Environmental stewardship at the Maryland Port Administration covers a wide range of topics and activities. They include the restoration of islands, shorelines, and wildlife habitat, as well as research, education, and pollution reduction programs that benefit both the people and natural resources of the Chesapeake region. Many environmental projects have evolved through the Dredged Material Management Program. Others help balance the environmental impact of Port activities, and demonstrate the Port Administration’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Projects for the placement of dredged material at Poplar Island and Hart-Miller Island, for example, help to maintain safe shipping channels while restoring much-needed habitat for wildlife. |
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Near Masonville, the newest placement site for dredged material, the Port Administration has been especially active in revitalizing the Patapsco’s shoreline and restoring the cove’s upland area. At the request of the neighboring communities, a new environmental education center was constructed to provide local children with more opportunities for outdoor education. The Port Administration also conducts Schoolyard Greening projects at Baltimore City schools. These projects convert acres of schoolyard blacktop into grass, trees, and gardens. The restored green space not only helps to offset the impact of the Port’s waterfront facilities, but reduces stormwater runoff from the schoolyard and provides children with a green oasis and a friendly space for outdoor learning. To combat invasive species in the Bay, the Port Administration helped to establish the Maritime Environmental Resource Center. The Center will test and evaluate ballast water treatment systems for ships and other maritime vessels. By drawing on the expertise of its many partners, the Center will become an important asset in protecting the Bay’s fragile ecosystem. For more than a decade, the Port Administration has also partnered with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to help sustain the Bay’s native oysters. The Oyster Restoration Program has replenished oyster reefs and stocked them with young, disease-free oysters raised in a Maryland hatchery. |
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