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Port Update
In light of the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, we appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to work through this unimaginable situation.
Under the leadership of Governor Wes Moore, state, city, county, and national officials are working diligently to recover those souls still lost, investigate the cause of the collision, and clear the debris to reopen this critical shipping channel. The leadership at Maryland Port Administration (MPA) is working closely with all of our partners, and leading that team is our new Executive Director, Jonathan Daniels.
A lynchpin of the Maryland economy, the Port is working minute by minute with federal, state, and local partners to clear and reopen the channel as quickly as possible, and is currently projected to happen by the end of May this year.
We understand that you may have questions, many of which we are trying to address as information becomes available. For updates on the coordinated response, please visit the website www.keybridgeresponse2024.com, which is maintained by the Unified Command specifically to provide information to the public on the status of the incident and response. We also have a link to this website on the DMMP website: maryland-dmmp.com.
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Bird Bands & Songbirds
Over the last year, Masonville Cove has provided the perfect spot for bird banding conducted by Birds of Urban Baltimore (BURB), a local nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the community in bird science and conservation.
With support from the Maryland Port Administration (MPA), the Maryland Environmental Service (MES), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and local volunteers including many from Baltimore Bird Club, BURB captured birds and attached small, uniquely numbered metal bands to their legs. This process allows scientists to study both individual birds and populations of birds over time.
Based on the first year of data collection, the partners banded 551 birds of 56 species during the fall banding season. The top five species captured in the fall were Common Yellowthroat with 119 individuals, Song Sparrow with 105, Swamp Sparrow with 45, and Gray Catbird and Yellow-rumped ‘Myrtle’ Warbler, each with 34. Several birds banded in the spring were recaptured and documented in the fall, including a White-throated Sparrow that is believed to have stopped at Masonville on both its northbound and southbound migrations.
The public is welcome to observe the spring banding process every Friday and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. until about 1:00 p.m. through June 8th. Registration is not required. However, if you sign up, you will receive important updates, such as weather cancellations.
Disclaimer: All birds were captured and banded by qualified individuals with the proper federal permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.
 Photo (above) by Matias Orrego/MES
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Stop by and see bird banding for yourself! You may even have an opportunity to help release a banded bird, such as the Baltimore Oriole pictured above. Over the past year, several observers have turned into volunteers.
Among the most exciting observations this fall were three Connecticut Warblers, one of which is pictured here, and a single Mourning Warbler, all captured within one week in early September. Mike Hudson, the bander in charge, summed up how remarkable this was by noting that there are birders who have searched their whole lives to find this species of bird, and at Masonville Cove, the team managed to catch three in one week!
Photo (left) by Matias Orrego/MES
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Trash Wheel Family Breaks Record
Data collected by the Waterfront Partnership Healthy Harbor Initiative in 2023 shows the Baltimore Trash Wheels are hard at work. The combined collection totals of Captain Trash Wheel, Mr. Trash Wheel, Professor Trash Wheel, and the newest, Gwynnda the Good Wheel of the West, showed a record-breaking total of 1,000,000 pounds of trash and debris removed from Baltimore’s waterways.
MES Environmental Specialist Matias Orrego credits some of the increase to significant rain events, which propel more trash and litter into the water. He noted that the Dundalk Marine Terminal (DMT) Trash Interceptor collection totals also increased.
According to the Waterfront Partnership, the four trash wheels have seen a 72% reduction in plastic bags and a 90% reduction in foam containers collected since Baltimore's ban on these products took effect.
Orrego says the impact of community cleanups is significant. “Overall, from just the volunteer events that we've had in 2023, almost 4,340 pounds of trash were collected, and 745 people were engaged as volunteers or service members,” said Orrego.
 Photo: Can you spot the belted kingfisher in this picture of Captain Trash Wheel at Masonville Cove?
Photo by Tim Carney/MES
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Report: Cargo Up, Emissions Down
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The MPA has focused on being a good environmental steward for decades, with a proven track record of reducing criteria air pollutants (CAPs) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Programs such as the Port’s Dray Truck Replacement Program—which helps truck owners replace older diesel models with newer ones using funding from the EPA’s DERA program and Maryland’s Volkswagen mitigation agreement in coordination with the Maryland Department of the Environment—are making a difference.
Recently, the Maryland General Assembly enacted the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, one of the most ambitious climate laws in the country, setting new statewide emission requirements, as well as specific market sector requirements. Specifically, the Act calls for Maryland to reduce GHG emissions by 60% by 2031 and requires the state to achieve net-zero statewide GHG emissions by 2045.
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A recent report prepared by Anchor QEA, LLC finds that the MPA’s “emissions in most categories have notably decreased since 2016, while activity has generally remained constant or slightly increased in some cases.” Read the report and learn more about considerations to reduce additional emissions in the future here.
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Intro to Birding Sparks Sense of Community at Masonville Cove
In February, the Baltimore Bird Club and the Friends of Masonville Cove partnered to offer an “Intro to Birding” walk at Masonville Cove. Led by club members Toby Pessoa Gingerich and Nancy O'Hara, participants were shown the basics of how to use binoculars and tips on finding birds. During their bird walk, the group spotted more than 30 species of birds.
According to Friends of Masonville Cove member Mindy Hill, “One fundamental technique taught by Mr. Gingerich is to ‘listen and look while birding.’ This is really important because birds move so fast that you can hear them one minute and see them take flight the next.”
For Hill, seeing people, many of whom were first-time birders, be truly present and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature sparked a sense of community that was deeply meaningful. “I think people care more about events like this because of the sense of belonging in participating. [It] raises your awareness of what's going on, where you can get involved and have an opportunity to make a difference,” said Hill.
Hill recommends following the Baltimore Bird Club and Friends of Masonville Cove online to learn about future events. For more information about the inspirational day, read Hill’s blog.
 Photo: The “Intro to Birding” group visited the area immediately behind the nature center and the upland trail. Binoculars were available on loan.
Photo by Mindy Hill/ PR WIZ, LLC
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Field Trip for Friends
Philadelphia is home to the nation’s first Urban Refuge, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, established more than 50 years ago as part of the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System. Like Philadelphia, Baltimore can also claim a first as the home of the nation's first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, Masonville Cove.
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge is supported by a strong friends group, the Friends of Heinz Refuge (FOHR). In February, the newly formed Friends of Masonville Cove took a field trip to Philadelphia to meet with FOHR members and representatives of the USFWS to learn from their experience, in hopes of advancing their group. As a part of the tour of the refuge, friends members enjoyed networking in nature, spotting a bald eagle’s nest and several birds, and visited a nearby community garden project led by FOHR.
“It was nice to meet the folks from Masonville Cove who are looking to start a new Friends Group. We toured the Refuge and were able to share information about the Nature Store, our membership program and all the things that FOHR, Friends of Heinz Refuge, does to support John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. Let’s keep the momentum going for this new Friends Group,” said the President of the FOHR, Mary Batts.
Learn more about the friend of Masonville Cove and their events at www.masonvillecove.org.
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“This turned out to be very inspiring trip, ultimately equipping the Friends of Masonville Cove with strategic actions to enhance their role as influential stewards and community leaders within Friends of Masonville Cove and Masonville Cove Urban Wildlife Partnership”. – Ralinda Wimbush, Community member and Friend of Masonville Cove.
Photo by Ralinda Wimbush
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Exciting Time for Innovative Reuse Committee as Ideas Are Implemented
Approximately 60 people attended the February meeting of MPA’s Innovative Reuse Committee (IRC), which was formed in 2006 to provide technical, scientific, and engineering advice for strategies to recycle and reuse dredged material from the Baltimore Harbor. The IRC is now focused on implementing some of its previous recommendations for innovative reuse.
MPA’s Chief of Innovative Reuse Strategy and Partnerships Darren Swift provided updates on two of MPA’s innovative reuse studies currently in progress; another five studies have been completed.
CSI Environmental is currently studying the use of dredged material for geotube berms filled with dredged sediment at BGE Spring Gardens, where they provide protection and help mitigate the impacts of heavy rains and flooding from high tides, storm surges, and sea-level rise.
Swift also reported on a University of Maryland laboratory study of the success of vegetated earth berms created by blending dredged material with other recycled materials such as recycled concrete, compost, and gypsum.
A representative of Comus Sustainable Pozzolan Products, a company based in Woodsboro, Maryland, presented for the IRC to consider if dredged material could be a possible natural pozzolan, a cement additive that makes concrete more durable.
 Did you know that pozzolan is a self-healing ancient building component used in iconic structures such as the Colosseum in Rome? Could dredged material from Baltimore’s Harbor be used to create a natural and sustainable pozzolan? A Maryland company, Comus, believes it can and has indicated an interest in building a production facility that could process anywhere from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 tons of cement with 30% to 40% of Baltimore Harbor dredged pozzolan blended into the final product.
Photo by Robin Hickmott
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Get Involved! MPA Seeks Community Input
MPA is encouraging community members interested in knowing more about the Port’s dredging program to participate in one of the committees that help advise the Port of Baltimore on its impact and how it can be a good neighbor. “It is important that the various committees provide fair and equitable representation and reflect the diversity of the Port’s surrounding communities”, said Katrina Jones, MPA’s Program Manager for Education and Stakeholder Engagement.
Through committees such as the Masonville Citizens Advisory Committee (MCAC), Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee and the Citizens Advisory Committee, the Port and the community are able to foster an open dialogue and understand their respective goals and challenges.
Jones shared an example of this type of open dialogue that will create something beneficial for the community, which was made possible by the contributions of the Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee. The Swan Creek Nature Trail is a community enhancement project scheduled to open in 2025 along the Swan Creek wetland area of the Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility (Cox Creek DMCF). This trail will have outdoor classroom areas and will be a wonderful amenity for the surrounding community and visitors.
MPA would like to learn what barriers there may be for community participation in various committees, such as transportation, the time of day that the meetings take place, the location of the meetings, or whether or not community members are aware of the opportunities.
If you have questions or feedback on committee participation barriers or would like to refer a friend or neighbor, please contact ecoport@marylandports.com.
 Photo: During this MCAC meeting, committee members had an engaging and informative evening, getting insights into recent developments at Cox Creek DMCF.
Photo by MPA
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WildSTEM Internships Spark Conservation Careers
For USFWS Urban Wildlife Biologist Ela-Sita Carpenter, Ph.D., one of the highlights of her job is seeing potential careers in conservation take flight through the WildSTEM Internship, formerly called the Urban Conservation and Education Internship (UCEI). Through WildSTEM, partners select students for the program from both environmental and non-related majors. For example, a business major may be introduced to a career in conservation at a sustainable investment firm like Brown Advisory, which has an office in Baltimore. Through a partnership with Harbor City Links, interns are recruited from local historically black colleges and universities such as Coppin State University, Bowie State University, and Morgan State University.
In 2022, Bowie State University biology student Muhannad Alghamdi, who had met Dr. Carpenter when she spoke to his field biology class, participated in a six-week internship at Masonville Cove.
Fast forward to 2024, and Alghamdi is a zoologist at a nature reserve in Saudi Arabia, crediting his career choice to his internship experience. “Working as an intern…opened my eyes to different fields within environmental science,” said Alghamdi. “It helped me have a deeper understanding of the environment and guided me to find my path through all the people I met through the internship. I met a lot of experts working in urban conservation, and all of them had amazing insights into the work and nature. That made me search more about majors in the environment field, and I found zoology.”
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Alghamdi remains in touch with Dr. Carpenter, recently connecting with her to seek advice on trail cameras and community engagement. Read more about Alghamdi in this article from USFWS.
Photo: Alghamdi stands second from the left with the other 2022 UCEI interns.
Photo by Ela Carpenter/USFWS
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Masonville Cove Partners Celebrate Earth Month
For the partners of Masonville Cove, the month of April is filled with outreach opportunities as we celebrate Earth Month, Earth Week, and Earth Day.
To celebrate Earth Day Masonville has partnered with Baltimore Broken Glass to offer a free Glass Art Workshop on 4/22 at 4:30 p.m. Participants will learn how to recycle glass into beautiful artwork. In addition, on April 23 at 11:00 a.m., the partners will participate in an event at the Brooklyn Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 300 E. Patapsco Ave. Baltimore, MD 21225. “Animal Adventures with Masonville Cove,” is part of the Imagination Celebration, celebrating children's creativity with special events, arts and crafts, and more throughout the month of April.
Other events include First Friday: Spring Songbird Walk (4/5), Planting & Seedball Program with the Brooklyn Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library (4/10), BenFest (4/13), a Community Cleanup with Templo de Alabanza y Restauración (4/14), City Nature Challenge (4/26 - 4/29, 4/30 - 5/5), Seedball Planting Crafts & Tabling with The Transformation Center (4/27), and Celebrate Trails Day (4/27). For more information about these events, contact MES Environmental Specialist Matias Orrego at forrego@menv.com.
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Additionally, the MPA education team will participate in an Earth Day table event for the Maryland Vehicle Administration.
Celebrate Earth Month with a spring songbird walk on April 5, 2024, at Masonville Cove or join us on Earth Day, 4/22 for a glass art workshop led by Baltimore Broken Glass. More information on www.masonvillecove.org
Photo by MPA
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These committee meetings are open to the public. Some meetings may be virtual or in-person. Please visit maryland-dmmp.com for details and access information for each meeting.
Cox Creek Citizens Oversight Committee - April 10th at 5:30 PM
Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility Operations Building
1000 Kembo Road, Baltimore, MD 21226
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
James Island Public Meeting (Mid-Bay Project) - April 17th at 5:30
Madison Volunteer Fire Department
1154 Taylors Island Road, Madison, MD 21648
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting - May 8th at 6:00 PM
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
Location TBD
Masonville Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting - May 14th at 5:30 PM
Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center
1000 Frankfurst Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21226
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
Pearce Creek Implementation Committee Meeting - May 17th at 10:00 AM
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
Location TBD
Innovative Reuse Committee Meeting - May 28th at 5:30 PM
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
Location TBD
Management Committee Meeting - June 20th at 10:00 AM
World Trade Center – Stanton Room 20th Floor
401 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
For more information, visit https://maryland-dmmp.com/committees/.
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ECO Port Newsletter is the Maryland Port Administration’s bi-monthly update of projects and programs that help the agency contribute to a thriving economy, environmental stewardship, and community partnerships. As always, we thank the many private sector businesses, government leaders, communities, and individual citizens who have helped make these achievements a reality. |
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Jonathan Daniels, Executive Director
Maryland Port Administration
The World Trade Center
401 East Pratt Street, Baltimore MD 21202
1-800-638-7519 / www.marylandports.com
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