The Chesapeake Rivers Association
$5,000 / 2012 / Environment
Toward the cost of upgrades to a Hydrolab for the SevernStat Water Quality Monitoring Project. The upgrades of a new monitoring meter with chlorophyll sensors to obtain relative phytoplankton densities are expected to lead to better identification of sources of sediment and nutrient pollution that affect water quality of the Severn River.
Environment Maryland Research & Policy Center, Inc.
$50,000 / 2012 / Environment
Toward continued support of the Restore the Chesapeake Bay campaign. The focus of the campaign is to provide research-based reports that call attention to relevant problems of urban and farm runoff pollution, organize press conferences, and mobilize grassroots support for effective policies to reduce pollution.
1000 Friends of Maryland
$30,000 / 2011 / Environment
Two-year funding for continued support of staffing and expenses in support of the Partners for Open Space campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to ensure that full funding of the dedicated one-half of 1 percent of Maryland’s transfer real estate tax remains earmarked for planning, acquisition, and development of recreation land or open space areas as part of Program Open Space, serving as a national model of a successful conservation strategy.
American Farmland Trust
$65,000 / 2011 / Environment
For the third and final year of the pilot project, Clean Water for the Chesapeake Bay – Mobilizing Farmers to Improve Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Designed as a risk-management tool, the Best Management Practices Challenge for Planned Nitrogen Reduction benefits the 29 regional farmers who, committed to reducing their fertilizer use, were guaranteed reimbursements if yields were lower. A certified nutrient management specialist was hired and more precise computerized systems with infrared sensors were employed to determine the amount of nitrogen already in the ground. As part of the “best practices,” these findings may be useful in scaling up environmentally sound practices, thus reducing nutrient runoff into the Bay.
Audubon Maryland DC
$25,000 / 2011 / Environment
For continued support and expansion of educational services at the Audubon Center in Patterson Park. The center plans to provide 400 science-based outdoor educational programs to students from the local school, residents, and families living within walking distance of the park.