Maryland Plants and Wildlife

Plants

Since Europeans first began cataloguing the plant species of Maryland in the early 18^th century, over 3,000 woody and herbaceous species have been recognized. The most important, by necessity, were those which provided food and shelter. Once their basic needs were addressed, settlers began to explore and describe their finds to their brethren across the Atlantic. Because of its diverse geology, hydrology and land formation, Maryland was home to an abundance of plant species, creating unique natural communities and providing habitat to wildlife.

Early documents by botanists provide current researchers with a picture of the landscape at the time of colonization. Since that time, an estimated 300 plant species have become extinct. Declines in number are due to a variety of factors: loss of habitat through conversion to development or agriculture, changes in hydrology, fragmentation, pollution and even over-collection. The Wildlife and Heritage Service Natural Heritage Program tracks the status of over 1,100 native plants and animals that are among the rarest in Maryland and most in need of conservation efforts as elements of our State's natural diversity. Learn more about Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants in Maryland as well as Maryland’s Natural Communities.

 

Wildlife

Maryland is home to an estimated 90 species of mammals, 93 species and subspecies of reptiles and amphibians, over 400 species of birds and several hundred species of marine and freshwater fishes. An untold number of insect and other invertebrate species (crustaceans, spiders, mollusks, etc) also reside here. Of all of these thousands of creatures, over 300 are rare. One hundred and ten of these species are designated as Threatened or Endangered in Maryland and are afforded protection under the State Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act.

All of these creatures, regardless of how humans choose to categorize them – rare, common, game, nongame – offer us something valuable, whether tangible or not. Food, clothing, shelter, opportunities for recreation, clean water, all of these can be directly related to the existence of Maryland’s wide diversity of species. Check out the Maryland Wildlife List page to see lists of Maryland species as well as fact sheets on different animals found in Maryland. Learn more about Rare, Threatened and Endangered Animals in Maryland as well as Game Mammals and Game Birds.

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An increasing array of foreign invaders, plants and animals with no natural predators, are endangering Maryland's native habitats. These Invasive & Exotic Species out-compete native plants and animals, resulting in a loss of Maryland's biological biodiversity.

If you want to create a backyard habitat for wildlife, find out about Maryland's Wild Acres Program. Both students and teachers are invited to find out what kind of Educational Programs the Wildlife and Heritage Service sponsors and discover how to take advantage of some unique adventures in learning.

You can also learn more about the biological diversity and ecosystems in your neighborhood. Natural history study can provide rewarding outdoor experiences as you begin to understand the lives of birds, mammals, plants, and other species, as well as the complex interactions of these species with each other and with their environment.

Many non-profit Maryland Naturalist Organizations offer field trips, seminars, classes, and workshops to help budding naturalists and folks interested in their environment gain a deeper understanding of and greater appreciation for natural world in which they live.

Images:

State Endangered Grass Pink orchid by R.H. Wiegand

American Oystercatcher by John White