The Maryland Environmental Trust Awards Keep Maryland Beautiful Grants To 11 Organizations Across The State

Crownsville, Md. (August 5, 2011) — The Board of Trustees of the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) have awarded $26,000 in grants to 11 community groups and schools to restore streamside habitats, create community gardens and educate citizens about the environment across the State as part of the Keep Maryland Beautiful program.

“MET is pleased to be able to provide funding to other organizations to help advance our shared goals,” said Elizabeth Buxton, MET Director. “These grants encourage organizations to promote environmental education and demonstrative projects that help keep Maryland beautiful.”

The Margaret Rosch Jones Award is given to ongoing projects or activities that have demonstrated success in solving an environmental issue, whether local or statewide. The award, named in memory of Margaret Jones, the former executive director of the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program, recognizes organizations that have been actively educating people in their community about litter prevention, community beautification and local or statewide environmental issues and have been successful in eliminating or reducing the causes of a local environmental problem.

The 2011 recipients of the Margaret Rosch Jones Award are Antietam Creek Watershed Association, Braddock Run Watershed Association, C.A.R.E Community Association, Friends of Pataspco, Maryland Public Television, Marley Middle School, the National Aquarium and St. Mary’s River Watershed Association. Projects include community gardens, invasive plant removal, stream clean-ups, rain gardens and conservation education programs.

The Bill James Environmental Grants are awarded to nonprofit youth groups for new environmental education projects in their community. The grants are given in memory of Senator William S. James who drafted legislation in 1976 to create the Maryland Environmental Trust, incorporating the activities of the Governor’s Committee to the Keep Maryland Beautiful program.

The 2011 recipients of the Bill James Grants are Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School Green Club, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, Red Wiggler Community Farm and Manchester Valley High School Science Research. Projects include reducing stream erosion, native tree nursery and planting programs, blue crab and water salinity science projects and on-farm learning opportunities in educational programs.

The Keep Maryland Beautiful program is funded in part by the Maryland State Highway Administration, a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation. For more information on Keep Maryland Beautiful, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/met/grant_programs.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov