Waterfowl Chesapeake is pleased to announce its funding for two projects that are part of Pickering Creek Audubon Center’s “Waterfowl, Wetlands and People” initiative. The $17,500 WC grant will partially fund the creation of a wetland and meadow trail on their newly restored 17-acre freshwater wetland as well as fully fund landowner workshops.
“The ‘Waterfowl, Wetlands and People’ initiative is a perfect match for Waterfowl Chesapeake. This is one of the many types of projects that we, and our partner organization, Waterfowl Festival, are thrilled to support. The funds are raised in our community at Waterfowl Festival each year and Chesapeake then has the opportunity to reinvest them in conservation work that benefits waterfowl populations and the people on Delmarva,” said Margaret Enloe, Executive Director. “This partnership demonstrates our shared goals of connecting the public with waterfowl and educating them on what they can do to preserve and protect their habitat.”
The wetland and meadow trail project invites casual visitors to experience freshwater wetlands and the waterfowl and other wildlife in their habitat. Many of these types of freshwater wetlands occur on private property out of view of the public. The new trail will include areas for viewing waterfowl as well as interpretive panels to educate the public about the conversion of the land from farm fields to wetlands. It will be used and enjoyed by hikers and school students alike.
The second portion of funding will support landowner workshops to be presented by Pickering Creek Audubon and Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, most likely next spring. The goal for the workshops is to encourage and educate individual landowners as well as staff and volunteer leaders of local land conservancies, environmental education and other conservation and community organizations, on the restoration of large tracts of farmland to bird and wildlife habitat. During this one-day workshop, participants will receive in depth training on the value of these projects to birdlife, wildlife and water quality as well as materials and resources to share with their respective constituencies.
“We are thrilled to have Waterfowl Chesapeake as our funding partner as we enter the outreach phase of our wetlands restoration project,” said Mark Scallion, Pickering Creek Executive Director. “The financial support from Waterfowl Chesapeake will allow us to reach and educate our local community about the importance of waterfowl to our ecosystem and the large and small steps they can take to preserve their habitat.”
This is the second project Waterfowl Chesapeake has funded in 2016. Says Enloe, “We can support conservation and education in this way, in part, because of the incredible dedication of all the volunteers, sponsors and business supporters that make Waterfowl Festival possible each year. People supporting their community’s spirit, heritage and environment – it’s what it’s all about.”
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