September Marsh Plantings

Please join us for a day or more as we restore a degraded wetland by planting marsh plant species at Barren Island. Individuals, families, and groups are welcome.

When:
September 8-12, 2005

Where:
Barren Island, located twelve miles south of the Choptank River in the Chesapeake Bay, near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

What:
Citizen volunteers will visit Barren Island to plant more marsh grasses and to monitor the condition of grasses planted in previous visits.

Wetlands serve as critical nursery areas for various species of wildlife, including finfish and crabs. They also provide a number of functions to the Bay and its watershed, including flood buffering, erosion control, bank stabilization, and water quality improvement. However, wetlands are susceptible to degradation from a number of sources. Development, invasive species, erosion, and rising sea levels are just a few of the factors destroying these valuable habitats.

Who:
The Friends of Blackwater will be working with the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

How:
Volunteers will be led by Aquarium staff and members of ACT! (Aquarium Conservation Team), a group of trained volunteers dedicated to the restoration of habitats in the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

For more information or to register to participate in this free event, visit the Aquarium website, or contact their Conservation Department at 410-576-3851 or conserve@aqua.org. Space is limited.

Visit our Projects page to learn more about our past activities on Barren Island