(a) The Department shall:
(1) Develop and publish a Comprehensive Long–Range Strategic Plan by December 1, 2024;
(2) Update the Comprehensive Long–Range Strategic Plan every 5 years to reflect major goals and progress toward meeting those goals; and
(3) Submit to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Comprehensive Long–Range Strategic Plan and any updates to the plan.
(b) The Comprehensive Long–Range Strategic Plan shall include:
(1) The feasibility of:
(i) Establishing new State parks through:
1. Land acquisition; or
2. Redesignating existing State land, including Cedarville State Forest, to be a State park; and
(ii) Developing new amenities in current State parks, including:
1. Trails and trail connectors;
2. Water access;
3. Parking areas; and
4. Other capital improvements that increase park capacity;
(2) New State historical parks or other units that preserve and interpret the history of African American, Asian, Indigenous or Native American, and Hispanic or Latino populations in the State;
(3) A multilateral, whole–system plan for outdoor recreation in the State, including:
(i) The results of any coordination between the Department and county, municipal, and federal park systems to increase trail connectivity between park systems; and
(ii) A partnership plan developed by the Department in consultation with:
1. The Office of Outdoor Recreation;
2. The Park Service’s business manager;
3. County tourism entities and economic development offices;
4. The Maryland Municipal League;
5. The Maryland Association of Counties;
6. The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable; and
7. The Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities;
(4) The feasibility of expanding the day–use reservation system beyond the Falling Branch area of Rocks State Park to all parks experiencing capacity shutdowns, including considerations on how the expansion of the day–use reservation system may impact State park visitors in terms of equity and access;
(5) An analysis of how the Department can integrate infrastructure messaging with the National Park Service and local governments, including the development and maintenance of a coordinated website and digital application that provides information on:
(i) Where parks and open spaces are located;
(ii) Available amenities; and
(iii) Real–time information on the operational status of a park, including capacity;
(6) Long–term measures to:
(i) Recruit and retain a diverse Park Service workforce, in accordance with the National Park Service’s diversity strategy under Director’s Order #16B; and
(ii) Provide ongoing updates on efforts to recruit and retain a diverse Park Service workforce;
(7) Details and updates on the creation and implementation of workforce development of programs, including:
(i) Programs in collaboration with the State’s historically Black colleges and universities;
(ii) Programs modeled on the National Park Service’s diversity strategy under Director’s Order #16B; and
(iii) Programs focused on creating a pipeline of new rangers and other full–time staff from among volunteers, the State foster youth system, and historically underserved communities; and
(8) The results of:
(i) Implementing a volunteer management program under § 5–2A–02(e) of this subtitle;
(ii) Leveraging charitable funding for park enhancements under § 5–2A–02(f) of this subtitle; and
(iii) Any collaboration between the Department and the Department of Transportation and local transportation agencies to improve bicycle, sidewalk, and trail access to State parks.