MARYLAND: State proposes major wild lands expansion
E&E PM: Monday, November 4, 2013
Maryland is considering its first protected wildlands expansion in more than a decade.
The Department of Natural Resources has proposed expanding the state's 44,000-acre wildlands area by more than half. The last additions to Maryland's protected wilderness areas were made in 2002. The new network of preserves would span the state and include sections of Baltimore, Allegany and Garrett counties.
"These are the last great places of Maryland," said John Wilson, the state official coordinating the expansion. "These are places where you can get as close to solitude as possible in a state like Maryland, on the highly developed East Coast."
Under the plan, Maryland would create 10 new wildlands and expand 17 existing ones to protect native plant and animal species. But the expansion would also ban commercial activity and limit recreational activities such as fishing and mountain biking.
"I have some questions -- I know my constituents up here have a lot of questions," said state Sen. George Edwards (R), whose district includes six of the 10 proposed new wildlands areas.
The public comment period for the proposal ends next month. Officials then will send the plan to the state Legislature for final approval. Maryland has created 29 wilderness areas since establishing its wildlands system in the early 1970s (Timothy Wheeler, Baltimore Sun, Nov. 3). -- DB
