McKay Jenkins, DENIN affiliate and Professor of English, Environmental Humanities, and Journalism, has published his tenth book, The Maryland Master Naturalist’s Handbook (John Hopkins University Press, June 3, 2025).
Coedited by environmentalist Joy Shindler Rafey, the handbook contains seventeen essays by Maryland-based ecologists, conservationists, and environmental stewards, two of which are authored by Jenkins. In “Maryland Land Use History,” he unpacks how human-initiated changes have the power to disrupt the natural world’s delicate balance, no matter how well-intentioned. “Environmental Justice” draws a throughline between natural restoration and community improvement, with the effects of Maryland’s environmental degradation often hitting disadvantaged communities the hardest. Other essays cover topics including invasive species, Chesapeake Bay & Urban Ecology, Climate Change in Maryland, and the state’s biodiversity.
The Maryland Master Naturalist’s Handbook will be the basis of upcoming curriculum for the Maryland State Master Naturalist Certification Program, which trains Marylanders on how to best care for the state’s natural resources and ecosystems. Jenkins’ work is informing the direction of hundreds of new master naturalists across the region each year, having published The Delaware Naturalist’s Handbook five years prior.
Other recent works by Jenkins have detailed the consequences and mitigation efforts surrounding industrial pollution, industrial agriculture, and synthetic chemicals. With DENIN, Jenkins led a working group on Environmental Justice, encouraging UD to conduct interdisciplinary research and engagement around the subject.