BERLIN, MD - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced plans to further restore the former Bay Club property near Berlin for hunting, hiking, and biking.
Though the trails of the 672-acre area are still unmaintained, DNR says they have new projects at the site planned. These include wetlands restoration and trail maintenance, according to DNR.
“To be able to restore the hydrology of more than 100 acres of forested wetlands is a rare opportunity,” DNR Senior Restoration Specialist Sarah Hilderbrand said.
As WBOC previously reported, the 12-mile trail system in the emerging park is currently open to both hikers and hunters. A map of the current trails can be found here.
DNR says The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund has awarded $839,890 to the Lower Shore Land Trust to plan and execute wetland restoration projects on the property, with the Land Trust allocating $68,147 in additional funds.
Wetland restoration is currently in the planning phase with officials conducting site condition assessment, design, and coordinating logistics. DNR says the restoration will help reduce pollutants from entering nearby waterways and provide refuge for local wildlife.
18 acres near the areas’ parking lot are also planned to be converted into pollinator-friendly wildfire meadows, according to DNR.
Officials say the Maryland Forest Service has already planted 58,000 seedlings including loblolly and shortleaf pines, bald cypress, yellow poplar, and oak trees across 62 acres of the area.