About Us - Assateague Coastal Trust

Staff & Board

Recent ACT News

Assateague Coastal Trust works to protect and enhance the natural resources of the Atlantic coastal bays watershed through advocacy, conservation, and education.

ACT has a long history of environmental advocacy in the Maryland and Virginia coastal bays region, beginning with its landmark efforts in the early 1970s to preserve the unspoiled character of Assateague Island, which is now protected as a National Seashore. The oldest environmental advocacy organization protecting the coastal bays, ACT has grown to include over 700 members and community partners.

Our Watershed
The Atlantic coastal bays watershed includes the eastern portions of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Known for its rich soils and productive waters, the region has traditionally supported vibrant farming, fishing, and tourism industries. The watershed is home to a host of wildlife species who thrive in habitats as diverse as pine forests, salt marshes, and freshwater creeks.

But recent years have witnessed increasing development pressure. Poorly-planned growth threatens the area�s environmental health, rural character, and high quality of life. As one of the only advocacy organizations working to protect the coastal bays watershed, ACT is uniquely suited to combat these negative trends.

With the help of its volunteers and supporters, ACT is committed to keep working for clean water, open space, and controlled growth in the coastal bays region.

ACT�s offices are located in Berlin, on Maryland�s Eastern Shore.

OUR PROGRAMS

ACT works to preserve the coastal bays through its advocacy, education, and conservation programs.

Program
ACT dramatically expanded its advocacy efforts in 2002, when it launched the Assateague Coastkeeper program. The is an on on-the-water advocate for the coastal bays and works collaboratively with coastal bays communities as well as local, state, and federal governments and agencies to identify threats to coastal bays water quality and to support monitoring and restoration efforts. Associated with the

Alliance(a grassroots environmental advocacy organization with over 150 Waterkeepers programs worldwide), the Assateague Coastkeeper is dedicated to protecting the quality of the coastal bays for generations to come.

COAST KIDS
Coast Kids is an environmental education program for kids and their families. The program�s mission is to help children develop a sense of place - a geographical and ecological awareness that will encourage greater enjoyment of where they live, greater interest in the environment, and ultimately, greater stewardship of the coastal bays. Coast Kids features monthly events that offer interactive, hands-on explorations of the coastal bays area. For registration information, email Coast Kids Manager Verena Chase at coastkids@actforbays.org
Grow Berlin Green Logo

Grow Berlin Green (GBG) is a program designed to highlight the town of Berlin as a model community for environmental protection and conservation. It is ready to go after receiving funding from a philanthropic group. The campaign will be managed by a coalition of the Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT), Lower Shore Land Trust and Maryland Coastal Bays Program, but it will be driven by community education, empowerment and action, said Steve Farr, development director for ACT and the project director of GBG.

It is a three-year campaign to encourage Berlin residents, businesses and government officials to connect the community to conservation. Toward the effort, GBG recently received $125,000 from the Town Creek Foundation, a private, philantropic organization dedicated to a sustainable environment.

The foundation's mission includes donating to non-profit organizations that work to promote ecological sustainability. The campaign will include events and activities, designed to involve citizens, business owners, and government officials to better build a foundation for citizen and policymaker participation.

The goals of GBG include improving understanding engagement and activism among citizens and policymakers, increasing conversation efforts, improving natural resource management, reducing waste and increasing recycling. Grow Berlin Green is an important component in an ongoing effort to revitalize the town, which last year was recognized by the state of Maryland as a Main Street Community.

GET THE DIRT OUT
Get the Dirt Out (GTDO) is a project being implemented by local Waterkeeper programs across the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays watersheds to protect our waterways from damage caused by sediment-laden runoff from construction sites and land development.

The Assateague COASTKEEPER�, the education and advocacy arm of Assateague Coastal Trust, is leading the GTDO effort for the Coastal Bays region.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long recognized stormwater runoff as one of the leading causes of impairment to our nation�s waters. In response, the EPA developed stormwater regulations. These regulations require that that all construction sites one acre or larger must comply with the terms and conditions in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Discharge Associated with Construction Activity General Permit (General Permit). In Maryland, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) issues NPDES permits for construction sites. But MDE does not have the capacity to effectively monitor all construction sites� compliance with its stormwater regulations.

OUR FUNDERS

In addition to our generous members and friends, key financial support for ACT is provided by the following foundations:

Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (www.cfes.org)

Town Creek Foundation (www.towncreekfdn.org)

Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment (www.campbellfoundation.org)

Educational Foundation of America (www.efaw.org)

Negley Flinn Charitable Foundation

Marisla Foundation (online.foundationsource.com/public/home/marisla)

Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (www.sima.com)