Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) award-winning original series Outdoors Maryland returns for its 35th anniversary season on Tuesday, November 14 with the first of six episodes. Produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Outdoors Maryland continues to captivate viewers with memorable stories and dazzling videography.
Outdoors Maryland airs Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. on MPT-HD and online at mpt.org/livestream. Concurrent with their broadcast debut, episodes are also available to watch on demand using MPT’s online video player and the PBS App.
Segments debuting during the season premiere highlight Marylanders fighting bias and changing the face of bird watching, going to great lengths to save tiny turtles, and challenging themselves to scale new heights. A preview of the season premiere is available on MPT’s YouTube channelHERE.
Outdoors Maryland segments premiering on November 14 are:
- Flying Full Circle (Prince George’s County, Baltimore City) – When a Black birder in New York’s Central Park found himself on the receiving end of threats, the resulting viral video sparked a national conversation about who is welcomed in outdoor spaces. Three years later, Maryland’s avian enthusiasts celebrate Black Birders Week, sharing their excitement about the state’s wildlife along with the important message that nature is for everyone.Search for red-winged blackbirds with Dara Wilson, co-chair of Black AF in STEM, the organization behind Black Birders Week. Join a community bird walk along the banks of Upper Marlboro’s Lake Artemesia with Tykee James, co-chair of the region’s Black Birders Week. Head to Masonville Cove Urban Wildlife Refuge in South Baltimore, where biologist Dr. Ela-Sita Carpenter leads a team of citizen scientists banding birds along the Patapsco River.
- Shell Haven – For Maryland’s native turtles, the modern world is rife with danger from habitat loss, predators, and poaching. As populations drop, biologists step in to protect these unique reptiles. Brave muck and mud with a band of intrepid surveyors led by DNR biologist Beth Schlimm as they search for North America’s tiniest turtle, the diminutive bog turtle.Meanwhile, at the Maryland Zoo, meet a group of wood turtles rescued from illegal captivity, now destined to help replenish wild populations. In partnership with the DNR and the Susquehannock Wildlife Society, zoo staffers “head start” the offspring by raising the baby turtles in a controlled environment until they’re large enough to be released safely into the wild.
- On the Precipice (Harford and Frederick counties) – Maryland rock climbing enthusiasts defy gravity and build community as they navigate the state’s natural formations. Join groups of adrenaline-fueled adventurers as they cling to crags and support one another, ensuring that climbers of all skill levels and backgrounds can find their footing.At Rocks State Park in Harford County, Mark “Indy” Kochte, author of the book Climb Maryland!, leads a top rope expedition up the 80-foot “breakaway wall.” And at Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, a multicultural crew of Spanish-speakers practice their bouldering skills on an excursion with the Washington, D.C.-based group ¡Escala! and its founder Melissa Rojas.
Since debuting in 1988, MPT has produced more than 700 Outdoors Maryland stories on topics ranging from science-oriented environmental issues to segments about unusual people, animals, and places around the state. The series has earned more than 50 awards over 35 years of production, including several Emmy® Awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
About Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
