Resilient Communities and Economies

Restoration and sustainability of Maryland’s natural resources mean different things to different interest groups or stake­holders. Traditional drivers such as commercial fishing and agricultural patterns are changing, and recent policy decisions and management actions are creating new and different economic opportunities in traditional tidewater communities. Communities and local governments face new challenges to adapt to climate change and meet new TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) requirements to limit nutrient and sediment pollution.

Maryland Sea Grant will support research to:

• Understand linked environmental-socioeconomic responses to environmental change and efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay. Issues include water resources management, stable shorelines, tourism and recreation, marine spatial planning, etc.
• Understand community and ecological responses to Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs).

For additional detail, visit our recent Request for Proposals or the Maryland Sea Grant Strategic Plan.