Participationin the Restoration and Protection of the Chesapeake
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CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST ANNUAL REPORT FY 2002 Working to promote public awareness and participation in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Friends of the Chesapeake Bay, The Chesapeake Bay Trust entered its seventeenth year with high expectations, significant objectives, and an unwavering commitment to involve the citizens of Maryland in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. With the support and generosity of Marylanders and our many partners, we are pleased to report that the Tr ust exceeded its grant giving goals by providing more resources and involving more citizens in 2002 than any time in our history. In fact, the Trust approved more than $1.2 million in grants and involved thousands of Maryland school children and other volunteers in towns, cities, and counties throughout the State. Moreover, contributions by Marylanders were well allocated, with 90 percent of our revenue directly funding programs that benefit the Bay restoration and protection effort. This year we helped advance our mission of promoting public awareness and participation in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by supporting creative and inspired activities. •At Urbana High School in Frederick, a small Trust grant supported the purchase of aquaculture equipment so that students could study the effects of nutrients on important Bay grasses. •With the Trust’s support, millions of oysters were restored in the Bay’s rivers and thousands of trees were planted along its streams by leading environmental and civic organizations, and public agencies. •In Montgomery County, Forest Oak Middle School received funding for field trips, planting materials, and water quality monitoring equipment to support the school’s commitment of using the Bay and its rivers as a tool for better learning. The following pages include hundreds of other examples of projects that have been undertaken to benefit the Bay. The Board of Trustees and the staff are inspired daily by the citizens of Maryland who translate their concern for the Bay and its rivers into on-the-ground actions that help restore and protect it. We offer our sincere appreciation to all who have contributed to the success of the Trust’s mission. With your continued support and with the dedication of our Board, partners, and staff, the Trust will strive to better protect and restore Maryland’s natural treasure — the Chesapeake Bay. Sincerely, Martin H. Poretsky Chairman Board of Trustees “Treasure the Chesapeake” ORIGIN OF THE TRUST he Chesapeake Bay Trust is a nonprofit Although established as an instrument of the State, organization created by the General Assembly the Trust operates with independent financial T in 1985 to promote public awareness of and and policy making status. It is not subject to the participation in the restoration and protection of the legislative appropriation process and receives no Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. To accomplish annual or special appropriations. Through its its mission, the Trust receives financial contributions grantmaking programs, the Trust seeks to encourage from the general public and the private sector, and private citizens and the business community to join distributes those contributions in the form of financial as partners with government in the task of restoring support grants to Bay-related programs. Recipients the nation’s largest estuary. include nonprofit organizations, civic and community groups, schools, and public agencies. The Trust is governed by a 19-member Board of Tr ustees including five ex officio positions consisting of the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and leaders of the Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment. The remaining 14 members, who are appointed by the Governor for staggered four-year terms, represent business, education, and conservation interests; local government; and the general public. Volunteers are helping in the effort to restore the Bay’s oyster population. FRONT COVER PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE DELANEY, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 4 ANNUAL REPORT FY 2002 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Martin H. Poretsky Honorable TRUSTEE EMERITUS President Guy Guzzone Poretsky Building Group Councilman Honorable (Chair) Howard County Council Harry R. Hughes Former Governor of Maryland Midgett S. Parker, Jr., Esq. Kim S. Haddow Partner President Linowes & Blocher, LLP Haddow Communications STAFF (Vice Chair) Gary W. Michael David J. O’Neill Gary Heath President Executive Director Director of Assessment, The Michael Companies, Inc. Division of Instruction Melanie M. Teems Maryland State Department William B. Moulden Assistant Director of Education Teacher (Secretary) Samuel Ogle Science, Kerri M. Bentkowski Math and Technology Grants Manager Robert G. Hoyt Magnet School Founding Partner Jeff Muller EcoLogix Group David M. Pittenger Director of Marketing (Treasurer) Executive Director and Public Relations National Aquarium Torrey C. Brown, M.D. in Baltimore Michelle A. Powell President Grants Administrator Creative Environmental Royden N. Powell, III Solutions, Inc. Assistant Secretary Maryland Department Honorable of Agriculture John L. Brunner Mayor JoAnn M. Roberts Town of University Park Supervisor of Elementary Instruction and Honorable Environmental Education C. Richard D’Amato Calvert County Maryland House Public Schools of Delegates Carl O. Snowden Robert E. Denton Intergovernmental President and CEO Relations Officer Constellation Nuclear Office of the County Executive Group, LLC Anne Arundel County Honorable Arthur Dorman Maryland State Senate Glenn C. Etelson, Esq. Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A. Denise Ferguson-Southard Assistant Secretary Maryland Department of the Environment Frances H. Flanigan Consultant Students prepare to plant Bay grasses. ANNUAL REPORT FY 2002 5 YEAR IN REVIEW 2002 ith the support of our partners and the Projects of all sizes were awarded grants in towns, generosity of the citizens of Maryland, cities, and counties throughout the state. For example, W 2002 was a milestone year for the grants supported the creation of schoolyard habitats Chesapeake Bay Trust. For the first time, the Trust in Baltimore City, the development of tidal marsh- surpassed the $1 million mark in giving by providing lands on the Severn River near Annapolis, an oyster hundreds of grants to schools, civic associations, restoration project on the Nanticoke River in environmental groups, and federal, state, and local Dorchester County, and water quality monitoring governments. With this support, thousands of in Allegany County. Marylanders participated in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. GRANT ACTIVITY ON THE RISE The Trust evaluated nearly 600 grant applications this year, of which the Board of Trustees selected 505 for awards. An astounding 85 percent of the applications submitted were funded for a total of $1.2 million in giving. The average grant amount awarded by the Trust was $2,400, although awards were made for grants under $100 and for grants of more than $40,000. With the addition of this year’s $1.2 million in funding, the Trust has awarded more than $11.6 million in grants since 1985. In addition to providing greater amounts of funding in 2002, the Trust also created greater flexibility in its grant programs. The Board of Trustees increased the amount of funding available to applicants through the Trust’s Ongoing Grants Program from $1,000 to $2,000. Now, grant applications can be submitted anytime for amounts up to $2,000, and the applicant will receive a decision within 3-to-4 weeks. This was also the inaugural year of the Pioneer Grants Program. The program, which was established by the Board of Trustees, helps support innovative, cutting-edge approaches that increase Bay awareness and enhance restoration and protection initiatives. People throughout Maryland are volunteering their time to help restore and protect the Bay. 6 ANNUAL REPORT FY 2002 YEAR IN REVIEW 2002 SUPPORTING MEANINGFUL BAY EXPERIENCES As part of an ongoing commitment to engage students in meaningful Bay experiences, and to support the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement, the Trust contributed more than $550,000 to involve students in Bay education, field trips, and hands-on restoration and protection projects that benefit the Bay. Funding supported a broad array of activities such as, growing submerged aquatic vegetation in classrooms in Harford County, stream analysis and restoration projects in Howard County, and Bay field trips for students throughout the state to experience first hand the Bay’s ecology. These activities directly involved students in the restoration and protection effort, while increasing their knowledge of and appreciation for the Chesapeake. ELLEN FRAITES WAGNER AWARD PRESENTED TO LIFETIME BAY ADVOCATE The Trust was very proud to present the 2002 Ellen Fraites Wagner Award to Ilia J. Fehrer — a lifetime Ellen Fraites Wagner Award winner, Ilia J. Fehrer, with Chesapeake advocate for the protection and restoration of the Bay Trust Chairman of the Board Martin Poretsky. waterways and wilderness areas of the Chesapeake Bay and the Coastal Bays. The Trust’s annual The Trust received more than $550,000 from award is given to a Maryland citizen in recognition voluntary donations by Maryland taxpayers to the of outstanding volunteer contributions to the Chesapeake Bay and Wildlife Fund via the State Chesapeake Bay. The award is