MOS Sanctuaries
The Maryland Ornithological Society owns ten sanctuaries located across the State of Maryland, preserving almost 3,000 acres.
The MOS Sanctuary Program was kickstarted by a small donation of $500 in 1955. From the beginning, the MOS Sanctuary Program has had a three-pronged mission:
1) Preservation: to set aside areas of unique ecological value as well as areas representative of typical Maryland habitat;
2) Protection: to give undisturbed sanctuary to the community of plants and animals within the area;
3) Education and Research: to provide areas where the balance of nature can be observed, studied, and appreciated, and where the conservation message can be shared with others.
The MOS sanctuaries vary in size from 8 acres (Mandares Creek in Anne Arundel County) to over 2,000 acres (Irish Grove in Somerset County) and contain habitats representative of the various regions in Maryland. All the sanctuaries are open to the public at no cost, although donations for sanctuary upkeep are appreciated.
Two of the sanctuaries – Irish Grove and Carey Run – have houses where MOS members can stay overnight for a nominal fee.
View a one-hour video presentation titled Rediscovering the MOS Sanctuaries: From Mountains to Saltmarsh.
Scroll down for an interactive map showing the locations of the MOS sanctuaries.
Explore the sanctuaries by choosing from the list below.
