OWINGS MILLS, MD – Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) award-winning original series Outdoors Maryland returns for its 37th season on Tuesday, November 11 with the first of five new episodes. Produced in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Outdoors Maryland continues to captivate viewers with memorable stories and compelling photography.
Outdoors Maryland airs on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. on MPT and online at mpt.org/livestream, with encore broadcasts on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. Episodes are available to watch live and on demand via MPT’s online video player and the free PBS app at the time of their premiere.
The season’s first two episodes, premiering on November 11 and 18, feature pedal-powered submersibles, night sky tours, and a hunt for the largest trees in Maryland, among other topics. Segments debuting during the season’s premiere are:
Racing Leviathan (Frederick, Montgomery counties) – Follow a team of Maryland high schoolers as they design, build, test and race their own pedal-powered submersible, Leviathan, against students from around the world at the prestigious International Human Powered Submarine Races at the Carderock Naval Research Warfare Center in Montgomery County. Donning scuba gear, the teenagers face fears and engineering challenges as they fight their way towards the finish line.
Darkness Illuminated (Dorchester, Howard, Garrett counties) – When the sun sets over Maryland, the state’s astronomy enthusiasts turn their gaze toward the cosmos. From a Howard County star party to a night sky tour over Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to an astrophotography camping trip at Garrett County’s Wolf Den Run State Park, discover how telescopes and dark skies connect Marylanders to the infinite wonders above.
Segments premiering during the November 18 episode are:
Scattered Towers (Frederick, Baltimore, Talbot counties) – Join James Hyde and a team from the University of Maryland as they build the Maryland Mesonet – a statewide network of weather monitoring stations. As the mesonet expands across the state, it gathers critical meteorological data to help predict weather-related challenges and acts as a training ground for the next generation of meteorologists. Tracking weather patterns is vital for aviation at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, where Erin Thompson uses both technology and her observational skills to ensure flight safety
The Listening Post (Worcester, Calvert counties) – Off Maryland’s Atlantic coast, beneath the waves and boat traffic, lies a hidden highway of migratory whales. Journey out to sea with a team of biologists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Tailwinds Project, and discover how they’re using sound to keep tabs on these enormous marine mammals.
Living Giants (Montgomery County) – For 100 years, the Maryland Big Tree Program has celebrated the state’s largest oaks, elms, poplars, and more. Join a cohort of volunteers as they track down and measure towering specimens in Montgomery County and determine whether they’re big enough to make the list. Plus, pay a visit to what could be the largest English elm in the world.
Audiences are invited to engage with the series on social media @OutdoorsMarylandTV on Facebook and @OutdoorsMarylandTV on Instagram.
Since debuting in 1988, MPT has produced more than 700 Outdoors Maryland stories on topics ranging from science-oriented environmental issues to segments about fascinating people, animals, and places across the state. The series has earned more than 50 awards over 37 years of production, including 30 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 (PBS) member offering entertaining and educational content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices via its online video player and the free PBS app.
A state agency operating under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, MPT also produces local, regional, and national programming and frequently earns regional Emmy® awards for its work.
MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through its Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education and Thinkport.org.
MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources covering a wide range of topics. More information is available at mpt.org.