Coastal Bays Program Awards $30,000 for Local Environmental Projects

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program Community Stewardship Mini-Grant Program awarded $30,000 to local community groups for projects designed to help protect wildlife and water quality. A total of 17 local groups applied for available money from the 2009-2010min-grant fund. The following 13 projects were awarded:

• $1,000 – Assateague Coastal Trust for its annual Coast Day event.
• $690 – Worcester County 4-H for a shrinking habitat course and another bay pollutants.
• $1,000 – Ocean City Power Squadron for materials for safe boating training.
• $3,000 – Worcester County Government for a reprint of its rain garden how to manual.
• $1,500 – Town of Berlin to construct a demonstration rain garden at Stephen Decatur Park.
• $2,500 – Assateague Coastal Trust/Coast Kids for educational materials.
• $1,750 – Green Team of the Community Church of Ocean Pines for a rain barrel workshop.
• $920 – Worcester County Government for materials for a land stewardship conference.
• $4,540 – Delmarva Flying WILD Across the Maryland Coastal Bays training, activities and educational materials.
• $5,000 – Delmarva Low-Impact tourism Experiences for the Coastal Stewards Program.
• $1,600 – Ocean Pines Environment and Natural Assets Advisory Committee for an educational campaign regarding the pond at the South Gate area.
• $2,500 – Lower Shore Land Trust for outreach materials.
• $4,000 – Lower Eastern Shore Sustainable Organic Network for outreach materials and website enhancement.

The goal of the Mini-Grants Program is to increase public awareness and public involvement in restoring and protecting Maryland's Coastal Bays and its tributaries. This program is made possible through private contributions made to MCBP and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
To guide its grant-making decisions, MCBP and CBT use the goals in the management plan for the Coastal Bays, which seeks to improve water quality, restore and improve fish and wildlife populations and habitat, improve navigation and recreation, and insure sound development and planning for our community. Priority is given to those proposals that adhere to the plan, offer match monies or in-kind services, and show committed partnerships.