Stranded! Their mission is a simple one. Rescue marine animals that have somehow foundered. Whether sick, injured, or simply lost, dedicated scientists and volunteers from the national Aquarium in Baltimore apply all of the skill necessary to rescue, rehabilitate and release many of these rare creatures.

Outdoor Adventures Eco-tourism is a relatively new term, but it describes something that’s been around forever: recreation. Especially leisure activities in Maryland, which boasts diversity so wide that the state is nicknamed “America in Miniature.” From the mountains at the state’s western edge, to the beaches on the Atlantic, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been busy finding the best in recreational opportunities across the state for Marylanders to enjoy.

The Land Between Two Waters It is a great link to the past. Nassawango Creek, a jewel on Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore, is a refuge for rare species and towering bald cypress trees.

Kiss the Fish Students flock to Great Fox Island in the Chesapeake Bay thinking they’re about to embark on a simple field trip designed to entertain. What they find when they arrive, however, is a different story – a place and time they’ll never forget.

Colonel Lee’s Birdhouse Fort Carroll, an abandoned pre-civil war stone fort in Baltimore’s outer harbor, is now home to the largest colony of colonial water birds in the northern part of Maryland. Trees the birds nest in are damaging the brick superstructure of the fort, but laws protecting the birds forbid them from being cut down.

Spawning Hopes Scientists are still working feverishly to learn what they can do to guarantee the Chesapeake oyster’s survival in what has become, over the years, an inhospitable environment. Pollution, overfishing and water-borne shellfish diseases like MSX and Dermo have made the Chesapeake oyster’s long-term survival questionable. Now, researchers are not only trying to breed a stronger, more disease-resistant oyster here in Maryland, but labs in Virginia are also looking at a species of oyster from Asia that may supplant, or replace, the shellfish that now lives here.

Preying in the Garden They harken back to the Age of Dinosaurs....They’ve inspired decades of B-movies starring extraterrestrials....Big and bizarre beyond your average bug, preying mantises prey on the imagination. Mantises are insects, that in general belong to the same large collection of insects that includes things like grasshoppers and crickets and katydids. And also cockroaches. In fact, in many senses, a mantis is just a predatory cockroach. A look at these fascinating creatures and their lives in our own backyards.

Search and Rescue The stories of smart handlers – and smarter dogs – as they train to locate and rescue the lost and missing in Maryland.

Journey of the Longnecks 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.

Return to the Cliffs For centuries, the Peregrine Falcon kept watch over the Harpers Ferry river valley from the cliffs known as Maryland Heights. Sometime in the early 1950’s, the birds started to disappear. Now, through the valiant efforts of three agencies – the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – the falcons are slowly being relocated from nesting sites in Maryland back to the species’ ancestral home on the cliffs.

The Hawkman Kevin Graff spends his spring and fall looking up, and constantly counting. Known as "The Hawkman" because of his passion for counting the number of migrating hawks that pass over his northeast Baltimore home in April and September, Graff treasures the challenge of hawkwatching: spotting, tracking and identifying.

Shades of Winter Maryland’s beauty inspires some local painters to capture on canvas the frosty wilds of Western Maryland.

Sport of Kings Peregrine Falcons are trained to hunt game for their handlers, much like they have since medieval times. These "wolves of the sky" hunt together, much like wolfpacks stalk their prey.

Run Spot, Run 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.

Chesapeake Past, Chesapeake Future This special explores the state of the Chesapeake Bay from the unique perspective of a new study, the Chesapeake Futures Report. Written by a diverse group of environmental researchers and scientists from around the region, the Chesapeake Futures Report takes a close look at the scientific, cultural and biological elements behind the Chesapeake Bay’s demise over the last 25 years. The report paints a grim picture for the Bay’s future if little or nothing is done to amend current policy, sprawl, and lifestyles within the watershed. The authors counter the bad news with recommendations on how to stem the spiraling effects pollutants and over fishing have had on the bay, once known as the world’s most productive estuary.

The Chesapeake Futures Report was written by the Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee for the Chesapeake Research Consortium, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Breaking the Surface The Marlin, one of the most prized bounties of the deep ocean, is no stranger to Maryland waters. Many sport anglers use Ocean City as a base for their Marlin fishing excursions, since the fish swims relatively close to Maryland’s coastline during migration. But a disturbing trend suggests the Marlin’s numbers are falling. Here, Maryland Department of Resources fisheries officials travel to the warm waters they hope will reveal whether the Marlin may really be in danger of decline.

The Challenge, Cubed The challenge for Janelle McIntyre is to train for this three-part annual triathlon, held in Columbia, Maryland, that demands rigorous mental and physical training.

Invasive Beauties 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.

Tapping the Mountain Sap Saluter is a winner. His story is a classic one...bought on a lark by a local Maryland trainer, Saluter now goes for a last dash at point-to-point glory. The thoroughbred, who's won 21 steeplechase races, now goes for the big one: the Virginia Gold Cup.

Birds of a Feather Bird watching is on the rise. It’s one of the fastest-growing recreational opportunities in the country, as seen at a visit to the annual Delmarva Birding Weekend near Ocean City, Maryland.

Secret Life of the Gunpowder 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.