The Maryland Department of Natural Resources preserves, protects, enhances and restores Maryland's natural resources for the wise use and enjoyment of all citizens. This includes stewardship of wildlife and fish, the Chesapeake Bay watershed and Atlantic coast, and Maryland's state owned lands.

Within Maryland D.N.R., the Wildlife and Heritage Service manages the state's game and non-game species, including Maryland's Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species program.  The Wildlife and Heritage Service is responsible for the identification, ranking, protection, and management of nongame, rare, and endangered species and their habitats in Maryland. Data collected by NHP ecologists, contractors, and cooperators provide the scientific foundation for the Threatened and Endangered Species lists mandated by the Act. Natural Heritage program researchers conduct inventory and monitoring activities on nongame wildlife, rare species populations and natural communities, documenting trends in population and habitat health and viability and informing the Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species programs.