Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Chesapeake and Coastal Program
The Maryland Chesapeake & Coastal Program (CCP), administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is a partnership among local, regional and state agencies. The CCP also collaborates with many private organizations, such as local land trusts and economic development groups. This partnership has helped the state to reduce the environmental impacts of coastal development, resolve conflicts between competing coastal uses, and provide assistance to local governments in coastal planning and resource protection.
The CCP conducts research, provides technical services and distributes federal and state funds to enable on-the-ground projects that benefit Maryland's local communities. The Program works to improve coastal management by helping communities prepare for climate change, restore local waterways, protect habitats, foster clean coastal industries and by encouraging citizens to become caring stewards of the coast.
Since 2009, the CCP has been working on a project entitled, “Coastal Land Conservation in Maryland: Targeting Tools and Techniques for Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Response.” The purpose of the project is to develop new conservation criteria to identify coastal habitats that may help Maryland proactively adapt to sea level rise and increased storm events associated with climate change. Climate change targeting criteria resulting from this project will be used to review land acquisition projects, such as Coastal Estuarine and Land Conservation Program (CELCP), and will be added to the State’s current land conservation targeting program, “GreenPrint.”
Through Maryland’s CoastSmart Communities Initiative, the CCP is helping local communities identify and implement strategies to protect life and property vulnerable to coastal hazards and climate change. From hands-on training and planning tools to financial resources, CCP is ensuring that local communities have the tools that they need to identify and take the necessary actions to become ready, adaptive and resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Phone: (877) 620-8367
Sectors:
Related Organizations:
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Related Resources:
