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Maryland Code, Natural Resources § 5-2A-05

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) The Department shall:

(1) Develop and publish a Comprehensive Long-Range Strategic Plan by December 1, 2024;

(2) Update the Comprehensive Long-Range Strategic Plan every 5 years to reflect major goals and progress toward meeting those goals; and

(3) Submit to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the Comprehensive Long-Range Strategic Plan and any updates to the plan.

(b) The Comprehensive Long-Range Strategic Plan shall include:

(1) The feasibility of:

(i) Establishing new State parks through:

1. Land acquisition; or

2. Redesignating existing State land, including Cedarville State Forest, to be a State park; and

(ii) Developing new amenities in current State parks, including:

1. Trails and trail connectors;

2. Water access;

3. Parking areas; and

4. Other capital improvements that increase park capacity;

(2) New State historical parks or other units that preserve and interpret the history of African American, Asian, Indigenous or Native American, and Hispanic or Latino populations in the State;

(3) A multilateral, whole-system plan for outdoor recreation in the State, including:

(i) The results of any coordination between the Department and county, municipal, and federal park systems to increase trail connectivity between park systems; and

(ii) A partnership plan developed by the Department in consultation with:

1. The Office of Outdoor Recreation;

2. The Park Service's business manager;

3. County tourism entities and economic development offices;

4. The Maryland Municipal League;

5. The Maryland Association of Counties;

6. The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable; and

7. The Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities;

(4) The feasibility of expanding the day-use reservation system beyond the Falling Branch area of Rocks State Park to all parks experiencing capacity shutdowns, including considerations on how the expansion of the day-use reservation system may impact State park visitors in terms of equity and access;

(5) An analysis of how the Department can integrate infrastructure messaging with the National Park Service and local governments, including the development and maintenance of a coordinated website and digital application that provides information on:

(i) Where parks and open spaces are located;

(ii) Available amenities; and

(iii) Real-time information on the operational status of a park, including capacity;

(6) Long-term measures to:

(i) Recruit and retain a diverse Park Service workforce, in accordance with the National Park Service's diversity strategy under Director's Order #16B; and

(ii) Provide ongoing updates on efforts to recruit and retain a diverse Park Service workforce;

(7) Details and updates on the creation and implementation of workforce development programs, including:

(i) Programs in collaboration with the State's historically Black colleges and universities;

(ii) Programs modeled on the National Park Service's diversity strategy under Director's Order #16B; and

(iii) Programs focused on creating a pipeline of new rangers and other full-time staff from among volunteers, the State foster youth system, and historically underserved communities; and

(8) The results of:

(i) Implementing a volunteer management program under § 5-2A-02(e) of this subtitle;

(ii) Leveraging charitable funding for park enhancements under § 5-2A-02(f) of this subtitle; and

(iii) Any collaboration between the Department and the Department of Transportation and local transportation agencies to improve bicycle, sidewalk, and trail access to State parks.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Natural Resources § 5-2A-05 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/natural-resources/md-code-nat-res-sect-5-2a-05/

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