The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, MD has begun work on a new living shoreline, which extends from the Watermen’s Wharf exhibit to the museum’s property line near the Inn at Perry Cabin. Expected to be completed in April, the project is an extension of the first two sections of living shoreline installed at CBMM in 2008 and 2009.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s living shoreline
The new shoreline is funded through generous support and grants from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Crystal Trust, Bonnell Cove Foundation, and Constellation Energy.
Living shorelines use natural elements—like native grasses and sand, to provide erosion control protection while providing habitat for fish, crabs, and other wildlife.
Environmental Concern of St. Michaels, MD is constructing the shoreline, which includes installation of a stone sill to control wave erosion, native grasses, sand, and two docks traversing the shoreline for water access. This spring, local students will become a part of the process by helping plant native grasses along the new shoreline.
“Our shoreline restoration project is a win-win proposition,” said CBMM Vice President of Development David Crosson. “It gives us a chance to advance our educational mission, and clearly demonstrates human actions can improve the Bay’s health. There aren’t a lot of places where the public can see how shoreline erosion can be reduced, and how critical habitat for marine life can be recreated. We’re one of these places and we’re proud of it.”
For more information, call 410-745-2916, visit www.cbmm.org, or email [email protected]