Youth Outdoor Science and Watershed Education Grants Awarded

Two Maryland nonprofits will be receiving funding for Youth Outdoor Science and Watershed Education grants to enhance environmental education in the state. The funding for outdoor education is being provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, with specific amounts to be determined based on federal funding availability and approval.

The Accokeek Foundation will be using the grant to improve and revise its existing program, “Wild Rice and the Changing Landscape of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.” This program provides a meaningful watershed educational experience for seventh-grade students by engaging them in the growth, maintenance, data collection, and restoration of wild rice while incorporating indigenous knowledge. The program aims to increase students’ knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay through hands-on field experiences.

The Alice Ferguson Foundation will also receive funding to expand its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience curriculum program in partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools. They will be working with middle and high school teachers and administrators to pilot the environmental education program with approximately 240 students. This partnership will aim to further enhance environmental education for students in the region.

Starting in July, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will be accepting applications for the next fiscal year through the department’s online Grants Gateway. This allows organizations and nonprofits to apply for funding to support outdoor science and watershed education programs in the state.