Select a topic for more information:
General Lessons
School/Education Project Planning
Targeted Watershed Project Planning
Urban Greening Project Planning
Tree Planting
Native Planting
Bioretention/Rain Gardens
Living Shorelines
Fish Passage
Outreach/Publications/Workshops
General Lessons
• Interpretive signage is an extremely effective tool for broadening awareness of project goals, and we encourage applicants to put funding for signage in their grant requests. However, vandalism is a large problem even in areas in which it is unexpected. There are ways to construct signs to make them more permanent and vandal-resistant. For example, consider concrete bases. Consider also applying in the grant for more than one copy of a sign, which is more cost-effective than replacing signage at a later date.
• Many partners are needed in successful projects. These groups may include county and municipal government, private citizens, DNR forest service, WMD Resource Conservation and Development Council.
• Press coverage: Press coverage is a great way to get the community excited about a project. To get press coverage, use a local volunteer coordinator for outreach and contacts
• The vast majority of project “failures” is due to lack of stakeholder buy-in on project type, location, etc. It is imperative that maintenance departments, landowners, community associations, neighbors, etc. have been sought out during project development. If proper buy-in is not obtained, the project may be mowed over, removed, or otherwise destroyed.
• Projects on institutional lands and/or lands owned by those other than the project lead: Make sure that both the principal/director and the maintenance staff are on board with the project. An uncooperative landowner/maintenance department can lead to a short-lived project!
• Ask neighbors to keep a watchful eye on the project and alert the coordinator in there is evidence of problems such as vandalism.
• Project evaluation: Use a survey to collect information to evaluate your project. Questions on such a survey might include, for example, those pertaining to awareness of the participant prior to participating in an event, level of awareness after participating in an event, aspects learned prior to attendance, likelihood of repeat attendance, and topics for additional information.
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School/Education Project Planning
General Tips
• Start planning early; the more time the better!
• Start by brainstorming, let the ideas flow and see where they take you.
• Be realistic about what you can accomplish in the time you have. It's perfectly acceptable to implement your project in phases annually.
• Installing projects in phases is a manageable way to implement a large project without overwhelming the budget and volunteers.
• Include as many hands on active participation activities as possible.
• Make sure the principal and administration are on board! They may be able to help during project implementation, planning, and/or maintenance.
• Your school’s maintenance staff needs to be aware of the project and on board. They may take ownership of it and help with upkeep or at the very least, be careful to preserve it.
• Success of a project is often linked to a specific teacher or group of dedicated teachers. Make sure that more than one individual is interested in the project and will use it in future years.
• For larger projects on school grounds, technical assistance is recommended. One great idea is to use your local watershed organization.
• Allow for time to have students share their projects with other grades, parents or teachers.
● Everyone must be involved for a project to be successful; including commitments from students, parents, team members, school administrators, extra teaching staff, and the community. Soliciting as much adult help as possible is the best way to go.
● Leave time at the end of the school year to continue studying about and participating in ecology service projects. The students will be very interested in the environment and in learning about what else they can do to help.
● Use experts in the community to teach students about their restoration project. These groups may include county and municipal government, private citizens, DNR forest service, WMD Resource Conservation and Development Council; the Master Gardeners are a also a great source of expertise.
● Use a survey to collect information to evaluate your project. Questions could be: Before you came today, were you aware of the issue? Do you feel more informed now? What is one thing that you learned that you did not know before you came today? Would you come back next year? Was there anything that you would like more information?
● Press coverage is a great way to get students excited about their project and to engage parents and the public. To get press coverage, use a local volunteer coordinator for outreach and contacts. Often smaller, local papers are eager to cover local cleanup events etc. Be prepared with a press packet or a press release that summarizes the key messages of your event.
● If you let vendors know that your project is a community service project, they may give you a discount. Certain projects have reported donations and discounts from Richardson's Nursery, Home Depot, Dunkin Donuts, and Little Caesars.
● Power Point slides are a great way to communicate your project.
● Ask lots of questions and do not hesitate to contact the coordinator to understand all of the aspects of the program.
• Take before, during, and after photos of your project; it’s a great way to see & show what you have accomplished.
• Have a ribbon cutting or similar event to celebrate the hard work and effort of the volunteers. Invite elected officials, funders, and other groups who may wish to follow your good example and replicate the project at another site.
• Consider bi-lingual signage (if signage is appropriate at your project).
• Interns are a good resource! Interns provide an essential staff component to environmental education programs. Interns help to maximize the number of students involved in programs while the intern receives an opportunity to grow as a professional.
• When coordinating volunteers, ask repeat volunteers to hold onto their supplies form year to year. For those not returning, ask them to donate their supplies to a watershed organization who can use them throughout the rest of the year.
• Set measurable goals each year and strive to achieve more each year.
• Be prepared for the time of writing the grant, arranging substitutes for leave from school, and coordinated school community partnerships.
• If possible, use smaller groups of students and spread out the activity over the entire year. Having 250 children with shovels in one area in the schoolyard does not always lead to a productive use of time!
Schoolyard Habitats / Native Plantings:
• For larger scale schoolyard habitat projects, consider working in phases. This will allow all grades to participate over several years and keep staff from feeling overwhelmed.
• Get permission to plant on county property from the authorized agency before planting and receive approval in writing. Allow several weeks for this process.
• Use enough mulch in your project to suppress weed & grass growth.
• Mow pathways 4-5 times a year to allow easy student access.
• Kill grass by using “eraser” or plastic tarp if herbicide is an issue. Adults should be the only ones to apply chemicals.
• When conducting native plantings use planting formula.
• When conducting tree/stream buffer plantings make sure you talk to the principal and security leads about your plan. Some schools do not allow certain types of dense foliage due to safety concerns.
• When conducting meadow planting, plant large groups of the same variety of plants; additionally make sure the project is consistent with what students are already comfortable with or what they can be taught. For example, some students may be reluctant to use meadows for study if the grasses are high.
• Check for long term plans on school site (i.e. trailers coming in for temporary learning space, athletic fields).
• Use marked ropes to space out plants; cardboard covered with mulch is an effective way to prepare the site to eliminate sod.
• Planting too early in the school year with nearby mowing my cause seed dispersal that results in weeds in your meadow.
• Plant in early spring to take advantage of spring rain showers.
• Involve students at the beginning of the schoolyard planning (like in the schoolyard assessment) because it gives them a stronger connection and understanding of the project.
• It's difficult to do a schoolyard project during times of administrative transition.
• Teachers need continued support in the form of professional development, resources, and one-on-one assistance to remain active with schoolyard habit projects and investigations.
• Nurseries can assist you in selecting native plants.
• Ask neighbors to keep a watchful eye on the planting and alert the coordinator if there is evidence of problems such as vandalism.
• Use temporary signage to determine vandalism risk and to field test if the message on the sign is effective.
● Interpretive signage is imperative to communicate the purpose and value of the planting to the community.
• Recruit volunteers or member of the garden club to be responsible for specific weeks of the project.
• Install irrigation early in the growing season; regular watering in the first year after the planting is essential for success. Purchase water tanks (35 gallon) if a water source is not readily available.
● If signage is inexpensive and there is risk of damage, considering ordering more than one to have a backup sign on hand if needed.
● Provide written elevations of the project to avoid misunderstandings.
● Be prepared to provide extensive monitoring and support for the first year or two until the garden is well established. After two years, plan to provide for long-term periodic maintenance.
• Enlist a consistent and dedicated volunteer team to help with caring for plants, nursery systems, and helping homeowners with plant selection.
• Don't be afraid to ask the community for support. Donated items for the native planting at Friends School of Baltimore included free labor provided by parents, teachers, and students, tools, free landscape design service and wholesale pricing on all plant material provided by a local garden club. Several parents have contributed to a small fund in honor of the native plants beds to help pay for further Bay education projects.
• Look to see how native plantings support your organization's overall mission. The native plantings at the Friend's School supported the campus wide movement towards creating a better outdoor classroom for students, and support's the Quaker aspects of respect for the environment.
• The native planting is a learning opportunity and a new educational space to all who visit the campus on how our actions are directly related to the health of the environment.
• Watering plants is a challenge. Conduct investigations in science class comparing plant growth with different amounts of water. This can help to motivate students to take further actions.
• Create environmental committees to work on projects and maintain plantings.
• Research the amount of sunlight the area receives and the type of soil in the school yard.
Aquaculture
• Make sure new aquaria are clean of all chemicals that may have been applied.
• Having a parent volunteer on board to assist in system assembly and monitoring is extremely helpful in keeping mortality rates low.
• Animals, such as terrapins, are a great motivator to education and can be used to discuss concepts such as watersheds, water pollution, habitat and habitat loss, and actions that humans can take to improve the environment.
• When working with animals in the classroom, always have technical assistance available from a scientist and a veterinarian.
Other
• Water Quality Monitoring: Check with your local watershed org to see if you can borrow higher tech equipment.
• Invest in a tool kit to lend to volunteers for invasive removal. The kit may include long handled loppers, powergear anvil lopper, bypass pruners, heavy duty gloves. Additionally, the problem of invasive species along forest edges can be too overwhelming for volunteers to control; target areas of invasive removal.
• Enlist parent support for Storm drain stenciling projects and demonstrate to students how to use a paint roller and a stencil brush before the activity.
• Buy extra paint for storm drain stenciling - cement really absorbs!
• Green Building: It is possible to have a LEED Certified school. The Great Seneca Creek Elementary School is a good example of how schools can be a model of the community on green building techniques. www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/greatsenecacreekes
• Course requirements can be writing a CBT grant, lessons plans and project proposals, conducting their own stream survey and assessment, and creating personal journals.
• For water quality monitoring, a challenge may come with getting GIS data for an entire watershed basin as counties often have only their boundaries and the state sources may have restrictions. Creating a simple web based interface for citizens to use is also a complex project. Groups considering these tasks should have solid IT support. Partnering with groups may be a way to get assistance.
• Integrate the service project into the county standers and the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Choices and Challenges curriculum is an excellent resource for watershed education. These projects are a good way to meet service learning goals.
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Targeted Watershed Project Planning
• Be sure to work with county and other local government staff when designing projects.
• Land ownership: The vast majority of project “failures” is due to lack of stakeholder buy-in on project type, location, etc. It is imperative that maintenance departments, landowners, community associations, neighbors, etc. been sought out during project development. If proper buy-in is not obtained, the project may be mowed over, removed, destroyed.
• Timelines and deliverables: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a particular period of time. For many groups, these Targeted Watershed grants are among the largest they will have received to date. Groups that have not yet undertaken large projects are encouraged to talk to groups who have, such as past Trust grantees, to discuss their challenges and lessons learned. Past Trust Targeted Watershed projects have taken approximately 3-4 years to complete.
• Consider the phases of your project and when you will need funding to complete project tasks.
• Has your organization invested in your selected “targeted watershed?” Is this a priority for your organization? Do you intend to have a presence in that watershed beyond the grant period?
• Consider the size of the watershed and what your organization can accomplish. Will your efforts lead to a measurable change in water quality? Is the size of the watershed small enough that changes will be detected?
• Is nitrogen pollution an issue in your watershed? Can you identify the sources of nitrogen input?
• Partner with local government and other partner’s efforts (for example, one CBT Targeted Watershed grantee was able to leverage existing county monitoring and thus track the results of its restoration efforts).
• If you are a watershed organization, tie into existing or proposed state, county or local government capital or restoration projects to maximize and expand efforts. Consider applying for additional state or federal funds for other project elements.
• Consider partnering with local governments, universities, schools , churches, and landowners such as business parks, golf courses, etc..
• Make sure the property owner(s) (including the State, if on State property) include a letter of support and contribute to the project.
• Always involve an “on-the- ground” partner, such as a local watershed organization.
• If working on restoration or stewardship actions on private property, consider multiple forms of contact, including follow-up to letters and consistent personal contact. Personal contact and establishing a relationship with the property owner is imperative.
• If working with sectors of the population that do not participate in government cost-share programs, such as the Plain Sect or Mennonite communities, be sure to work with the community’s leaders (Bishops).
• Conduct pilot project tours to get others on board. Also publicize and celebrate your success at the end of the project.
• If working on a backyard buffers program, consider larger trees vs. seedlings.
• Consider ways to involve underrepresented communities, students and volunteers to build support for your project.
• If working on private property, get the landowners on board from the start and have the landowners sign a maintenance contract or Memorandum of Understanding and waiver of liability.
• If planting rain gardens on private property, keep the choices very simple, such as a garden for shady or sunny areas.
• Consider the effect of “word of mouth publicity” and use to expand your project. Follow-up with a personal visit.
• Aerial seeding seems to work best for the Eastern Shore, vs. the hillier areas of Central and Western MD.
• Limiting factors for additional farmland conservation practices include funding for land preservation and the need for additional outreach staff to “knock on doors” and engineers to design and build conservation practices.
• Include project signage to explain and publicize the project.
• Incorporate community workshops and trainings into the project.
• For large scale rain garden installation, insured landscape architects and contractors should be considered. Be aware of what can be accomplished with volunteers, but don’t forget to involve volunteers in a “kick-off” event to build interest and to educate citizens on how they can contribute.
• Consider innovative storm water approaches, such as coastal plain outfalls (step pools) to restore the site’s preexisting hydrology.
• For lessons learned on other specific project types, please visit the web pages for the Trust’s other grant programs, particularly Stewardship, Urban Greening, Fisheries, and Living Shorelines.
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Urban Greening Project Planning
• An assessment of current tree canopy is essential, in order to allow you to set a goal for a future increase and to determine the best locations for additional plantings.
• Local government should be on board and ready to adopt a goal when considering an increase in urban tree canopy.
• Get your elected officials on board through additional education on the importance of urban tree canopy, site visits and tours. Help them to envision what your community could look like with increased canopy.
• Partner with outside technical experts to enhance your project
• Local governments should consider partnering with non-profits, watershed organizations and others on an urban tree canopy project.
• Consider partnering with an institution of higher learning or other community partners, such as schools or churches.
• Examine your local codes and ordinances that relate to forestry and trees, especially for new development and redevelopment. Are there ways that the codes and ordinances can become more forest-friendly? (For examples, click here to see recommendations made to the City of Cumberland by the Center for Watershed Protection)
• Consider ways to incorporate trees into storm water projects.
• Watershed organizations can work with their local government to create a street tree program that includes outreach, planting and maintenance education and assistance to homeowners.
• Be realistic with your time frame and what you can accomplish.
• If conducting a satellite analysis of your local tree canopy, don’t underestimate the time needed for satellite image acquisition and assessment.
• Contact Miss Utility to avoid utilities when planting
• Consider projects in redeveloping areas and in the right of ways along streets. Consider the size of your potential tree pit.
• Consider any permits that may needed for planting (especially for street tree plantings). Factor this into your project schedule.
• Consider the involvement of volunteers, especially in a community kickoff event. Invite businesses to participate in a “Corporate Day of Service”.
• Consider incentive programs for private property owners, such as tree discounts and/or coupons for local nurseries. Involve local businesses in efforts to involve homeowners and their customers.
Tree Planting
• Tree maintenance is a very important activity, and the Trust’s research on past projects has shown that without proper maintenance (watering especially, but also mulching, installing and removing tree tubes, controlling invasive species, mowing to reduce invasives in some cases, etc.) have significantly lower success rates. If plantings cannot be properly maintained, consider using a different site in which they can be.
• Of maintenance activities, watering is the most important in affecting survivorship. Shrubs and perennial plants should be watered at least for the first year, and trees should be watered for at least the first two years. Consider creative partnerships or equipment in watering such as, for example, partnerships with local fire departments who may conduct training exercises that might be molded into a win-win activity.
• Involve citizens in maintenance. If planting in a neighborhood or along a street right of way, get the community involved from the very beginning.
• In many cases, container plants and trees have performed and survived better than ball in burlap plants and trees. They may be smaller per dollar, but they have their root system remaining and will often grow faster. This trend, it should be noted, is not always the case.
• It is imperative that climate pattern, soil type, shade patterns, and mean rainfall be considered when choosing plant and tree species to install. Visit the Trust’s Resource Library for links to planting guides.
• Volunteer planting activities are clearly encouraged by the Trust; however, the method by which a tree is planted can significantly impact is survivorship probability. Make sure you have enough experts on hand during planting day who can train volunteers how to property plant trees and shrubs.
• Consider species selection and diversification, size, spacing and utilities. Consider spacing no greater than 50 feet between trees and do not plant only a single species of tree.
• Factor in materials that will help to establish the trees and promote a greater percentage of tree survivorship; such as mulch, soil amendments, terra-sorb, tree tubes/guards and gator bags. Factor these costs into your project budget.
• Prevent damage to the tree from lawnmowers and weed whackers
• Conduct training for contractors, use mulch rings (but do not pile mulch into a “volcano” that suffocates the tree), tree stakes and tree guards help to prevent damage. Conduct regular inspections of the area.
• Choosing tree size to plant requires trade-offs. Using smaller trees allows for a larger number, and therefore a larger project ultimately; however, smaller trees have higher mortality rates (due to deer, vandalism, lawnmowers, etc.). Consider all of the factors impacting survivorship that may be due to tree size when planning your project.
• Plant in the spring and the fall (fall is usually best). Avoid planting after May. Trees need to become established before the summer.
• Have a plan for the monitoring of the site and for the prevention of pests and invasive plants. Will this be the responsibility of the City or of a volunteer citizen “weed warrior” group?
• To make your community more forest friendly, encourage trees in parking lots, in cul-de-sac islands and in bioretention facilities. Also, set numeric conservation goals for clustered development.
• For more information or ideas see CWP Urban Watershed Forestry manuals, including a manual dedicated to urban tree planting at http://www.cwp.org/forestry/index.htm
Baltimore City Tree Planting Guidelines:
• Not within a Bus Stop
• Pit width greater than 3’-4’, area greater than 40’
• 25’ away from nearest street tree
• 15’ away from existing trees on private property
• 7’ away from light and traffic poles
• 15’ away from street corner
• 5’ away from driveway edge
• 10’ away from alley
• Keep 4’ of unobstructed sidewalk between the edge of the tree pit and another object (steps, hydrant, or scoop)
• Not underneath a power line
Considerations for Schools
• If working on a school campus, get a letter of support from the principal and facilities manager. If working with an entire school district, get a letter of support from the Board of Education. Check also with those who head security, as some schools prefer species with less foliage for safety reasons.
• Popular school ground trees include: redbud, oak, red maple, flowering dogwood (due to shade and aesthetics). Unpopular selections include: sweet gum (drop “gum balls”) and sycamore.
• On school grounds, you may want to consider planted “islands” of trees surrounded by mulch to delineate your project area, reduce maintenance and prevent mower damage.
When considering a schoolyard project, consider a greening plan for the entire campus: Form a committee, secure administration and facilities department support, know what future construction is planned- in order to avoid those areas, identify potential planting locations and prioritize planting projects, create a long term schedule for when and how you will implement your greening plan. Don’t forget to outline a maintenance plan, schedule and responsibilities for the entire year and for at least the first 2-3 years of the tree’s life. Also have a back-up maintenance and watering plan. Plan far enough in advance to allow for obtaining permission, ordering trees, etc.
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Native Plantings
This lesson is under construction
Bioretention/Rain gardens
This lesson is under construction
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Living Shorelines
• Living shoreline projects require many steps, and most grantees underestimate the amount of time it will take start to finish. Make sure you map out all steps with appropriate amounts of time allotted for each one.
• Make sure you, and appropriate stakeholders, are comfortable with the design before you apply to the program. Do not wait until after grant approval to get community buy-in, as it is difficult to make changes to the design after approval unless required due to engineering concerns. Many projects have run into pitfalls either with their communities, having not gotten proper buy-in, or with funding partners, needing to change the design to fulfill community needs.
• Apply for permits early! It can take up to 6 months to obtain permits.
• Apply for federal/state permit through MDE and local permits at the same time. Do not wait until you receive your federal/state permit to apply for local permits, as some counties have different/more stringent shoreline codes than the state government. You may have to change your project based on county codes then have to apply for federal/state permits all over again.
• Apply for design funding only in cases of heterogeneous shorelines, high energy, or sites that otherwise present tricky engineering issues. Otherwise, applications should be for implementation based on a design included in the application. If in doubt about whether to apply for design funds, contact Trust/NOAA staff. If in doubt about how to obtain a design, contact Trust/NOAA staff.
• Volunteer planting activities are wonderful, and actually preferred, but make sure you have a technical lead on site during the activity, so you don’t wind up with Spartina patens planted low and Spartina alterniflora planted high in the intertidal zone!
• Identify who will perform project maintenance during the application process, and make sure that entity is on board with the project.
• As the field of living shorelines advances, design specifications become more accepted. Below are listed some general guidelines for typical types of projects. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss design issues with funders prior to applying, as all sites are different and these generalizations may not apply:
Slope: slopes in the intertidal zone should be no steeper than 10:1, with 12:1 or gentler more ideal. Slope above mean high water should be no steeper than about 6:1. For slopes steeper than 6:1, additional slope stabilization (grading, retaining structures, etc.) may be required.
Sill height: For sill projects, sill height varies with energy regime, but roughly, in low energy environments, the top of the sill can be near mean low water. In medium energy environments, sill height is generally near or slightly above (+1 foot) mean high water. In medium energy environments with long fetch, significant boat wake, or other issues, sill height can be up to 2 feet above mean high water.
Windows in sill projects: Funders (and some permitters) at this time prefer projects with windows (also known as tidal gates or tidal openings) to allow for mobile fauna access. Sill height can be higher if enough windows are present.
Groins: Groins are considered generally only in areas that are subjected to longshore currents/sediment transport.
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Fish Passage
• Make sure all stakeholders are comfortable with the project before you apply to the program. Do not wait until after grant approval to get community buy-in, as it is difficult to make changes to the project after approval unless required due to engineering concerns.
• Unless you, the applicant, is considered a technical expert, seek technical advice prior to putting a proposal together. Contact the Trust staff for assistance with linking to an appropriate technical lead.
• Fish passage projects are complicated. Make sure all elements (sediment survey, hydrology survey, historical survey, etc.) are completed or in process prior to application.
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Outreach/Publications/Workshops
• Projects that have not fit into a clear outreach plan or framework have tended to be less successful than those who have. In addition, projects that have been undertaken without a clear audience targeted have also been less successful.
• Certain audiences do not respond to certain tools. For example, producing a web-based tool for farmers may not be the most effective strategy to reach this constituency. Make sure you identify not only the audience, but the tool to most effectively reach that audience.
• Projects that have been undertaken without a survey of existing similar materials have often produced redundant products that are not widely used or that do not persist as a resource into the future.
• Color and hard-bound materials are more expensive, and many grantees have learned the hard way that these materials are not warranted for their purposes.
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