive tracking transmitters, and return them to the safety
of their treetop nests.
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Mother Nature's Cops |
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They're
out there. On the land, sea and air, Maryland's Department of
Natural Resources police are on the job, 24 hours a day, defending
the state's resources against problems -- from neglect, to lack
of respect to outright criminal behavior. |
  
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The Humble Catch |
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Many people cut their fishing teeth on the critter called the Yellow Perch.
Once plentiful, DNR biologists now worriedly suspect the number of Yellow
Perch in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries is dropping. That's prompted
the agency to ply Maryland waters in search of an answer.
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Episode
1602 |
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Majestic Adaptation |
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Many Marylanders grew up believing that the Bald Eagle was headed for extinction.
Now, this raptor can be found nesting in backyard trees, near highways, and
on powerline towers around the state. Maryland Department of Natural Resrouces
eagle expert Glenn Therres says this proves man is winning the fight to help
the bird adapt to this heavily populated region of the eastern U.S.
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Secret Life of the Gunpowder |
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One of the state's best kept secrets is Gunpowder State Park - a rural oasis
swimming in recreational opportunities just outside of Baltimore City. From
water sports to biking, hiking, fishing and boating, Gunpowder State Park
is a jewel in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' state park system. |
  
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Chesapeake Bard |
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He's a legend on the Chesapeake. Tom Wisner's songs about the Bay and life
on the water helps to put into perspective what's at stake as the Chesapeake's
destiny plays out before us.
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Episode
1603
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Last
Stand at Shady Side |
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They say it was Tropical Storm Agnes in '72 that started the long, slow demise
of the Chesapeake and the way of life of so many watermen who fished the bay.
Then MSX and Dermo infected the oyster bars and the water got dirtier. The
grasses started to disappear from the bottom and then the crabs and fish left,
too. Now, watermen from the Chesapeake's western shore have gathered together
in a small town called Shady Side to see if the Chesapeake - and their way
of life -- can be saved.
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Tapping the Mountain Sap |
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The hollow tapping echoing off of the rolling, rocky hills is sign that the
first warm whispers of mountain spring have come for Randall Steyer. As one
of Maryland's 16 maple syrup producers, Steyer and his family look forward
to the annual ritual of collecting sap from their farm's ancient maple trees |
  
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Clagett's Test Plot |
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This working family farm, operated as a joint effort by the DNR, CBF and the
University of Maryland, provides a real-world connection between agricultural
practices and the Chesapeake Bay. Farmers looking for ways to reduce or eliminate
use of fertilizers and pesticides can compare the growth.
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Episode
1604 |
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The Root of It All |
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The tidal marshes of Blackwater Wildlife Refuge are under siege. The Nutria,
a large, furry South American animal introduced to the Eastern Shore of Maryland
to bolster the fur trade there, has escaped into the wild and is eating away
the marsh grass. Federal officials have become so concerned about the loss
of the marsh over the last few years that they are trapping the Nutria with
hopes of finally eradicating this invasive species that is endangering the
very survival of Blackwater's fragile tidal ecosystem. |
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Journey of the Longnecks |
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The Canada Goose in Maryland had seen better days. In years past, numbers
of the longnecks were down. Experts at the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources blamed poor weather at the birds' northern nesting grounds, and
even over-hunting. Now, those problems are beginning to ease thanks to new
management programs designed to help the population grow. |
  
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Flying to Freedom |
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Many of the good works done in the name of environmental improvement are volunteer-powered,
driven by people like Mary Graul. Whenever she's needed, Graul flies her own
airplane on National Aquarium in Baltimore missions - whether to release baby
sea turtles that have been rescued and nursed back to health, or to carry
experts skyward to get a count of dolphin populations off of Ocean City, Md.
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Episode
1605
Airdate:Tuesday
May 4th at 7:30pm
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Spring's
Wings |
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The
delicate flutter of the butterfly marks the beginning of Spring
-- and triggers a new season of passionate "hunting"
among butterfly lovers. Richard Smith, Maryland's reigning expert
on Lepidoptera -- the butterfly's scientific name -- travels
the state with experts from the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources in search of species common and rare, with the hope
of getting a fix on how Maryland's butterfly population is faring.
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Song of the Season |
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It was 1987 -- the last time Marylanders were a captive audience to the droning summer song of the 17-year cicada. Emerging from their subterranean lairs only to stubbornly cling to bushes, trees and buildings, millions of visiting Cicadas left Marylanders with memorable legacies ranging from marvel to dread. In 2004, this brood of Cicadas will reappear in most of Maryland. Now, though, we know a lot more about these mysterious insects and their curious lifecycle thanks to Cicada researcher John Zyla.
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Jewels of the Forest |
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It
is an avocation so fraught with potential peril that only a
handful of them walk the Maryland woods. Wild mushroom hunters.
Why do they do it? These fascinating and, many times -- poisonous
-- native fungi are safe only in the hands of expert mushroom
hunters, many of whom gather together in their occasional quest
for these jewels of the forest.
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Episode
1606
Airdate:Tuesday
May 11th at 7:30pm
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Wild Backyards |
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Wild
Backyards visits homes in Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick,
and Howard Counties and tells the tales of habitat creators
who share their success in luring many native species of birds,
mammals, butterflies and frogs. "Wild Backyards" features
an impressive collection of simple-to-create-and -manage,
wildlife sanctuaries created by local homeowners. The program
offers a wealth of information on how to match desirable wildlife
habitat design, making the best use of backyard space available,
and caring for, and maintaining, a mini-Eden.
Does
Something Wild Live in Your Backyard?
Do
you feed wild birds? Have you placed nest boxes around your
house for animals to live in? Have you planted flowers and
shrubs that attract butterflies, birds and other wildlife?
If you design your yard or property to attract wildlife, you
are already a part of Maryland's Wild Acres!
For
more info visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wildacres.asp
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Episode
1607
Airdate:Tuesday
May 18th at 7:30pm
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Maryland
Snakes: A Field Guide |
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Mystery rules the long spine of their natural history. Whether
reviled or revered, snakes have captured our imaginations through
the ages. More than 2,400 species of snakes are known in the
world. True to their elusive, mysterious nature, the exact number
of species in Maryland is unknown...somewhere between 24 and
27. Outdoors Maryland walked the state''s mountains, coastal
plain and forests in search of Maryland's snakes, and found
them-on hot rocks, in dark crevices and under prickly brush.
Maryland Snakes: A Field Guide demystifies the lowly
snake by bringing together three top-notch experts on reptiles
and amphibians of the region: the Maryland Department of Natural
Resource's Ed Thompson and Scott Smith, and rattlesnake wrangler
legend Marty Martin. |
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Episode
1608 |
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Adelgid's
Revenge |
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The
Wooly Adelgid is a tiny parasite that is methodically killing
a beautiful species of tree, the Eastern Hemlock. Maryland's
large tract of Eastern Hemlock forest near the state's western
edge isn't immune - experts from the Maryland DNR are hurriedly
searching for a way to stop the Adelgid before it's too late. |
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Humming in the Garden |
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It's easier than you ever thought to attract hummingbirds to
your own backyard! The Ruby Throated Humming bird is Maryland's
native species. It weighs only a tenth of an ounce and is attracted
to nectar supplied by native plants or attentive homeowners.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Wild Acres Program
helps homeowners attract wildlife to their own backyards, such
as different species of Hummingbirds. |
  
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Planet Nick |
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For
Nick Carter, all of nature is a dynamic system of interdependent
subsystems. His complex vision of how the planet works drives
him to bring the message of stewardship to Marylanders. |
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Episode
1609
Airdate:
July 6, 7:30 p.m.
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Out of the Woods |
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Black Bears and people have been running into each for a long time in Western Maryland. White pioneers who first settled the mountains feared the occasional bear because of the species' insatiable appetite for anything edible - including settlers' hard-earned crops. Back then, there were few people living in the mountains. Now, with more numbers of people vacationing and moving to mountain tourist destinations like Deep Creek Lake, encounters between people and bears are growing in number. For some residents, the black bear's increasing presence is becoming a real problem. |
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Piercing the Forest |
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On the steep and rocky slopes of the Western Maryland mountains, one man walks the deep, dark forests with an eye out for a mysterious and elusive bird called the Goshawk. DNR wildlife biologist Dave Brinker's mission: to track down what he believes to be the only nesting pair of Goshawks in the state, fit the birds with expensive tracking transmitters, and return them to the safety of their treetop nests. |
  
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A Leg Up |
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For
some people with disabilities, life's difficulties are magnified
by their inability to enjoy nature's beauty. In Howard County,
however, a stable of very special horses stand at the ready
to offer them improved health and happiness.
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Episode
1610
Airdate:
July 13, 7:30 p.m.
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Episode
1611
Airdate:
July 20, 7:30 p.m.
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Chesapeake
Beacons |
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Maritime
history is filled with legends of ships and souls lost to
watery graves. Lighthouses helped to change that. Radiant
white streams beamed from light stations cut their way through
smothering fog, wispy mists and pelting rains to help guide
ships to shore, and safety.
The
Chesapeake Bay has its share of lighthouses. From Point
Lookout in the south to Concord Point in Havre De Grace,
nine lighthouses are featured here to tell the story of
days past when sailors kept a keen eye out for these lifesaving
beacons on the Chesapeake.
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Episode
1612
Airdate:
July 27, 7:30 p.m.
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Trust
in the Land |
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In
the Chesapeake Bay watershed, farmlands are increasingly recognized
as bulwarks against a rising sea of concrete. Land Trusts
are playing a vital role, helping government agencies protect
cultural lands, forests, wetlands, open space, wildlife habitat
and fertile farmland. To assist in that effort, the Chesapeake
Bay Program - a state and federal partnership to restore the
Chesapeake Bay, is helping to identify land that could be
set aside. |
 
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Invasive
Beauties |
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The
Maryland
Department of Natural Resources has wrestled with the
issue of invasive species for years. But, the story of the
Mute Swan stands out among similar stories, mostly because
many bird lovers have such affection for this beautiful, but
environmentally destructive, species of swan. Here, an update
on the agency’s efforts to resolve the fate of the Mute
Swan in Maryland.
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An
American Obsession |
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Americans
spend billions of dollars each year on their lawns - buying
seed, fertilizer and equipment to help make it as beautiful
as they can. But, at what cost to the environment?
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