Celebrating 35 Years of Outdoors Maryland!

Season 35 Premiered November 14, 2023 at 7:30pm 

Airing on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Get ready for six all new episodes of MPT’s long-running series Outdoors Maryland! From the rocky ridgelines of the Appalachian mountains to the sandy beaches of Assateague, we’ve traveled all over the state to bring you stories that celebrate Maryland’s diverse natural resources.

Meet some of the region’s most charismatic creatures – from North America’s tiniest turtle to the endangered rusty patched bumblebee. Climb crags, fling frisbees, and hook fish with outdoor enthusiasts. And get to know the many Marylanders working tirelessly to preserve the state’s natural wonders in the face of an ever-changing world.

Episode 3506
Air Date: February 27, 2024

A Perilous Passage
Produced by Andrew Paterson

Billions of birds pass through the Mid-Atlantic during the spring and fall migration seasons, and Maryland makes for an ideal rest stop. Tragically, modern urban landscapes – reflective windows and bright lights – often stand in the way of safe flight.  Join a crew of wildlife enthusiasts as they scour the streets of Baltimore for injured birds, and learn how they’re working with local businesses to make Birdland bird-safe.

Autumn’s Wild Bounty
Produced by Donna Wilson

Even as both leaves and temperatures drop, wild food enthusiasts flock to the woods to harvest nature’s bounty. During a fall mushroom foray, amateurs learn how to distinguish tasty from toxic. A social media forager connects to her own heritage through learning local plants.  And a chef prepares an al fresco meal-for-one with seasonings plucked from the forest floor.

Nature’s Archivists
Produced by Stefanie Robey

From ancient arthropods to rare butterflies to hundred-year-old pressed plants, the Natural History Society of Maryland boasts a treasure trove of local wild wonders. Tag along for a tour of this cabinet of curiosities, and join society members on a fossil hunting expedition to western Maryland. Plus, visit a middle school classroom where a new generation of would-be naturalists is getting hands on with the state’s prehistory.

Episode 3505
Air Date: February 20, 2024

Nature’s Classroom 
Field Produced by Jonathan Gruber

On the coast of Elk Neck State Park, there is a place where a kid can be a kid: NorthBay Education. Founded nearly 20 years ago, their goal is to encourage the youth of today to become the stewards of nature, tomorrow. Educators on site blend fun and learning in unique ways. Filled with outdoor activities and educational workshops, children get to bond with one another and build friendships that can last a lifetime.

Raising the Forest 
Produced by Sarah Sampson

A sprawling Caroline County property, the John S. Ayton State Tree Nursery, is home to the future of Maryland’s forests. Here, more than three million trees get their start each year, sprouting from hand-collected seeds. Nursery Manager Richard Garrett explains how trees are planted, harvested, and sent to tree plantings across the state, while Natural Resource Planter Francis Smith shows viewers how seeds are collected– and why volunteers are so essential, especially now that Maryland is in the midst of a decade-long effort to plant an additional five million trees.   

Aiming to Win 
Produced by Jack Harris 

Drawing students from all backgrounds, from multi-sport athletes to students who focus solely on the sport, archery has become a safe haven for many. Thanks to the Archery in Schools program, many who would not have otherwise had access got the opportunity to bring out their inner Katniss. As the state tournament creeps closer, students all over Maryland practice and sharpen their archery skills. 

Episode 3504
Air Date: December 5, 2023

Preserving Change
Produced by Sarah Sampson 

Home to Maryland’s only undeveloped stretch of Atlantic coastline, Assateague Island is constantly under siege. Natural forces of change- wind and waves- compel the island’s westward movement, something so essential to the delicate ecosystems here that the National Park Service has made preserving that movement part of its mission. Discover why this island, “created” by a hurricane in 1933 and saved from development by an aptly-timed nor’easter in 1962, depends on storm events to survive. 

Viewers will visit both Assateague National Seashore and Assateague State Park, which comprise the Maryland portion of the island. Along the way we’ll meet the park service employees working to protect the federally threatened piping plover, which nests on the beach, the Assateague State Park naturalist working to educate visitors about the ever-popular herd of wild horses that roam the island, and a family from Pasadena preparing to make the island home for a week.

Of course, one form of change is not welcome here: climate change. We’ll learn how the state and national park are adapting as sea levels rise and storms intensify.  

Episode 3503
Air Date: November 28, 2023

The Bee Seekers
Produced by Will Parson

From ground-dwelling miner bees to metallic green sweat bees, roughly 450 unique species of these buzzy pollinators can be found in Maryland – many threatened by habitat loss. Visit the Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab to meet the biologist creating a “census of bees,” and join surveyors tracking an endangered bumblebee along some of the state’s highest ridgelines.

A Fling in the Park
Produced by Josh Davidsburg 

Experience the thrill of fast-flying frisbees with a cohort of Maryland disc golfers. Developed in the 1960s, disc golf is now one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with new courses popping up in public parks every year.  Join a pro disc golfer at a local tournament, and meet a course designer who’s been flinging frisbees since the 70s.

Angling for Glory
Produced by Jack Harris

Aggressive and full of fight, no fish holds a tighter grip on the American imagination than the freshwater bass. Ride along with a lifelong angler as he heads out onto the Potomac to compete in a bass fishing tournament, and meet the biologists tracking the abundance of these predators threatened by pollution.

Episode 3502
Air Date: November 21, 2023

A Disappearing Act 
Produced by Stefanie Robey

On Maryland's Eastern Shore, wild turkeys are disappearing – but why? It's a mystery that Department of Natural Resources Biologist Bob Long is determined to solve. From an early morning stakeout to an investigation of eggs gone missing, tag along as he works to crack the case.

Paws of the Law
Produced by Andrew Paterson

Whether on two legs or four, the officers of the Natural Resources Police K-9 Unit all share one thing in common: they work side by side with their best friend.  Meet the people and pups protecting Maryland’s public lands.  Watch as these dedicated dogs hone their sniffing skills to detect illegal poaching, recover evidence and assist with search and rescue.

Beneath the Surface
Produced by Katie Brader

What distinguishes a healthy stream from an unhealthy one? And how do Maryland’s streams measure up? Join crews from the Maryland Biological Stream Survey as they work their way through the state’s 16,000 miles of streams and rivers, collecting data on everything from land use and erosion, to the creatures – big and small – that call these waters home.

Episode 3501
Air Date: November 14, 2023

Flying Full Circle
Produced by Donna Wilson

When a Black birder in New York’s Central Park found himself on the receiving end of threats, the resulting viral video sparked a national conversation about who is welcomed in outdoor spaces. Three years later, Maryland’s avian enthusiasts celebrate Black Birders Week, sharing their excitement about the state’s wildlife… along with the important message that nature is for everyone.

Shell Haven
Produced by Stefanie Robey

For Maryland’s native turtles, the modern world is rife with danger – with habitat loss, predators and poaching a constant threat. But as populations drop, biologists step in to protect these unique creatures. Brave muck and mud with a band of intrepid surveyors searching for the diminutive bog turtle, North America’s tiniest.  Meanwhile, at the Maryland Zoo, meet a group of wood turtles rescued from illegal captivity, now destined to help replenish wild populations.

On the Precipice 
Produced by Andrew Paterson

Armed with ropes and carabiners, chalk and crash pads, rock climbers visit the natural formations at Rocks State Park and Catoctin Mountain with one goal: to defy gravity… safely.  Join groups of adrenaline-fueled adventurers as they cling to crags, and support one another – ensuring that climbers of all skill levels and backgrounds can find their footing.