Partnerships for Ecological Restoration, Inc., a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been selected to receive a $34,800 grant from the Watershed Assistance-Two-Year Milestone Support Grant Program which is a funding partnership of the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Maryland Departments of Natural Resources and the Environment. This grant will support Kent County’s efforts to address its 2014-2015 Watershed Implementation Plan milestones and will be used to design a 0.75-acre stormwater wetland system at Worton Park in Kent County. The wetland will help the county meet its water quality goals by treating stormwater runoff from approximately 65 acres of turf, roads, parking lots, and playing fields. The application for the grant was highly supported by the Chester River Association and County Commissioners of Kent.
“When completed, the wetland will filter water entering the headwaters of impaired Rileys Mill Branch and restore natural habitat in the park,” said Ted Hogan, Executive Director of Partnerships for Ecological Restoration. “The wetland will also help beautify the park and provide outdoor learning experiences for students at the adjacent Kent County High School and Worton Elementary School. Students from the high school will be involved both in the installation phase through pre-monitoring and plantings, and well into the future through post-monitoring and continued observation and study. “
The wetland will be designed jointly by Partnerships for Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Science, LLC, a highly qualified environmental engineering company located in Denton. It is the goal of the project to seek construction funding in 2016. The construction phase will be a collaborative effort between the Chester River Association and Kent County.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Watershed Assistance Grant Program provides local governments and nonprofits with financial support for design assistance, watershed planning, and programmatic development associated with the protection and restoration programs and projects that lead to improved water quality in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the Maryland portion of the Youghiogheny watershed, and the Maryland Coastal Bays.
“Engaging local communities in projects that improve water quality is incredibly important to Bay restoration,” said Jana Davis, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “We applaud the work of Partnerships for Ecological Restoration and other local nonprofit organizations in the Bay watershed to help improve stormwater runoff in Kent County.”
About the Chesapeake Bay Trust:
The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a nonprofit, grant-making organization dedicated to improving the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers through environmental education, community outreach, and local watershed restoration. Since its inception in 1985, the Trust has awarded $65 million in grants and engaged hundreds of thousands of citizen stewards in projects that have a measurable impact on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The Trust is supported by the sale of the Maryland Treasure the Chesapeake license plate, donations to the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species Fund on the Maryland State income tax form, donations from individuals and corporations, and partnerships with private foundations and federal and state agencies.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.