BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay Program this week released new data that shows the underwater grass population in the bay remained steady in 2023. This is a key indicator of water quality and habitat health. According to the data, the total amount of underwater grass in the bay was 82,937 acres. This is a 7% increase from 2022. All or part […]
TOWSON, MD—The National Artist Travel Prize has been awarded to a Carver Center teacher, and will allow her to travel to document ghost forests along the mid-Atlantic coast and to Germany. Sherry Insley, a visual arts teacher at the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, has won the $7,000 prize from the Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City. […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that it will award a $10 million grant for the construction of a new oyster sanctuary in the Chesapeake Bay. The funding will help establish a sustainable future for the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population, which is critical to the health of the bay’s ecosystems and economy. The new reef will […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A total of 34 ecological restoration projects across Maryland will receive $35.8 million in grants from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced. The grants, awarded for fiscal year 2025, are expected to remove 63,000 pounds of nitrogen, 10,000 pounds of phosphorus and nearly 14,000 tons of sediment from local […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) released its annual report card this week with the overall Chesapeake Bay earning a grade of C+ (55%), the highest grade since 2002. The 2023/2024 Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card is the 17th annual ecosystem report card. Overall, the health of the Chesapeake Bay is improving slightly, with 11 […]
BALTIMORE, MD—A historical park, a playground, and trails at Emmitsburg’s Rainbow Lake are among the projects across the state that will receive millions in grants to help preserve Maryland’s natural resources and provide recreational opportunities for residents. The $4.5 million in grants approved Wednesday by the Maryland Board of Public Works will help local governments in Washington, Carroll, and Queen […]
TOWSON, MD—On Tuesday, twenty-four Baltimore County Public Schools were awarded $38,000 in environmental literacy grants for their outstanding clean-up initiatives during Clean Green 15 Litter Challenge. During this year’s challenge, 6,874 volunteers from schools and community-based groups conducted a record-breaking 502 clean-ups, filling 3,228 bags with litter that could have made its way into streams and the Chesapeake Bay. Since […]
BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population remained healthy in 2024, according to the results of a winter dredge survey released Wednesday, but the population is still low. The survey, conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, found 317 million blue crabs in the bay in 2024, compared to 323 million crabs […]