Description: In 1984, the General Assembly enacted the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Act to regulate development, manage land use and conserve natural resources on land in those areas designated as Critical Area. For this document, the Critical Area is all land and water areas within 1000 feet of the tidal waters' edge or from the landward edge of adjacent tidal wetlands and the lands under them. Georeferenced digital data files of the critical Area have been produced for Baltimore City and the 16 Maryland counties with land located within the Critical Area. The digital maps produced for each jurisdiction are polygons depicting the Critical Area and the land use classifications recognized by the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission (CBCAC). Each jurisdiction is a separate file. The data were produced from hard copy parcel maps originally submitted by the counties as part of the requirements for developing their Critical Area Program. For the purpose of the MD iMap web service the Critical Area Data is displayed by two data layers, one general layer and one layer showing the available critical area data for local towns.This is a MD iMAP hosted service. Find more information at https://imap.maryland.gov.Data Updated 05/12/2025. Acquired by BMC 02/04/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Critical Areas - Critical Area Counties: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-critical-areas-critical-area-counties
Description: This data set represents the Department of Natural Resources interpretation of the location, land cover/land use type and geographic extent of the critical land areas for towns near the Chesapeake Bay. A Critical Area includes all land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters and wetlands in Maryland, as well as the waters of Marylands Chesapeake Bay and coastal bay area. This data file Critical Areas Towns only contains Critical Areas in 14 Maryland Towns: Charlestown, Chesapeake City, Crisfield, Leonardtown, North Beach, Northeast, Perryville, Port Deposit, Princess Anne, Rock Hall, Salisbury, Secretary, Snow Hill and Vienna.There were many parties involved in producing Maryland's Critical Area data and the key parties will be listed. Each county and city (listed below) produced a hard copy map and submitted the map to the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission (CBCAC) for approval. Through Coastal Zone Management grants, CBCAC digitized the county data. Maryland DNR's Chesapeake and Coastal Watershed Service finalized the data and is handling data distribution. Anne Arundel County, Office of Planning and Code Enforcement., Baltimore City, Department of Planning., Baltimore County, Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management., Caroline County, Economic Development Commission., Calvert County, Department of Planning and Zoning (digital data not included)., Cecil County, Office of Planning and Zoning., Charles County, Department of Planning and Zoning., Dorchester County, Planning and Zoning Office., Harford County, Department of Planning and Zoning., Kent County, County Planning Commission., Prince George's County, Department of Environmental Resources., Queen Anne's County, Office of Planning and Zoning., St. Mary's County, Department of Planning and Zoning., Somerset County, Department of Technical and Community Services., Talbot County, Office of Planning and Zoning., Wicomico County, Office of Planning and Zoning., and Worcester County, Office of Planning, Permits and Inspections.Data Updated 09/15/2021. Acquired by BMC 02/04/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Critical Areas - Critical Area Towns: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-critical-areas-critical-area-towns-1
Name: DNR Owned Properties and Conservation Easements
Display Field: DNRName
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages over 446,000 acres of public lands and protected open space in the state. The DNR Lands data (part of Technology Toolbox Protected Lands data set) consists of mapped information that represent those lands that are owned by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Utilizing various land protection programs and funding sources, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has preserved environmentally important lands through the use of perpetual conservation easements. The Forest Legacy Program is designed to identify and protect environmentally important forest lands that are threatened by present or future conversion to non-forest use through the use of perpetual conservation easements between willing sellers and willing buyers. Only private forest land in a Forest Legacy Area is eligible for the program. Marylands Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) has helped thousands of Maryland landowners plant streamside buffers, establish wetlands, protect highly erodible land, and create wildlife habitat. The State of Maryland has entered into a memorandum of Agreement with USDA authorizing the State of Maryland to continue the voluntary program for the purchase of perpetual easements for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land. A perpetual CREP easement is a written legal agreement between a landowner and the State of Maryland in which there is an acquired permanent interest in the land to install or maintain conservation practices that protect water quality and natural resources. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers the CREP easement program. DNR is also assisted by a number of local governments and non-government organization sponsors.Data from individual county and state records were used in production of DNR Lands. Specific Project boundary maps, subdivision plats and deed plots were used to create boundary polygons. In the case of the Chesapeake Forest properties, original property boundary data was received from the Chesapeake Corporation. The horizontal accuracy of these lines is being continually improved.The Department of Natural Resources makes no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the use or appropriateness of Spatial Data, and there are no warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use. The information contained in Spatial Data is from publicly available sources, but no representation is made as to the accuracy or completeness of Spatial Data. The Department of Natural Resources shall not be subject to liability for human error, error due to software conversion, defect, or failure of machines, or any material used in the connection with the machines, including tapes, disks, CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs and energy. The Department of Natural Resources shall not be liable for any lost profits, consequential damages, or claims against the Department of Natural Resources by third parties. The liability of the Department of Natural Resources for damage regardless of the form of the action shall not exceed any distribution fees that may have been paid in obtaining Spatial Data.Data Updated 02/22/2019. Acquired by BMC 02/05/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Protected Lands - DNR Owned Properties and Conservation Easements: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-protected-lands-dnr-owned-properties-and-conservation-easements
Description: Polygon boundries of various protected lands in Maryland including: DNR Owned Properties and Conservation Easements, Rural Legacy Properties, MD Environmental Trust Easements, Forest Conservation Act Easements, MD Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation Easements, Local Protected Lands, Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, Private Conservation Lands and Protected Federal Lands. Information on the number of acres protected in Maryland can be found on the Maryland Protected Lands Reporting site at http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/gis/plreports/.Sources: MD Department of Natural Resources and MD Department of PlanningData Updated 05/12/2025. Acquired by BMC 02/05/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Protected Lands - Local Protected Lands: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-protected-lands-local-protected-lands?
Description: In Maryland certain wetlands with rare, threatened, endangered species or unique habitat receive special attention. The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 26, Subtitle 23, Chapter 06, Sections 01 & 02 identifies these Wetlands of Special State Concern (WSSC) and affords them certain protections including a 100 foot buffer from development. The Maryland Department of the Environment is responsible for identifying and regulating these wetlands. In general, the US Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory wetlands provide the basis for identifying these special wetlands. Additional information, determined from field inspections, is used to identify and classify these areas.This is a MD iMAP hosted service layer. Find more information at https://imap.maryland.gov.Data Updated 05/12/2025. Acquired by BMC 02/05/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Wetlands - Wetlands, Polygon (Special State Concern): https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-wetlands-wetlands-polygon-special-state-concern
Description: A historic preservation easement is a type of conservation easement designed to protect a significant historic, archaeological, or cultural resource. Easements are contractual agreements between a property owner and a holding organization. Those preservation easements with the State of Maryland are managed by the State Historic Preservation Office (The Maryland Historical Trust). Generally, the owners of the easement property agree to relinquish partial development rights, to maintain the property, to provide limited public access, and to obtain prior approval for any changes or alterations. In exchange, The Maryland Historical Trust promises to protect the property by ensuring continuous compliance with the terms of the Easement. The Trust is also available to advise owners on the correct and best methods of preserving and using their properties.For more information see: http://mht.maryland.gov/easement.htmlData Updated 10/08/2024. Acquired by BMC 02/18/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Priority Funding Areas: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-priority-funding-areas
Description: The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties is a research and documentation instrument that serves as an archive of information to further the understanding of the State’s architectural, archeological, and cultural resources. To date, the MIHP is comprised of nearly 90,000 resources, composed of archaeological sites, building, structures, objects and survey districts. A Maryland Inventory form provides a description of historic resource and discusses its history, but the MIHP is not a regulatory instrument, and the determination of a resource’s historic significance is not a requirement for inclusion. Maryland State law provides elsewhere for mechanisms – separate from the MIHP – giving both the State and local jurisdictions the authority to regulate appropriately designated historic resources. The Maryland Inventory should not be confused with the National Register of Historic Places, the Maryland Register of Historic Properties, or local lists of locally designated historic resources, although resources listed in all of the above categories are included in the Maryland Inventory.For more information see: http://mht.maryland.gov/preserveMaryland.html.Data Updated 10/08/2024. Acquired by BMC 02/09/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Inventory Historic Properties - Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-inventory-historic-properties-maryland-inventory-of-historic-properties
Description: The National Register of Historic Places recognizes districts, buildings, structures, objects, and sites for their significance in American history, archeology, architecture, engineering, or culture, and identifies them as worthy of preservation. The National Register is a program of the U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and is administered at the State level by the Maryland Historical Trust.The National Register currently comprises over 1300 listings in Maryland, including some 200 historic districts. Listed properties span a wide variety of types and periods, ranging from prehistoric archeological sites to buildings of the recent past, and include rural landscapes, urban and suburban neighborhoods, bridges, sailing vessels, and more.For more information see: http://mht.maryland.gov/nationalregister.htmlData Updated 10/08/2024. Acquired by BMC 02/09/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland National Register Historic Places - National Register of Historic Places: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-national-register-historic-places-national-register-of-historic-places
Description: Priority Funding Areas are existing communities and places where local governments want State investment to support future growth. The 1997 Priority Funding Areas Act capitalizes on the influence of State expenditures on economic growth and development. Funding for projects in municipalities, other existing communities, industrial areas, and planned growth areas designated by counties receive priority State funding over other projects.The data is updated on a regular basis by the Maryland Department of Planning. Any inquiries about this data can be sent to DLMDP-GIS_MDP@maryland.gov.This is a Maryland Department of Planning hosted service. Find more information on https://imap.maryland.govData Updated 05/12/2025. Acquired by BMC 02/09/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Priority Funding Areas: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-priority-funding-areas
Description: As a result of the Sustainable Communities Act of 2010, effective June 1, 2010, all previously designated Community Legacy Areas and Designated Neighborhoods will be known as Sustainable Communities. This new, consolidated designation will be easier to understand for program users and will simplify program administration for state and local governments. The existing boundaries will be updated to consolidate the boundaries to a Sustainable Community boundary and will phase out the Designated Neighborhoods and Community Legacy Areas.Data Updated 06/21/2021. Acquired by BMC 02/09/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Incentive Zones - Sustainable Communities: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-incentive-zones-sustainable-communities
Description: Polygon Boundaries of various incentive zones including: Maple Streets Areas, Main Streets Areas, Arts and Entertainment Districts, BRAC Zones, Enterprise Zones, Enterprise Zone Focus Areas, Sustainable Communities, One Maryland Jurisdictions, Empowerment Zones, Foreign Trade Zones, Heritage Areas, Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise (RISE) Zones and Designated Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Areas. Data Updated 05/12/2025. Acquired by BMC 02/09/2026 from Maryland iMap: Maryland Incentive Zones - Opportunity Zones: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland::maryland-incentive-zones-opportunity-zones-1/about
Copyright Text: MD iMAP, DHCD, COMMERCE, MDP, MDOT, DoIT
Description: The Federal Lands data consists of land areas that are run and maintained by United States Governmental authorities and are considered protected.These files were created for planning purposes and should not be used as a definitive source of mapped data for any of the associated types of land ownership. There have been intentional omissions due to sensitive data types and in some cases, the source documents cannot be considered complete.This is a MD iMAP hosted service. Find more information at https://imap.maryland.gov.Feature Service Link:https://geodata.md.gov/imap/rest/services/Environment/MD_ProtectedLands/FeatureServer/8Data Updated 05/15/2019. Acquired by BMC 02/10/2022 from Maryland iMap: iMAP Name: Maryland Protected Lands - Protected Federal Lands: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-protected-lands-protected-federal-lands
Description: The statewide vector file shows buffered areas that primarily contain habitats for rare, threatened, and endangered species and rare natural community types. It was originally created over USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps and it generally includes, but does not specifically delineate, such regulated areas as Natural Heritage Areas, Wetlands of Special State Concern, Colonial Waterbird Colonies, and Habitat Protection Areas.Data Updated 12/14/2021. Acquired by BMC 02/10/2022 from Maryland iMap: iMAP Name: Maryland Living Resources - Sensitive Species Project Review Areas: https://data.imap.maryland.gov/datasets/maryland-living-resources-sensitive-species-project-review-areas
Copyright Text: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife & Heritage Service (MD DNR WHS)