Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 17:28:57 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Mark Hoffman Subject: Re: Birder Busted - The Sequel MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit John et al. -- The C&D Canal lands are not really "public lands" in the sense you think of a normal state park, forest or wildlife management area. They are owned by the Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of maintaining the C&D Canal for ship traffic. They were not bought for the primary purpose of public recreation. Maryland DNR (Wildlife and Heritage Division) has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Corps to allow for public access on some of the parcels, particularly for hunting (the cooperative management is paid 100% with license and federal aid excise tax funds). Technically, they are classified as "Cooperative Wildlife Management Areas" in DNR parlance. Over the years a number of management problems have arise related to these properties (illegal dumping, partying, drug use, etc.) -- I think you get the picture. The permit system allows law enforcement to ensure only authorized folks are using the properties and, to my mind, benefits all legitimate users. Hope that lessens the instigation ... Mark Hoffman Sykesville, MD (also Assistant Director, Wildlife and Heritage Division) In a message dated 6/7/00 12:35:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jchurchi@WVU.EDU writes: > I suggest we all call and order one regardless of whether or not > we plan to go there. After all isn't this public land ? > > J.B. (at the risk of being labelled an instigator) > > > At 12:09 PM 6/7/00 -0400, you wrote: > >Hi Birders, > > > > Permits are now required for the C&D Canal Wildlife Management Areas > >(Bethel, Court House Point, Stemmer's Run, and along the C&D > >Canal). There are > >permits for hunting, fishing, and visitors permits. To bird watch as an > >individual, you need a Visitors Permit. This includes a card for your > wallet > >and a card to display on you vehicle's dashboard. Visitor's Permits are > free. > >You must call 410-879-4500 Ext. 4550 (Note: this is a correction.). I > talked > >to Tina Becker. You must have your drivers license and tag numbers handy, > >they > >require some information from them. Permits are good for the calendar year > >(till December 31, 2000 this year). You will have to call every year for > >a new > >permit. They are available for out of state people. > > > > Group permits are available for bird clubs. The group leader or > > organizer > >must call in advance (1-2 weeks) to obtain the group permit. It would be > >issued > >for a group for a limited amount of time. The group should try to arrive > at > >about the same time, stay together, and leave together. One permit per > >group is > >required. Permits are not to be photo copied. > > > > No permit is required for the State Forest. > > Fair Hill Natural Resource Area and State Parks require passes. > Except > >Turkey Point (as far as I know!) > > > >Parke, > > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================