THIS FIELD TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED

FT #11 - Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Site
     Leader: Albert McCullough (albert@sustainablescience.com)
Trip departs at 12:15 PM from the circular drive at the rear entrance to the Wardman Park Hotel
Anticipated return at 9:00 PM
Limited to 20 participants

Victimized by sea level rise and erosion, Chesapeake Bay islands are vanishing. In 1847 coastal geodetic charts revealed that one of these islands, Poplar, encompassed an area of more than 1,100 acres (4.4 km²). By the 1990’s only several fragments less than 10 acres in size remained. Working together, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District along with the Maryland Port Administration and numerous other Federal and State agencies, restoration of Poplar Island using dredged material from the central Chesapeake Bay shipping channels was set in motion. Just off the Chesapeake Bay coastline, about 34 miles (54 km) south of Baltimore, Poplar Island is being returned to its former size and important ecological function while simultaneously ensuring the economic vitality of the region. Approximately 40 million cubic yards (30.6 million m³) of dredged material are being placed to develop 570 acres (231 ha) of wetlands and 570 acres (231 ha) of uplands. This field trip will tour the Poplar Island restoration project focusing on this landscape level restoration effort facilitated via adaptive management practices. More information can be found at the following web link:

http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/Maryland/PoplarIsland/index.html

Following the island tour, the field trip will stop at the historic Washington Street Pub in Easton, Maryland for local Chesapeake Bay seafood, traditional pub grub symbiotically meshed with highly diverse and abundant draft beer libations. Again through the wonders of the internet, more information can be found at:

 http://www.wstpub.com/

 

Poplar Island Cell 3D Wetland Cell Summer of 2007 Photo from Albert McCullough