DNR Welcomes Public Input on Chesapeake Forest Hunting Areas

Comment Deadline August 11

Snow Hill, Md. (July 12, 2012) - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service invites the public to share their thoughts on the proposed changes to hunting areas on 7,812 acres of Chesapeake Forests, located on the State’s lower Eastern Shore, for the 2012-2013 hunting season.

“The public’s input will help to ensure that DNR’s Forest Service has not overlooked any important considerations regarding the layout of hunting areas within this forestland,” said Director Steve Koehn.

The purpose of this proposal is to make adjustments to several current tract designations to better accommodate and serve both public hunting and leased hunting opportunities. The public areas allow all licensed hunters to take advantage of the sport, while the leased areas are rented out to a variety of groups, clubs and organizations.

DNR is gathering the public’s input before a decision will be made, the final step in the three-step review process. The first step consisted of an internal review by a team of resource professionals from the Wildlife and Heritage, Fisheries, Forest, and Park Services, and Land Acquisition & Planning. The second step had an appointed citizen’s advisory committee review the proposals. After the public comment period, the forest manager will review the comments and make any final adjustments to the plan as necessary.

Each proposal consists of a brief summary, individual tract maps and a vicinity map. All comments should be as specific as possible ─ those that are too general or vague may be difficult to properly interpret and carry out.

Citizens are invited to review the proposal and share their input at dnr.state.md.us/forests/CF_Proposal_HuntingTracts.asp. DNR is accepting comments now through August 11, 2012.

Owned by DNR, Chesapeake Forests is comprised of nearly 67,000 acres in six lower Eastern Shore counties ─ Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million 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. 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