State Parks Adjust Holiday Schedule For Service Reduction Days

Parks to remain open on Thanksgiving and New Years Day

ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 3, 2009) — Maryland State Parks and other public lands managed by the State will be closed during service reduction days for the 2009 holiday season, as part of the State’s Furlough and Temporary Salary Reduction Plan. Public use parking lots, buildings and other facilities will not be available on those days. State parks will remain open on Thanksgiving, Native American Appreciation Day and New Years Day.

The Holiday closing schedule is as follows:

• November 25 (the day before Thanksgiving) –State service reduction day


• December 24 (Christmas Eve) –State service reduction day


• December 25 (Christmas Day) – Holiday


• December 31 (New Years Eve) - State service reduction day

All state park camping and cabin reservations will be honored on those days. Law enforcement personnel (Maryland Park Service Rangers and Natural Resources Police) will be on duty during the holidays and service reduction days.

In addition to regular holidays (Thanksgiving, Native American Appreciation Day, Christmas and New Years Day), all DNR offices will be closed on service reduction days (November 25, Christmas Eve and New Years Eve) as well.

On August 26, the Board of Public Works approved more than $450 million in budget reductions, to address a projected budget shortfall. The reductions included a sliding scale of furlough and fixed service reduction days for State employees. It is estimated that the furlough and salary reduction plans will save the State approximately $75 million and prevent the elimination of about 1,500 State jobs.

For more information on State Parks visit to http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/

For more information on the recent budget reductions visit http://www.governor.maryland.gov/pressreleases/090825.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 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 12 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