Pocomoke River State Forest and Park to Temporarily Close Off-Road Vehicle Trail

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SNOW HILL — The Maryland State Forest and Park service today announced that it is temporarily closing the approximately six-mile long Chandler Off-Road Vehicles (ORV) Trail System at Pocomoke River State Forest and Park. The projected reopening of the trail will take place upon completion of the project on our around March 1, 2005. The trail is the only one of its kind located on public land on the Eastern Shore.

“This is a critical trail maintenance project,” said Ranger Gary Adelhardt, the park’s manager. “Right now the trail is holding a lot of water and we are going to address these drainage issues in a variety of ways including the installation of culverts.”

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides trails for ORVs, in Garrett, Potomac, Green Ridge, Savage River and Pocomoke State Forests. Off-road vehicles must be registered annually with DNR and display a registration sticker. Registration stickers are available from any DNR regional service center, and stickers and trail maps are available at the five state forests where ORV use is permitted.

The use of off-road vehicles is very popular in Maryland. In 2004, approximately 3,500 registration stickers were sold across the state with 900 being sold in Pocomoke River State Forest and Park alone.

For more information about the Chandler ORV Trail System or any of the ORV trails in Maryland state parks visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/orv.html.

The State Forest and Park Service administers and manages Maryland, parks, natural environmental areas, natural resource areas, and marinas. While providing recreation sites, the Service preserves natural resources and ensures multiple uses and a sustained yield of forest resources. The SFPS is responsible for seven State forests, 48 State parks, seven natural environment areas, and 23 natural resource management areas.

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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov