Spotlight on Mid-Bay Islands ecosystem restoration

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Michael Connor, recently joined Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for a site visit at Poplar Island and Mid-Bay Islands ecosystem restoration projects.

According to USACE, these are the places where dredge material from the Port of Baltimore approach channels finds a new home restoring hundreds (and, eventually, thousands) of acres of remote Chesapeake wetland habitat.

“Shortly after this “win win” project started placing dredge material at Poplar Island in the spring of 2001, ospreys, egrets, terns, herons, eagles, terrapins, and other wildlife began to call the newly restored island home,” said USACE.

The project develops a long-term strategy for providing viable placement alternatives that meet the dredging needs of the Port of Baltimore while maximizing the use of dredged materials as a beneficial resource.

Restoration of island habitat is necessary and valuable to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, said USACE.