Spoil to Splendor: A Story of Spoil to Splendor: A Story of Chesapeake Bay Island RestorationChesapeake Bay Island Restoration

Presented by Presented by

Christopher P. Guy,Christopher P. Guy,

Peter C. McGowanPeter C. McGowan

And And

Robbie CallahanRobbie Callahan

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Chesapeake Bay Field OfficeChesapeake Bay Field Office

Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland

The Paul S. Sarbanes Ecological Restoration Project at The Paul S. Sarbanes Ecological Restoration Project at Poplar Island, Talbot County MarylandPoplar Island, Talbot County Maryland

PartnersPartners● U.S Army Corps of Engineers*U.S Army Corps of Engineers*

● ● Maryland Port Authority*Maryland Port Authority*

● ● Maryland Environmental Service*Maryland Environmental Service*

● ● Maryland Geological SurveyMaryland Geological Survey

● ● Maryland Dept. EnvironmentMaryland Dept. Environment

● ● Maryland Dept. Of Natural ResourcesMaryland Dept. Of Natural Resources

* Principal funding organizations/project * Principal funding organizations/project management management

● ● University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland

● ● Ohio UniversityOhio University

● ● USGSUSGS

● ● NOAANOAA

● ● USFWSUSFWS

What is Poplar Island?What is Poplar Island?

A 27 year, 700 million dollar A 27 year, 700 million dollar beneficial use beneficial use of dredged material project. Accepting clean of dredged material project. Accepting clean material from Baltimore approach channels material from Baltimore approach channels to restore island habitat to the Chesapeake to restore island habitat to the Chesapeake Bay.Bay.

●● Loss of island and wetland habitat as well as Loss of island and wetland habitat as well as culturally significant areas throughout culturally significant areas throughout Chesapeake Bay due to erosion and sea level Chesapeake Bay due to erosion and sea level rise.rise.

●● Placement site for maintenance dredging Placement site for maintenance dredging materialmaterial

Why Bother?Why Bother?

So Where Is It Anyway?So Where Is It Anyway?

●● 34 Nautical miles 34 Nautical miles south of Baltimore, south of Baltimore, MarylandMaryland

● ● 17 miles SSE of 17 miles SSE of Annapolis, Annapolis, MarylandMaryland

● ● 30 miles east of 30 miles east of Washington D.CWashington D.C.

Tilghman Island Tilghman Island 1934-Picture 1934-Picture provided by the provided by the Smithsonian Smithsonian InstitutionInstitution

Poplar IslandPoplar Island

N

1847: >1100 acres1847: >1100 acres

Design FeaturesDesign Features

● ● 1,140 acres (50% wetlands/50% uplands); 1847 1,140 acres (50% wetlands/50% uplands); 1847

● ● 570 acres of marsh (80% low marsh/20% high 570 acres of marsh (80% low marsh/20% high marsh)marsh)

● ● 40 mcy capacity (25 mcy at present)40 mcy capacity (25 mcy at present)

WetlandsWetlands

UplandsUplands

North

Project Restoration Goals:Project Restoration Goals:

● ● Create remote and diverse island habitat Create remote and diverse island habitat

● ● Restore quiescent water habitat in Poplar Harbor Restore quiescent water habitat in Poplar Harbor to promote submerged aquatic vegetation recoveryto promote submerged aquatic vegetation recovery

● ● Create/enhance tidal wetlands to provide fish and Create/enhance tidal wetlands to provide fish and wildlife habitat wildlife habitat

Project Restoration Goals:Project Restoration Goals:

● ● Create bare/sparsely vegetated islands within the Create bare/sparsely vegetated islands within the restored marshes to provide nesting habitat for birds restored marshes to provide nesting habitat for birds (terns, black skimmers, oyster catcher etc.)(terns, black skimmers, oyster catcher etc.)

● ● Create/enhance vegetated islands within the restore Create/enhance vegetated islands within the restore marshes to provide nesting habitat for birds (egrets, marshes to provide nesting habitat for birds (egrets, herons, black duck, etc.)herons, black duck, etc.)

Island AerialsIsland Aerials

September 2009September 20091998 (Pre-construction)1998 (Pre-construction)

Wildlife Management Activities Wildlife Management Activities

● ● Disease responseDisease response

● ● Predator/nuisance species control (gulls, great horned Predator/nuisance species control (gulls, great horned owl,owl, mute swan, fox, muskrat,) and surveillance.mute swan, fox, muskrat,) and surveillance.

● ● Monitoring (wildlife, wetland, and SAV).Monitoring (wildlife, wetland, and SAV).

Wildlife Management Activities Wildlife Management Activities

● ● Habitat enhancement (shrub plantings, Christmas Habitat enhancement (shrub plantings, Christmas trees, and snags).trees, and snags).

● ● Nesting structures installation (osprey, tree swallows Nesting structures installation (osprey, tree swallows etc).etc).

● ● Develop wildlife management plan.Develop wildlife management plan.

Wildlife Disease ResponseWildlife Disease Response

• Avian BotulismAvian Botulism

• SteatitisSteatitis

• Avian Paramyxovirus (Newcastle Disease)Avian Paramyxovirus (Newcastle Disease)

Wildlife Disease ResponseWildlife Disease Response

Predator/Nuisance Predator/Nuisance Species ControlSpecies Control

Habitat EnhancementHabitat Enhancement

Nest Box/StructuresNest Box/Structures

Avian MonitoringAvian Monitoring

OspreyOspreySnowy Snowy egretegret

Double-crested cormorantDouble-crested cormorantLeast and Common ternsLeast and Common terns

● ● Estimating areal Estimating areal coverage by coverage by speciesspecies

● ● Measuring stem Measuring stem heightsheights

● ● Species diversitySpecies diversity

Wetland Wetland MonitoringMonitoring

Marsh Restoration ProgressionMarsh Restoration ProgressionMAY JUNE JULY

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Submerged Aquatic Vegetation MonitoringMonitoring

““POP”ular DestinationPOP”ular Destination

Red-winged BlackbirdRed-winged Blackbird

Great Blue HeronGreat Blue Heron

WilletWillet Tree SwallowTree Swallow

Snowy EgretSnowy Egret Black Skimmer

GullsGulls

American AvocetAmerican AvocetSandpiperSandpiper

Questions ???Questions ???