Living Seawall

July 2013 Volunteer Opportunities and Fundraisers

We always have lots of great opportunities. If you don't see one that interests you here, please contact us!

Sunset Park Concert

The British Invasion will be playing at the Ocean City Sunset Park, located next to the Coast Guard Station, Thursday, August 8th beginning at 6 pm. Anyone interested in representing MCBP at a table, please contact Sandi at sandis@mdcoastalbays.org.

UMCES students, MCBP interns and staff assisted with the installation of the area's first living seawall located at a popular crabbing and fishing spot on Old Landing Road in Ocean City. These living seawalls, made from simple PVC pipe, are filled with sand and then planted with marsh grasses. The structure and vegetation should enhance the beauty of the seawall and its value to the ecosystem as it becomes colonized by plants and animals. These structures are termed "Peruvian Flutes" and are the brainchild of UMCES scientist Dr. Evamaria Koch in her interest to bring "design with nature" to reality. The structures are Dr. Koch's modifications of ones used in other regions. It is anticipated that the structures will quickly become colonized by a variety of organisms which will bring biodiversity and productivity to the "sterile" bulkhead walls.
Partial funding for this project came from a MCBP

Secrets Cover Charge Collectors!

Every year Seacrets - Jamaica USA, generously donates a night of cover charges to MCBP. This year the date will be Thursday, August 15th, 5-9 pm. We are looking for 2-people teams to cover one hour shifts in the booth to collect the money.

implementation grant and through UMCES Horn Point Lab.

Sponsorships

Stormwater flow on West Street

MCBP is gearing up for another busy October.The 14th Annual Triathlon will be held on Saturday, October 5th and then the 2nd Annual Poker Paddle will be held on Sunday, October 13th. As always, we are seeking sponsors for these events. Please contact Sandi for details.

Coastal Stewards and MCBP staff spent the day installing plants at the West Street Channel Improvement Project. DNR, MCBP, GBG, Town of Berlin, EA Engineering, A-Del Construction, and Underwood and Associates teamed up to improve stormwater flow in the West Street area by widening the stream, and installating of rock outcrops which were landscaped with native ferns, blue flag iris and cardinal flowers. Plants were the final touch in the project which commenced in early April.

Still have a few Rain Barrels Available

Berlin Intermediate School Dolphin class has completed their environmental project of hand painting rain barrels. We still have a few more available for $40. Contact Sandi at sandis@mdcoastalbay.org or by calling 410213-2297, ext 107.

Get Out, Get Green Get Paid Youth Summit Airport Tree Planting

Thanks to MCBP Bill Mahoney and our Coastal Stewards, Ocean City's airport beautification project has some new trees.

Rain didn't put too much of a damper on the Get Out, Get Green, Get Paid, youth summit this month. Participants included UMES Upward Bound, Coastal Stewards, NPS Youth Conservation Corps, MD Conservation Jobs Corp, and MD Conservation Corps who came for a weekend of education to learn more about connecting with nature, becoming better stewards, and getting paid to do it! Recent Osprey recipient and MCBP board member Bob Abele is pictured here sharing his fishing expertise during the outdoor activities.

Trash Clean Up

Sequestration hits Coastal Bays hard... we need your help

Fifteen volunteers picked up over 500 pounds of trash behind the 94th street mall and on the sand dunes from 94th to 100th street. Below is a picture of a brown snake and mud turtle who sadly adapted to all the trash by choosing a black garbage bag as their habitat.

Congress' inability to pass a budget will hit the Coastal Bays Program hard beginning Oct. 1 when the program will lose $88,000 from its annual EPA grant. This is a 15% cut for the program and will basically terminate its research efforts in the southern bays. Due to the past generosity of the local community, the program will be able to survive the cuts and continue its outreach, education and current restoration projects. In future years, this will be more difficult. Please help us continue to do the important work that conserves water quality and protects populations of waterbirds, horseshoe crabs, and turtles by DONATING today.

Exciting Coastal Stewards News!

Reel & Recycle - Looking for Volunteers

Second year Coastal Steward Omar Alvij has been selected to attend the 12th Annual

National Minority Youth Environmental Training Institute at New Mexico Highlands University in northern New Mexico. The Institute is an intensive, heavily sciencebased, 11-day residential program that uses an outdoor, nature-focused Environmental STEM (science, technology, engineering, & math) curriculum. Several federal agencies fund the Institute, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. Omar's travel, accommodations, and training costs are fully covered by the scholarship he received through the competitive application process. Omar, 18, a resident of Delmar, DE, is a rockstar Coastal Steward! We have every confidence that he will be an outstanding representative of the Coastal Stewards program and the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. Omar is a 2013 graduate of James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury, MD and will enter Salisbury University as a Freshman in late August. He plans to study physics and mechanical engineering. Coastal Stewards is a partnership program between the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Assateague Island National Seashore, and Assateague State Park. Primary funding for Coastal Stewards is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Did you know fishing line is one of the leading causes of pollution-related deaths among marine life? Fish, sea birds, marine mammals, and turtles may ingest monofilament line or become entangled in it. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Kara, has set up nine monofilament recycling containers in Ocean City. There are two located on the Rt. 50 Bridge, three on the bulkhead from 2nd street to 4th street on the bayside, one in the inlet, on at the 9th St. bayside fishing pier, one at the Convention Center, and one at Homer Gudelsky Park. If you live near any of these locations and would like to help us take care of these containers, please let us know! Monofilament line will be sent off to be recycled. Please heed these container locations and utilize them for your old fishing line!

Delmarva Power Offers Rebates, Bill Credits to its Maryland Customer

Whether it's upgrading to a high efficiency refrigerator, switching to compact fluorescent lights or enrolling in a thermostat cycling program, Delmarva Power is helping its Maryland customers save money on their monthly energy bills. And, remember one of the most cost-effective ways to improve the environment is to use less electricity. Customers save on energy bills and in the process contribute toward a cleaner, greener environment.

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Below is a snapshot of the energy efficiency programs available to Delmarva Power's residential customers in Maryland (more information is available by contacting Delmarva Power at 800-375-7117 or online at www.delmarva.com/energy/conservation/mdinformatio n/): Energy Wise Rewards -- Customers receive bill credits by allowing Delmarva Power to cycle their air conditioners on extremely hot summer days when both the price and demand for electricity spike upward. Appliance Rebate Program - Customers receive rebates when they purchase a qualifying energy-efficient appliance. Quick Home Energy Check Up - Customers sign up to have their homes inspected for energy efficiency and receive advice on ways they can improve energy use. HVAC Efficiency Program - Customers receive rebates when they hire a participating contractor to provide a tune-up on their electric central air conditioning or air source heat pump systems or they replace their HVAC units with a high-efficiency model. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Customers receive a comprehensive assessment of their home's energy use by a participating contractor and then are offered rebates for making energy efficient home improvements.