RET. Ranger Offutt Johnson Receives Edmund Prince Award

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Retired Maryland Park Service employee, Ranger Offutt Johnson, was honored yesterday with the prestigious Edmund Prince Award. Johnson, a long time DNR employee spent the latter part of his career as the Park Naturalist at Patapsco Valley State Park, where he was instrumental in developing the Avalon Visitors Center, where visitors to Patapsco can explore the park's rich history. Offutt Johnson continues to volunteer significant time to the Maryland Park Service, most recently helping to organize the agency's Centennial Celebration in 2006.

The Edmond Prince Award is named for Maryland's first park ranger (then called resident wardens). Prince was the resident warden at Patapsco State Park in the early twentieth century. This award is given to those park rangers who's careers best exemplify the ideals and traditions of the Maryland Park Ranger.

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May 10, 2007

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 18,000 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