Outdoors Maryland; 15

The rivers of the Chesapeake Bay. These life giving arteries. Providing. Even for spawning for. Spring as they have for hundreds of years. The Indians name these branches. Patapsco. TUCKSON. And Susquehanna. A biological miracle brings thousands of shad herring and striped bass from the Atlantic up the Chesapeake to the river of their birth. There. They spawn providing future generations. But human progress in the form of dams and culverts is blocking these miraculous migrations. Because of overfishing and pollution. And barriers. Most members the anatomists family including the herring in the shed are in a cycle of decline. This has been the case for for the

last 24 to 40 years. We're attempting to rebuild those populations so that we can have a viable fisheries preserve. This is. One major obstacle has been the kind of wind go dam on the Susquehanna. But this spring Philadelphia Electric dedicated a new larger lift to supplement the old lift built in 1972 to move the fish over the dam. The governor was on hand to see how the lift operates. Note the. Very night. Screaming about it. That's. What you going to too much. While. That's what you the fact that they don't get. You. Is coming along. That's the best. That's how you check the fish. I wonder how you got to do that up there for all these fish coming from the ocean. They have close to 3000 miles. So they want to look for a very nice. Park. To go into. They want to go as far as they can. Dilip Mather manages the fish lift that explains how it works.

The Hopper has a bottom latch that gets closed. And the. Harper gets lifted via the cables and all the fish. That are lifted. Are put into assorting tank on shore where the biologist would go into the tank. And remove all the American shed. From the tank and the face that are not. Required for transport released back into that area. The targeted species American shad and Herring are loaded on trucks to be transported upstream to Pennsylvania. Beyond three more dams which blocked their spawning grounds eventually there's hope that lifts will be installed that these dams as well. So they're handling the fish will be unnecessary. There are 36 miles of new fish habitats. We'll look ahead. We're going to do some things. Three dams upriver that have to be have to work on and eventually get those wildlife. So the fish will be able to be lifted up swim on up lifted up swim on up and then finally go up there and spawn suppose whatever is supposed to do when they get up to.

The lifts and efforts to restore the river seemed to be working. We are running ahead of last year. We have so far elected or 14000 Chad compared to last year the whole season. We collected about 15000 1964. So we still have another four or five weeks of. Peak. Lifting season left. So we expect to maybe we might get about 25 30 thousand Chad this year. No one appreciates these efforts more than fishing guide. Action film felt even with the moratorium on American Shadd and rockfish. Earl loves to fish this Oswyn Hanna. I love it and appreciate all my life. And it's it. It's absolutely the best fishing grounds in the whole East Coast and that's probably why this is the only place on the East Coast that I would. Merlin knows every stretch of the river he's fished for 59 years. He's

seen the decline. But he'll tell you how it used to be fishing and about the lure he had specially designed to hook Shaq. Don't make me shed the most ridiculous car. I don't care why you ever come up with show he came up with this one OK. And ahead Bill Burton has been a long long long ago. And a doctor from West Virginia and I had one of these on the Dr. Song. In a going on and I had to drag on and on and on and he kept making it. And of course six white shit in a row. The doctor caught him on English and Burton and I wish we could get a new one just had me. So I took him off and put on bills and put another on a doctor. They all had tears on and we had a call or I get some ample shade you couldn't drum with a shtick. It'll be a while before this river teams with the shad which were so ubiquitous in colonial

times but the efforts are working. And the. Fish collected at the Konno window lift are also being used to stock other Maryland rivers and streams. These blue back Herring will be released into the Patapsco as part of another restoration effort. The Indians named it Patapsco meaning Tidewater. They would never believe the aspects of human progress. Dams had several locations stored and a fish's chances of making it upstream. East coast fish don't jump. So surmounting a dam such as bloated with an 18 foot drop is too much for a herring. Construction will begin soon to provide the fish with a Daneel ladder much like the one here on the little. Thompson.

Daneel is a fish ladder. Which requires. Active movement on the part of the fish. Fish actually. Enters the fish ladder and moves up the ladder under its own power. Different species of fish have different abilities as far as swimming power. And so you have to match and climb up the ladder itself. That is the chute of water. And the velocity of the water that's controlled by baffles within the shoe. To enable the fish under its own power. To ascend that ladder and reach the upstream. Over the dam. Building a ladder next to an existing dam is no easy task. A project such as this combines engineering with biology. Engineering considerations for the stability of the dam. See that. It's in. Good shape. The fish water itself is an. Engineering feat. To match the abilities of the fish. With water discharge and velocities.

And so. There is a great deal involved with. Restoring the dam. Designing the fish Lodder and stopping the fish water. And monitoring the water to see that it actually does what it's intended to do. Creating fish passages on the Patapsco will open up 30 miles of new spawning habitat. Statewide there are over 800 blockages and 100 of these are dams. These obstructions are one problem that can be song reopening migratory fish spawning habitat is an intricate part of the overall restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Natural resource managers in Maryland Virginia and Pennsylvania and the federal government are working to reopen hundreds of miles of streams and rivers. By the end of the decade. This will benefit both the fisheries of the Chesapeake and the Atlantic Ocean. The Indians who first navigated these rivers and taught us to fish for the silver slabs of shad

and iridescent herring. Would Marvel today at these live and Ladin's. Worldwide extinction of species. Is the most disastrous and irreversible activity. In which modern society is now engaged. Every form of life on earth is the result of over twenty million years of evolution a lifelong once gone is gone forever and with its destruction. Our Earth's fragile web of biological diversity. Is further diminished. As the embers sunset's to close another day worldwide you remove species have now become extinct lost to us forever. At this rate one of the bald species on Earth today may be extinct by the year 2000.

Less than a decade away. And mountain lions once roamed these ancient forests. Elk and bison once raised the vast valley grasslands and waterfowl were once black and the sky above the Chesapeake pure waters. But that was long ago. Before surveyors and politicians carved Maryland into a political entity. A time when animals were free to wander wherever food and shelter led them amid mountains and streams following the same pathways as generations before unhindered by modern roads farms or factories. Rich in its diversity of landscapes ecosystems and species. Marilyn Harbord a natural wealth that made her the envy of the New World. Today hundreds of animal and plant species have vanished. Gone are the

wolf. ELK. And. Mountain. Over 200 plant and animal species once found in Maryland. Are now extinct. In many instances whole ecosystems have vanished and of her lush native wetlands. Barely 25 percent now remain. Yet nature is resilient. And today pockets of native plants and animals. And even whole ecosystems survive as they did before in these isolated forests. Rocky outcrops and wetlands. Survive Marilyns natural diversity. Or rich diversity that seems out of proportion to her small size. Perfectly framed by the Appalachians and the Atlantic. Biologists speculate that up to 30 percent of America's known species

grow slither creep crawl jump walk or fly. In Merrell. And that is our sign. To travel the state from mountain to Marsh in search of its fragile web of biological diversity. Given just 48 hours. Outdoors Maryland producer videographer Bob. Will traverse Maryland's five physio graphic regions. Exploring through the lands each one's unique natural diversity. Amid the mist of a cool mountain morning. Our trek begins lying further east west the Appalachian plateau encompasses all of Garrod County and has to be our first region explored. With an average elevation of two thousand four hundred feet. This ancient mountain

chain stays much cooler and wetter than the rest of the state. The key factor which allows rare far northern species to survive in these southern latitudes fins swamp is such a place here. Peat bogs and wetlands still support the Arctic species which flourished during the last ice age. Fifteen thousand years ago call it a frost pocket. This micro-climate is created by the swamps high surrounding mountains which trap and hold the gool moist air found in these high elevations. With a diverse natural community benzyl swamp is not only a sight to behold but also a place to treasure. The. Further in Washington and Allegheny counties make up most of the ridge and valley region

here within the rain shadow of the Appalachian plateau. This region's western edge has become the most arid area in Maryland amid the old town shale barons. The steep slopes of Devonian shale shed quickly. Any rain that's able to traverse the mountain ridge. Add to that the southern exposure and thin soils and a rare desert like habitat is found as a result the living community has adapted fleshy stems spines and narrow leaves are adaptive features shale barren plants use to conserve any precious water. The hostile habitat is home to skinks copperheads and warblers throughout the year. Only 15 miles wide the Blue Ridge is the smallest of

Maryland's five regions occupying the western half of Frederick County. It reaches from the banks of the Potomac northward into Pennsylvania. Beneath the thick forest canopy fun great Brooks and Cascade share this emerald world with dogwoods mosses wild flowers. And a host of forest floor creatures. Here. The hardwood forest dominated by oak maple. Ash. And Hickory. Sheltered beneath them. The rare mountains sound a delicate flower that is more commonly found the top the cool Misty Mountains of Vermont. And. As the eastern edge of the Catoctin Mountains Phrag the Piedmont region begins to roll eastward toward the coastal plain characterized by rolling hills and fertile valleys.

This area has seen the most impact by human settlement. Yet here lies soldiers delight the largest of the wild serpents and barons remaining in Maui. And like all such Barens it too is home to a uniquely rare and natural community. An open grassy barren surrounded by forests. Soldiers delight is an excellent example of how geology and climate determine the character of an area's bio diversity fan and nutrient poor soils from the Serpentine bedrock have created a microclimate that is hot dry and inhospitable. Thus the name. Yet it is here in these harsh conditions that a unique living community survives. Typically a flat and Sandy landscape. The coastal plain is the

largest and most diverse of Maryland's five busy or graphic regions with Southern Maryland. And all of the eastern shore within its range. It enjoys a moist moderate climate due to its proximity to the ocean and Bay. Maidie wetlands provide an extraordinary ecological value for wintering nesting waterfall spawning fish. And nutrient production which is so vital to the bay's survival. One of the northern most stands of bald cyclists and the only one on Maryland's western shore is found amid Battle Creek swamp in southern Maryland. Bald Cypress have existed here for millions of years. These present day Cypress are descendants of trees that occupied the area fifteen thousand years ago just as the ice age departed. Today some trees stand over 100 feet tall and four feet in diameter

while aerial root systems break through the surface from the submerged forest floor here. The unique nature of battlegroup strong. Creates a rich landscape of its own. At the end of its range the coastal plain gives way to the barrier islands of the Atlantic coast. Along the beach and amid the dunes. The island's unique natural community provides a rich contrast in Maryland's biodiversity. The very existence of human life is completely dependent upon maintaining the earth's biological diversity. To do this we must ensure the health and survival of all

ecosystems and the millions of species with which we share the. Asso woman Bay one of ocean city's greatest resources. More than a natural haven it provides vacationers with a host of recreational opportunities. It's. One of the latest fads to hit marijuana came from the exotic shores of Hawaii. He was living in Hawaii and used to be a lifeguard nation City hearing. And. Coming back and forth living here in the summer and going to Waho in the wintertime and

it was getting really popular over there in the early 1980s and so I started came back and opened up a company here in 1984. And started out kind of slow and it's really. Picked up since it involves this wide motorized platform. The wind the water and several motorboats. The. They just keep coming on and. I. Know what draws them. I think a lot of it is the. Venture the fear factor of. The. Russian. Sport is parasailing. And its popularity has grown immensely over the past few years. Anyone can do it and despite its image as a sport for thrill seekers its really

rather simple. All it's similar to airplane take offs and landings we take off into the when we. Inflate the parachute and then the person is brought up with their harnesses on and their life preserver on are. Connected to the parachute. With two clips. We've positioned them in the harness so they're sitting comfortably. Release the line out of. The pool on the front of the platform and drive both the platform and the pole boat into the wind. In there. But whatever speed is necessary to create enough left for them to take off. And then the landings we drive into the wind. Put the line under the block and tackle in the front of the platform and they're winched back down onto the. Landing that. We're. Now really scared off. I have a that when I. Only write up. Great.

Feeling. Like. Going up there is how to harness. It was great. It's really peaceful and it's not scary at all. I was going to scream. But it's you can see everything in the water. I really feel like. You're 175 feet up in the air so you can see from the bay side you can see the ocean. You can see acetates the colony on a clear day. You know it all depends on the visibility. While the customers are enjoying the ride the men steering the boats are keeping their eyes on Bay traffic and the parasail. It's important to keep moving or the parasail will drop. So anticipating what other boats will do is essential as the para sails and their motor boats circle around the landing platform. The excitement of soaring with seagulls and flying through the air suspended by a single rope brings people of all ages to Kevin Smith's O sea piracy.

The beauty and freedom the sport affords can be enjoyed by participants and spectators alike. It. Took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth. The environment contained elements that were hostile as well as supporting Cuban time time not in years but in millennia. Life adjusts and a balance is reached for time is the essential ingredient. But in the modern world there is no time. These words from Rachel Carson silent spring were inspired by the research going on at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Loro situated on forty seven hundred acres. The center was founded in 1936 as America's first national

wildlife experimentation. Here biologists are working against time to save some pretty ugly endangered grain. The whooping cranes whose numbers were once in the tens of thousands numbered only 21 in the 1940s. Today's largest remaining flock winters on the coast of Texas and migrates north. Debris that would Buffalo Park in Canada. Their numbers have recently increased to around 140 birds. Now Baldor Cino a biologist at the talks and explains how the captive flock of whooping cranes began in the mid 60s. We started taking eggs from the buffalo population in the wild of course. Normally two eggs are laid and usually only one chick survives. So it was felt that by taking one egg we could start a cat the flock and the wild population would not suffer. And that's how the flock got started. Now we had birds that

lay their own eggs here and were trying to get them to produce more in captivity again so that we can release them to the. The captive propagation program is also being used on the even more endangered Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. As with the whooping cranes some chicks are hatched in an incubator and raised by hand. While others are raised by foster parents. We raise them here to about six months of age and then transfer them down to Mississippi send her Quain National Wildlife Refuge. The birds are raised either by foster parents by related Florida sandhill cranes are raiders sandhill cranes are sometimes we have read them but we have to do so in a manner so that the birds don't become imprinted or attached to people. We often use costumes our puppet heads our care for them from behind screens so they can not

see the human form and we try to keep it Alford's close by them so they get properly imprinted on the. Kathleen O'Malley raises the chicks. She feels an attachment to each bird she cares for but he's happy with the success of her protection. Reared birds in the wild. This year were released about 38. Considering that the population down there has kind of held steady around 90. We released almost 40 birds this year which is almost half again the flocks size. So that was a substantial release. They need a certain number to help them survive by putting in a large number of birds like that just to increase their chances of being able to make it out there. Both the Mississippi sandhill cranes and the whooping cranes are endangered because of the way we have altered their habitat. The primary decline has been through the last of habitation draining of wetlands. There were probably some complications with pesticides but

we've lost so many wetlands where the Hoopers make that migration of the twenty seven hundred mile trip. It takes them several weeks to make this trip. They fly a couple hundred miles and then they rested up just like we would have to do on a cross-country we hit a hotel. Well we took all their hotels away. Well every year the Hoopers fly back and forth and there's less hotels to rest and just never make the trip. Biologists said the toxins are not just concerned with endangered species they are also in the forefront of environmental research. Recently they noticed the population of canvasback ducks wintering on the Chesapeake Bay was declining dramatically. Studies are underway now to see if a change in their diet may be the culprit. By maintaining a breeding population of Patuxent they can regulate the ducks food supply and see if this influences their reproduction. Historically canvas facts fed on a submerged potted plant called wild celery and with Lucian's so patients in the bay while celery has just

about been wiped out and we've observed that the canvas backs are now feeding predominantly on clams So it's a pretty drastic change from a vegetative diet to a protein diet and we are trying to find out if this could possibly influence their survival and reproduction. It takes years of study and dedication to make a real difference in the future of these cranes and Waters people like Kathleen are showing that we can undo some of the harm we've inflicted on our environment. The efforts of those at the talks and are having a positive impact on flocks of birds hundreds of miles away as well as birds in our own backyard. They are basically a very beautiful animal that needs a hand because of what we've done to the environment. They deserve a break from us and. I just have felt like getting a chance to reread them. When you raise a baby really and a.

Commitment to them. I can imagine what spring would be like if I didn't get to raise some crane. And he's become one of the most popular outdoor recreation activities today. Nationwide the number of burgers increases year after year. And here in Maryland that's no exception. Local breeders constantly flock from summer to shore in search of birding hotspots throughout the state. With binoculars and life lists in hand. They search and scour the countryside hoping to get a glimpse of a rare or a U.S. traveler. Yet for a small band of Maryland birds their annual migration takes them far afield to a birding hotspot. Well is actually quite a cool one. Well you see this flock of birders belong to the same nest. They are all staff or members of the National Aquarium in Baltimore home to the largest colony of fronter Coolio Arctica in captivity.

Or for you and I the Atlantic puffin. With a manmade migration of over 3000 miles the Birder's final destination is Jaime One of the Westman Islands off the southern coast of Iceland. Here exists one of the largest breeding colonies of puffins in Iceland and original to the aquariums colony. Surrounded by this awesome beauty the Atlantic puck begins its life. These are the Westman Islands a place of breathtaking beauty and contrasts. A land with Stark towering cliffs stand bare against the vast North Atlantic. It's also a land of lush green grasses islands where colors saturate the. From May through August the brief Arctic summer the puffins use these

islands to breed. Wild puffin breeding grounds ring the North Atlantic the largest by far along the southern coast of Iceland. The National Aquarium in Baltimore has been studying these puffins for several years now. Biologists and ornithologists joined by volunteers spend weeks each summer studying the various aspects of the puffins lifecycle and habitat. The information gathered is essential to maintaining and improving upon the care of the aquariums pup exhibit. While expanding knowledge of the puffins in the wild. Though the two are often confused puffins and penguins are not related. Puffins spend their life north of the equator while penguins live south in the waters off Antarctica. Unlike puffins. Penguins cannot fly. However they both share similar body coloration a form of camouflage found

in many open ocean animals. Belonging to the family of seabirds known as Al SIDS puffins close relatives include razor bales and MEURS. All of which have several adaptations which enable them to survive in the cold arctic ocean. Puffins have a thick coat of down underneath their top feathers. This fluffy down traps in air which keeps their skin warm and dry. The beak is used to spread oil from a gland at the base of the tail. All the in water. Which aids in flotation. Whimsical in appearance. The long days of the short Arctic summer allow little time for calming for these adults. There is urgent business at hand. Breeding. Nests to be ready. And young to raise. Puffins made for life. Once ashore they will prepare the nests in burrows or crevices. Within

each nest. A single check awaits its feeding while fish are left at the entrance of the. Seas around the Westman Islands have abundant Sandi's and Piccola the mainstay of the pathogens diet because the tongue and the roof of their mouth are covered with short inward facing spines puffins are able to hold several fish in their beaks as they forage for more. As they mature. These young chicks paddle up and down the burrow wary of the outside world. They are wise to be cautious. Never alert gulls hover. Waiting for a careless fledgeling. To devour. Eventually as the early Arctic winter approaches. The safety of the burrow must be left behind. Once the young have mastered both foraging and flying the puffins leave their summer home to winter upon the open sea. Exactly where they

go or how they survive the harsh Arctic winter remains one of nature's secrets. Yet every spring the puffins return to breed again. And the cycle of life for the puffins of the Westman Islands continues. All watched carefully by the birders from Baltimore. The glistening waters of the Chesapeake are a perpetual source of inspiration and support from Americans. Over the years. Food music transportation and tall tales have been harvested from this generous estuary. Not until recent decades though did anyone imagine this vital resource might have limits the human abuses might critically wounded our bountiful provider the Chesapeake. But population growth Urban Development and changing agricultural practices significantly increased pollutants entering the

Chesapeake. In 1984 in order to protect not only the bay but adjacent lands and their inhabitants. The state of Maryland created legislation to help local governments manage a 1000 foot strip dubbed critical areas. An independent agency. The critical area a commission was formed to develop and enforce land use regulations for the affected 16 counties and 44 municipalities. Sara Taylor executive director of the critical area commission elaborates. We have to be very honest the critical areas is a philosophy of land use not just what a protection. Because. On our land. Our forests. And alongside of the land are our wetlands and in some parts of the critical area

there are non-title wetlands as well. Open space agriculture. These lands are valuable for many purposes. And the point of critical areas is to get through to everyone who uses that land and granted it may be only a thousand feet and that isn't very much but it is a way of saying Business must be done a little bit different here folks in this thousand foot area. It's impossible to erase the past or make changes overnight. An intensely developed areas like Baltimore. Stunning and disturbing evidence of human carelessness persists and pretty glaring. Nonetheless the first small steps toward renewal along the 50 mile shoreline in Baltimore are being taken. In the middle branch area south of the inner harbor. With the help of public monies and private companies such as car Lowery. Grasses and trees are being reintroduced into an industrial setting. The

middle branch area is responding. And against all odds wildlife and waterfowl are growing in number. In Langford farms in Kent County. Compromise smoothed out potential rough spots. Neighbors on the other side of Lanford Greek hope the critical areas criteria would rule out development on the 575 acre farm or farm site. They were wrong. A skillful design developed with the full cooperation of state and local officials however ease tensions. Responsible design requirements such as fostering housing units restricting the number of docking PIRs to 11 creating a pond with a circulator for migrating waterfowl and setting aside a 95 acre interior forest wildlife sanctuary are examples of the proactive environmental role taken by this developer but development is not always so conciliatory in critical areas at Chesapeake Beach. One of the few areas with white sand on the western side of the bay condominiums crowd the shoreline. This development

initiated before the critical areas regulations went into effect threatens the two major attractions of the area. The beaches and the waterfowl associated with the Chesapeake Bay. Run. Off of fertilizer and chemicals has been reduced by using best management practices and resource conservation areas where active farms operate. The introduction of nitrogen into the bay is a major concern. Because it encourages algae blooms which starved the Bay of oxygen. Interior forests are considered excellent natural filters of pollutants entering the bay. Scott Smith a wildlife biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is conducting a study to determine the impact of development on forest interior dwelling birds. Any type of animal is adapted to a certain habitat conditions and you have a. Gradient from open grass

areas. To the forest. Fortunately the animals on both ends of the spectrum both the grassland animals they just need large expanse the grassland and the animals and the large expanses of forest are hurting ones in the middle that can use these fragmented areas edge edge areas are the ones that are doing well. And Edge growing. Northern Cargile for example. This is a bird that's expanding its range in the United States. Next your house and nest out here in these in these forced openings. I don't mean to say that any species are bad. But we need to maintain some large tracts of forest mature forests for these forests. Some of the most beautiful animals on the planet are some of these forced to carry a birds I call them jewels of course. Are Beautiful yellows and reds and blues. Much of their forest land in South America in Central America and here in North America is being lost.

To things like agriculture residential development. All the things about modern society were chewing up our force and we are replacing the forest lands and these are very very important for the future of the species. Why can't we take a look at what has already been built. And think of. A better use or better design. That will. Encourage people. To live in most places. Instead of reaching out and then. Finding out the best to you. Why can't we build. But use up less space. And. See. Large areas of open space as far as that space or even agricultural space is. Open along with development. These types of steps that. The critical area concept.

As. A storm breaks out over Baltimore's Inner Harbor sunset showcasing a rejuvenated cityscape. This vital area is living proof that humans can control and improve their own creations. In the last decade of the 20th century. This can do attitude is being expanded to include consideration of the natural world that surrounds us particularly along the edge where land and water meet. In the Chesapeake and its tributaries. With the help of well-intended management policies like the critical areas legislation. All of us can work together. Toward a healthier more prosperous tomorrow. More storms will be passing. Bless them. Me. Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me. There's an old song that goes. It's so peaceful in the country.

And this is true. Unfortunately as the cities grow more rural areas become the suburbs and we have to go further and further afield to find that little piece of country. More and more people are looking for a brief escape seeking a path less trauma a reprieve a chance to get out of dollars and away from it all just north of Baltimore's Beltway nearly parallel to Interstate 83 running north into Pennsylvania. Is the former road bed of the old northern central rail. Now a 20 mile long green one providing a recreational pathway for short walks day hikes biking or horseback riding. We've been biking all our lives and have. Had. A good activity that we can do with the kids. And this is especially nice for children. We have a lot of friends who bring their

children here and ride their bikes here. And it's nice all year round. All right along the river so we can stop throw rocks into the river. That's his favorite activity. The North-Central trail just happens they went to find places around Maryland to ride by. The. Railroad trail was developed as you see the various hiking biking facility in the early 1980s. 1984 was when it was developed. Through a grant from the National Parks Service. But the railroad was abandoned. It became available for hiking bike trail in 1972 when Hurricane Agnes destroyed the railroad and put it out of service prayer was developed in 1984 for several miles and then in 1989

we developed the. Additional problem half mile for most into the country along railroad station was also developed to serve as an interpretive center on. The trails still passes through the same communities that it did when it was a railroad. Ashland Phoenix all those little historic hills are still there for people to come through today. The trails maintained by the Department of Natural Resources with all the assistance of citizens who serve as volunteers and assist the park rangers in maintaining the facility. This is a white pine. We're going to be plain. We're also going to do some dogwood hopefully. Spread. Out. I don't think if you go over to the ranger and you'll help them out. OK. The gunpowder meanders along the northern central trail for many miles providing

access to one of Maryland's most popular tromps streams. Controlled Release of water from the pretty boy reservoir helps to maintain a regulated water level that is advantageous to both fish and sport fishing. Along with fishing the gun powder river offers some of the most scenic beauty to be found along the trail and is very popular for canoeing and rafting trips. In. The Northern Central Railroad trail offers more than just an opportunity to get out of doors and back to nature. It's also a walk through time. Ashlynn the southern terminus of the trail was once a large iron works a

century ago. Although little remains of this once thriving industry the former workers housing is now a townhouse complex and the old one room schoolhouse is a private residence. Continuing north along the trail one can find the old hotels of Corbitt and Freeland's Maryland both still stand as private homes. The Northern Central Railroad trail is unique in its close proximity to a major metropolitan area and the rich outdoor experience it offers it's miles of old railroad bed or pathway out of the city and into the countryside providing a wide variety of recreational activities for every. Summer.

A time for grabbing a board and heading for the beach or the street. But what to do when summer's gone. DAYBREAK in the mountains of western Maryland. Snowmachines send up

clouds of icy mist over the ski slopes. Here there is no such thing as too much snow. The fresh powder draws the young neon colored snowboarders anxious for another day of bump and grind. Some have surf. Or skateboarded some like 27 year old Tony Lincoln have done it all. I used to be a skier. I quit after I started snowboarding. I started working three years ago and I've only skied twice since then and all I wanted to do is be back at a snowboard. Because snowboarding just combines everything and combines your skiing skills your surfing skills and your skateboarding skills. But it gives you a couple things that none of those sports can offer you like a snowboard can and that's nice feed you get a lot of speed on a snowboard and you really get so strong carving long rides that you really can't do on a skateboard or on a surfboard.

So it's really nice with those two respects and it's just great for it you know it's a good break for the winter time when it's too cold to paddle out in 40 degree weather. Just grab a snowboarding and the mountains and just let it off. It's great. With better equipment. Snowboarding has gone from an obscure fad into one of the fastest growing winter sports in the country. Like skis snowboards have steel edges for turning. Bindings are fixed and non releasable. Unlike rigid ski boots borders where soft rubber boots which are oriented on the board much like surfing. Or skateboarding. With their hands free and upper bodies twisting for leverage. Snowboarder's resemble high speed disco dancers.

It looks easy. Well first there's that problem of getting your balance. Much less trying to turn. Or stop. And then there are the white spots. Though established in the West. Snowboarding has not been allowed at Marilyns ski resorts until this year. We've been looking at snowboarding for about the past three years when it started to really come onto the scene and there were a lot of concerns with the safety of the equipment the safety of the skiers the safety of how everything worked together. After analyzing it and talking to people around the country we just felt that it's arrived. The concern that we had aren't there and we decided

to do some things here to enhance the program and so far this year it's been a plus for. A major enhancement to the Wispa ski resort is one of America's largest snowboard half. Similar to the ramps used in skateboarding. The half Park is where snowboarding takes on the appearance of an area sport. Is. Snowboards are going to eventually within the next five years probably take up about 20

percent of lift ticket sales and most ski resorts. But it's going to pretty much stay younger it. I think it's going to be you know your age is between say 12 and 27 but there's still going to be a lot of older people getting into it. I haven't seen anyone over 30 except for myself I tried it. It's rough. It's a it's a real experience. It's a little more difficult than skiing but. I. Plan to get back out and give it another try. He won't be alone this year more people than ever grab their boards and head to the hills for a little surfing on the snow. As. In.

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