Shore Land Stewardship Council Publishes The Green Book for the Bay
Shore Land Stewardship Council, an initiative of Adkins Arboretum, has published The Green Book for the Bay: An Illustrated Guidebook for Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Property Owners Living on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The Green Book for the Bay provides detailed guidance on best landscaping practices for the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, the 1000-foot wide area of land around the Bay and its tidal tributaries. These practices contribute to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
The book grew out of a collaboration of professionals and local citizens on Maryland's Eastern Shore who realized that property owners in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area are often confused about both the rules and the process they must follow to be good stewards of the land they own. Spearheaded by Adkins Arboretum, the Shore Land Stewardship Council provides property owners and professionals accurate and consistent information, technical support, and referrals on best landscaping practices in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.
The Green Book for the Bay is aimed at those who own, live and work on Critical Area residential properties in the Mid-Shore counties of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot. Landscaping practices described in the book are aimed at protecting the water quality and wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with Bay-friendly landscape management.
Best landscaping practices covered in the book range from reducing lawn area, to properly planting and pruning trees and shrubs to maintain wildlife habitat, to creating living shorelines. The book's introduction includes an overview of regulations and guidance for Critical Area projects; 13 Frequently Asked Questions; the Top 10 Practices for Critical Area Properties; important terms; and a listing of resources. The book includes color maps, photographs and illustrations. Case studies of Critical Area property owners reinforce the book's lessons on best landscaping practices.
The book was made possible by grants from Town Creek Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Copies of the book will be available June 1 for pick-up from the Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties' planning departments, or by mail from Adkins Arboretum. For further information, visit www.firststopforthebay.org or call Adkins Arboretum at 410-634-2847, extension "0" or e-mail info@adkinsarboretum.org.
