Resources for Green Living in the Chesapeake Bay Area

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Bay Friendly Landscaping
and Shoreline Resource List (page 3)

Shorelines (“Living Shorelines”):

*** Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 410-268-8816, BayFriendly Landscaping (lawns, habitats, forests, wetlands, meadows, shorelines, native plants, wildlife habitat, city or suburban gardens, etc.) www.cbf.org/landscaping (click on “shorelines” in the text)

Maryland: Critical Area Commission, State of Maryland, describes permissible activities within 1000’ of tidal waters, 410-260-3460, www.dnr.state.md.us/criticalarea

Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), permit application for the alternation of any floodplain, waterway, tidal or nontidal wetland in Maryland (to construct a “Living Shoreline,” offshore breakwater, install coir logs, etc.), 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21230, 800-633-6101, (410) 537-3000 http://www.mde.state.md.us/Programs/WaterPrograms/Wetlands_Waterways/permits_
applications/index.asp

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Shore Erosion Control, technical and financial assistance, 410-260-8367, www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/programapps/sec.html

Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ publication, Shore Erosion Control Guidelines for Waterfront Property Owners, Water Resources Administration (Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401)

NOAA Restoration Portal, Living Shoreline information, photos, permit descriptions:
www.habitat.noaa.gov/restorationtechniques/public/shoreline_tab4.cfm

Pennsylvania: contact the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (www.pacd.org) at 717-238-7223 or the Pennsylvania State Department of Environmental Protection (www.dep.state.pa.us) or (717) 787-2814.

Virginia: www.cblad.state.va.us/ or call 1800CHESBAY(247229). For general shoreline and erosionproblems, contact the local Soil and Water Conservation District (for offices and phone numbers, contact the State Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) at www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/e&s.htm or call (804) 782064).

Within DCR, the Shoreline Erosion Advisory Service (SEAS) provides technical information to land owners (www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/seas.htm.)

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Virginia Coastal Zone Management (VA CZM), Living Shoreline fact sheets, photos of techniques, and links to demonstration projects: www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/livingshore.html

Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), Gloucester Point, VA. Has a “Teaching Marsh”on campus that can be toured. Photos and information on their website: www.vims.edu/welcome/visitus/teach_marsh.html

Shoreline publication, “Shoreline Management in Chesapeake Bay” by C.S. Hardaway, Jr. and R. J. Byrne, Virginia Sea Grant Publication VSG9911, copies ($10) from Sea Grant Communications, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, PO Box 1346, Gloucesester Point, VA 23062.

Stormwater Information:

Center for Watershed Protection. 8391 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD 210434605,
(410) 4618323. A nonprofit corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations with the technical tools for protecting water quality. Information is available on watershed planning, watershed restoration, stormwater management, watershed research, better site design, education and outreach, and watershed training, www.cwp.org

The Low Impact Development Center, Inc., 5010 Sunnyside Avenue, Suite 200, Beltsville, MD 20705, (301) 982-5559, focuses on the design and planning of a development site to reduce environmental and water quality impacts, through runoff retention, grading, planting and stormwater management,
www.lowimpactdevelopment.org

Tree Identification Websites:

Virginia Tech website: www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/idit.htm

Underwater Grasses (SAVs, Submerged Aquatic Vegetation)

Chesapeake Bay Foundation, information on underwater grasses, volunteer opportunities in Virginia. www.cbf.org/grasses

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, information on underwater grasses (identification, restoration). http://www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/sav/

Chesapeake Bay Program (EPA): www.chesapeakebay.net/baygras.htm
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science: www.vims.edu/bio/sav

Watersheds and Waterkeepers (Riverkeepers)
Watershed searches online: http://www.epa.gov/surf/
Waterkeeper searches online: http://www.waterkeeper.org/mainwaterkeepers.aspx

Wetlands:
*** Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 410-268-8816, BayFriendly Landscaping (lawns, habitats, forests, wetlands, meadows, shorelines, native plants, wildlife habitat, city or suburban gardens, etc.) www.cbf.org/landscaping

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1888LANDCARE, for free booklet on Backyard Conservation; tips on backyard wetlands and ponds can be downloaded from the website: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/

Environmental Concern 410--745-9620, PO Box P, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663, retail nursery for riparian trees and wetland shrubs, education and research facility. www.wetland.org.

Wildlife Habitat:
*** Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 410-268-8816, BayFriendly Landscaping (lawns, habitats, forests, wetlands, meadows, shorelines, native plants, wildlife habitat, city or suburban gardens, etc.)
www.cbf.org/landscaping

National Wildlife Federation, Backyard Habitat Certification Program, www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/habitatmeter.cfm

Wild Acres Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wildacres.asp

WindStar Wildlife Institute, Backyard Habitat Restoration, has a Garden Weekly eMagazine, Certification and Internet Course, www.windstar.org. Emphasis on creating habitat for wildlife with native plants.

Websites and phone #s: (alphabetical)

American Birding Association, www.americanbirding.org

American Forests, Global Releaf, (202) 737-1944, www.americanforests.org

EPA, Chesapeake Bay Program, 1800YOURBAY, www.chesapeakebay.net

Maryland Cooperative Extension (University of Maryland), Home and Garden Information Center, 800-342-2507, http://www.hgic.umd.edu/

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (877-620-8367), Headquarters, 580 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401. Information on forest buffers, wetlands, shorelines, underwater grasses, crabs, oysters. www.dnr.state.md.us.

National Tree Trust, (National Arbor Day Foundation) 1120 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, 1-888-448-7337, www.nationaltreetrust.org; grant source for communities and nonprofits to obtain tree seedlings, start a nursery, involve volunteers, etc.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 14 th and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC 20250, plant fact sheets, sources of plant materials, publications. http://plantmaterials.nrcs.usda.gov

Penn State Cooperative Extension, (local county extension offices) 814-865-7851, www.outreach.psu.edu

Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (or County Conservation Districts) 717-238-PACD (7223), www.pacd.org

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, (field foresters are in Bureau of Forestry District Offices) Fax: 717-783-5109, www.dcnr.state.pa.us

Plant Conservation Alliance, www.nps.gov/plants

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, publication line 410-573-4593; request a list of Maryland native plants. For information, visit the FWS web site at http://www.fws.gov

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, http://plantmaterials.nrcs.usda.gov

Virginia Department of Forestry (Northern Virginia), State Riparian Specialist, 703-324-1489. Technical information and assistance for buffer plantings, tree selection, etc.