Ridge To Reefs Inc

TO SUPPORT LOCAL CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF WATERSHED PLANS PRIMARILY IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND IN CORAL REEF WATERSHEDS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON ACHIEVING TANGIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES FOR RESOURCES WE CARE ABOUT - CORAL REEFS, OYSTER REEFS AND OTHER FISHERIES, NATURAL AREAS, AND LAKES ETC.

RESTORATION COORDINATION - COORDINATING AND IMPLEMENTING WATERSHED PLANS. THIS INCLUDES WRITING PROPOSALS, WORKING ON POLICY CHANGES, COORDINATION OF INTERAGENCY EFFORTS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO ENSURE THAT IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. THIS HAS INCLUDED TRACKING DOWN ON-GOING SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND WORKING WITH THE APPROPRIATE AGENCIES TO SEE THE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED. PLACES WHERE WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK INCLUDE THE GUANICA WATERSHED IN SW PUERTO RICO, VATIA WATERSHED IN AMERICAN SAMOA AND PLACES LIKE THE SASSAFRAS RIVER, AN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHED ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND AND THE ST. MARYS RIVER IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND WHERE THE WATERSHED IS EXPERIENCING TREMENDOUS GROWTH DUE TO A NAVAL BASE REALIGNMENT WHICH IF NOT WELL MANAGED WILL THREATEN THE HEALTH OF THE RIVER.

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE - DEVELOPING AND HELPING FARMERS IMPLEMENT LOW COST SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY. EXAMPLES INCLUDE EFFORTS IN PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICANE MARIA IN 2017 AND CONTINUING TO THE PRESENT AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO SUPPORT AND ASSIST SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE AND PALAU.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RECREATES NATURAL SYSTEMS TO PERFORM ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT - THIS INCLUDES BIORETENTION PRACTICES, BIO-FILTERS, URBAN TREE PLANTING TO REDUCE STORMWATER RUNOFF AND PRACTICES THAT INCLUDE URBAN AGRICULTURE AND GREEN ROOFS. THE PRACTICES HELP PERFORM PHYTOREMEDIATION, RESTORE URBAN SOILS AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED. RIDGE TO REEFS, WITH ITS PARTNERS, IMPLEMENTED 8 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS INCLUDING BIORETENTION, RAIN GARDENS, WOODCHIP BIOREACTORS, P-FILTERS, RAINWATER HARVESTING AND A SAND BIOFILTER. OVER FIFTTEEN THOUSAND PLANTS, MOSTLY NATIVE, WERE PLANTED IN THESE PROJECTS TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION AND REDUCE POLLUTION AND HELP CLEANSE CONTAMINATED STORMWATER RUNOFF. WE WORKED WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS AND DEVELOPERS TO INTEGRATE THESE PRACTICES INTO THEIR SITES. LOCATIONS FOR THIS WORK INCLUDED LA PARGUERA AND TAMARINDO BEACH IN CULEBRA BOTH IN PUERTO RICO, WEST MAUI IN HAWAII AND THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND AND THE ST. MARY'S RIVER WATERSHED IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND.