Hundreds of islands are found in Maryland. While most are inhabited, several islands, such as Assateague Island and Poplar Island, are reserved as parks and wildlife refuges.
Over time, the number of islands in Maryland has decreased. Rising sea levels have caused many islands in the Chesapeake Bay, including Sharps Island and Three Sisters Island, to disappear. Others, such as Smith Island, are in danger of being flooded. Still others, such as Hart-Miller Island, have increased in size from extensive deposits of dredged materials. To ensure the preservation of island plants, wildlife, and ecology, some private individuals have donated islands to the State of Maryland.
The Department of Natural Resources has developed a program that conserves areas along the coast, including marshlands, that serve as natural buffers against tidal surges and erosion.
Assateague Island National Park Seashore (Worcester County), May 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
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Mallard (male) (Anas platyrhynchos) & Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Solomons, Maryland, April 2019. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
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Assateague Island National Park Seashore (Worcester County), May 2015. Photo by Sarah A. Hanks.
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