ShoreRivers recently received $370,000 from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to mitigate nutrient runoff into the upper Chester River at the Jones Family Farm, the largest dairy farm in Maryland.
The wetland restoration project is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2020, said Isabel Hardesty, deputy director of ShoreRivers, a nonprofit that advocates a science-based approach to a healthier Bay watershed.
The project calls for the construction of a 5-acre wetland and a stream to prevent runoff from 400 acres of crop land.
“These practices will filter nutrients and sediment before they reach the headwaters of the upper Chester River and increase natural habitat,” Hardesty said.
“We value working with our agricultural partners to implement innovative projects on farms to reduce pollution,” She said. “This project is one of a series on the Jones Family Farm as part of a comprehensive, “full-farm” approach. We are installing practices that will increase habitat for birds and pollinators, leading to healthier water quality.”
DNR awarded 96 grants worth $31 million to help local stewards in the state improve water quality, according to a June 25 press release.
“We are pleased to support these innovative projects that will help us achieve our environmental goals,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. “In addition to improving the resilience of our communities, these projects will protect our local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay in measurable ways.”
The grants were made possible with funding from EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coastal Resiliency Program.
Feature image: Sunset at the Jones Family Farm
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.