Restoring habitat for the wildlife of the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Wetlands are among the most important habitats for a diversity of wildlife around the Chesapeake Bay. The vast majority of our wetlands host species other than waterfowl, such as quail, turkeys, warblers and Delmarva fox squirrels. Unfortunately, natural wetlands have decreased in Maryland by over 70% in the past 350 years according to the U.S. Geological Survey. To help counteract this loss, CWH’s Chesapeake Care program works with landowners on private property to restore some of these lost wetlands. Shallow emergent wetlands can benefit wildlife such as ducks, geese, shorebirds, dragonflies and amphibians by providing valuable habitat. The filtering effects of wooded wetlands, shrub swamps and wet meadows benefit water quality as well as wildlife species such as warblers, woodcock, amphibians and bats.

In 2005 we restored over 30 acres of wetlands and installed over 113 acres of native grass meadows. Our staff also planted more than 8,000 trees to create riparian buffers.

CWH’s Chesapeake Care program utilizes landowner incentives offered through USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Wildlife habitat restoration would be almost nonexistent in the watershed were it not for the leadership provided by the federal governments through these programs.
Unfortunately the State of MD recently  cut back on the width of buffer strips allowed in the CREP program and has never cost-shared on wetland restoration. 

We will continue using the CRP and CREP programs, as they are available, to restore our vanishing wildlife habitats in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. With funds contributed to CWH by the Biophilia Foundation, Concordia Foundation, Healy Foundation, Julia Burleigh Fund of the Baltimore Community Foundation, Norcross Foundation, Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation, Rauch Foundation, Waterfowl Festival, Wildlife Forever, Zuckerman Fund and the EPA's Small Watershed Grant Program used to complement USDA restoration funds, we can build valuable habitats on the lands of those interested in helping the wildlife resource.

Ned Gerber, Wildlife Habitat Ecologist/Director