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The Coastal Bays Program awarded $130,000 to 18 local schools, businesses, resource agencies and community groups this week to conduct projects which educate the community and help protect wildlife and water quality in the coastal bays watershed.
The grants are part of the Coastal Bays 2003 minigrant and implementation grant programs which awarded another $30,000 earlier this year for the first round of local projects. This round’s grant winners included almost $335,000 in match from applicants. By offering the grants, the program helps lure money to the watershed. Competing for the funds were 29 groups requesting $291,000 for their projects.
Since 1999, the Coastal Bays Program has given more than $500,000 for locals to conduct projects in the coastal bays watershed. Winners in the October funding included:- Boating Safety Program: This grant awards $1,200 to the Ocean City Power Squadron to help provide materials, information and instructional aides for its safe boating courses.
- Organic and Sustainable Agriculture: This project awards $3,000 to the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service for programs to teach organic farming and landscaping practices.
- Maryland Breeding Bird Atlas: For this project, $3,000 will help the Maryland Ornithological Society map which birds are breeding in the coastal bays watershed and where.
- Northside Park Planting: With a $500 boost, the OC Surfrider Chapter and Ocean City will plant a natural tree and shrub buffer around the southwest corner of the 125th Street park.
- Outdoor Discovery: With this $520 grant, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will be able to offer outdoor “discovery” canoe trips behind Assateague for youth statewide.
- Interpretive Signs: This $3,100 grant will pay for interpretive signs on local flora and fauna at both Taylors Landing and George Island Landing Boat ramps at both ends of the new EA Vaughn kayak trail.
- Nutrient Source Identification: This state-of-the-art science will use $24,000 to identify nitrogen sources (agricultural, animal, and human) and map bay inputs in all four coastal bays.
- Wetland Construction: This $2,500 grant will help survey and restore wetlands on 300 acres of land in Sinepuxent and Chincoteague bays.
- Atmospheric Deposition Monitoring: Using this $5,000 grant, scientists will monitor nutrients coming from airborne sources into the coastal bays.
- Septic Monitoring: With $5,000 in assistance, Worcester County will be able to better track failing septic systems and compliance with environmental laws.
- Stephen Decatur High School Environmental Programs: This $5,000 will begin a comprehensive environmental restoration, tracking and data collection program at the school.
Additional funds went to a Coast Kids hands-on activity program, a Stephen Decatur Middle School water and bay grass monitoring program, a DNR surface flow nutrient monitoring project, an Ocean City storm water management program and dune restoration at 56th Street, a sediment denitrification study and a hydrodynamic flow model for the southern coastal bays.
For information on grant opportunities contact Julia Early at the Coastal Bays office at 410-213-2297.
