FOREST, PARK AND WILDLIFE
SERVICE

Donald E. MacLauchlan, Director

Tawes State Office Building
580 Taylor Ave.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-3776
Camping Information: 768-0895

The Forest, Park and Wildlife Service originat-
ed in 1906 as the Board of Forestry (Chapter 294,
Acts of 1906). The Board was replaced by the De-
partment of Forests and Parks in 1941 (Chapter
508, Acts of 1941). In 1969, the Department of
Forests and Parks became part of the Department
of Natural Resources (Chapter 154, Acts of 1969).
The Department of Forests and Parks divided in-
to two units in 1972: the Park Service and the
Forest Service (Chapter 348, Acts of 1972). These
Services were recombined in 1982 to form the
Forest and Park Service (Chapter 184, Acts of
1982). In 1984, the Forest and Park Service
merged with the Wildlife Administration to form
the present Forest, Park and Wildlife Service
(Chapter 136, Acts of 1984).

The Forest, Park and Wildlife Service works to
serve the forest management and recreational
needs of the people of Maryland. It also is respon-
sible for the maintenance, management, and pro-
tection of birds, land-based reptiles and amphibi-
ans, and mammals. This includes game species,
non-game species, and threatened and endangered
wildlife. The Service manages Maryland's natural,
cultural, historical, and recreational resources
through five programs: General Direction, Coop-
erative Forestry, Forest and Park Management,
Wildlife Management, and Natural Heritage Pro-
gram.

The General Direction Program provides direc-
tion, administrative support, and services to the
other four programs. Budget, personnel, purchas-
ing, training, fleet management, radio communica-
tions, safety, equal opportunity, and public infor-
mation functions directly serve the cooperative
forestry, forest and park, and wildlife manage-
ment programs.

The Cooperative Forestry Program helps private
forest landowners, municipalities, and other gov-
ernmental units manage their forests and individ-
ual trees. The goal of the program is to improve
and maintain the economic, aesthetic, recreation-
al, and environmental contributions of trees, for-
ests, and forest-related resources for the benefit of

people. The program includes cooperative forest
management, urban and community forestry, and
resource use, planning, and protection.

The Cooperative Forestry Program provides
forest management expertise to private landown-
ers and the political subdivisions of the State. For-
est fire prevention and control, insect and disease
control, land management, watershed manage-
ment, as well as reforestation, and urban and
community forestry represent the main thrusts of
the program. Urban and community forestry em-
phasizes work with developers, builders, archi-
tects, and city and county planners in careful de-
velopmental planning and large-scale forestry
projects. Supervision of utility trimming and mu-
nicipal tree care programs is an important facet of
urban and community forestry. The urban forest-
ry concept includes individual shade tree consul-
tations to private landowners, as time permits.

The Forest and Park Management Program ad-
ministers and manages Maryland's State forests,
parks, scenic preserves, historic monuments, and
natural environment areas. While providing recre-
ational opportunities throughout the State, the
Management Program preserves the natural re-
sources, and ensures multiple use and a sustained
yield of forest resources.

The program is comprised of fifty-three man-
agement projects, including four State forests, ten
multi-use parks, fourteen general recreation parks,
seven waterfront parks, six natural environment
areas, ten historic or scenic sites, one roadside pic-
nic area, and three natural resource management
areas.

Parks and recreational activity brochures are
available at each park and upon request from the
Forest, Park and Wildlife Service.

The Wildlife Management Program applies
modern professional wildlife management tech-
niques to both control and assure continuing wild-
life while affording a maximum of public recrea-
tional opportunities compatible with the welfare
of wildlife resources. The Service engages in field
surveys and research projects to evaluate public
demands on wildlife resources, wildlife popula-
tions, harvesting parameters, and relevant envi-
ronmental factors. It constructs ponds (primarily
waterfowl habitat) and plants food and cover veg-
etation.

Among the Service's projects and programs are
the development and management of thirty-two
State-owned Wildlife Management Areas (Public
Hunting Areas) located throughout the State. The