Maryland recently unveiled its Stream Restoration Challenge program. The Challenge is a new grant program through which the State and its partners plan to establish 1,000 acres of forested stream buffers by 2015.
The program which is open to local governments, school systems and non-governmental organizations, will provide up to $6 million over the next three years to help to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality and create service learning and environmental literacy activities for students.
Maryland has more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams that reach to every corner of the State. These water trails range in size from huge rivers to small, unnamed creeks. Maryland’s streams serve as the capillaries and arteries carrying water, life, and pollutants to the Chesapeake Bay.
They provide recreational opportunities such as canoeing and fishing, help grow crops, fill reservoirs, serve as critical habitat for valuable and endangered species, and provide essential natural services to the environment. According to scientists, restoring and protecting the health of these waterways is critical to maintaining the health of the Bay.
Funding for the Stream Restoration Challenge is made possible in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Maryland State Highway Administration and through the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
The deadline to submit proposals is October 31, 2012. The Request for Proposals and additional resources are available at http://dnr.maryland.gov/trustfund/streamchallenge.
source: MD DNR
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