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DIPP Newsletter  January 2017, Volume 15

 

Dear Project Stakeholders and Participants, 

 

Happy New Year! We hope that your 2017 is off to a great start. We've spent much of January gearing up for four half-day field trips to the focus areas to follow on our December Focus Area Team discussions. We'll be using these field trips to carry out assessments that will help us build the case for future adaptation projects to address key flooding, erosion, and other social and environmental concerns, and enhance the resilience of the Deal Island Peninsula area. If you live or work in Dames Quarter, Oriole, near the harbors or the Deal Island shoreline, we hope you'll join us to share your knowledge, experiences, and concerns. See below for details and to RSVP! In addition, you will also find information about two upcoming events that may be of interest, as well as a couple of relevant news stories about the newly created conservation easement on the Almodington property in Oriole, and the effects of ditching in Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. As always get in touch with us if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing some of you on this coming Saturday and on February 4th! 

 

Sincerely, 

The DIPP Team

Join Us for Focus Area Field Trips to Begin Developing Adaptation Strategies! 
Saturday Jan. 28th and Feb. 4th
​

We will be hosting group field trips to the four focus areas to start building the case for why addressing problems with flooding, erosion, and other concerns is key for enhancing the resilience of the Deal Island Peninsula. Come share your knowledge and experiences with flooding and erosion, and help shape the development of future adaptation plans. 

DI Shoreline and Harbor location change***

 

Group will meet at the Deal Island-Chance Fire Hall instead of Rock Creek Church

Meet a Project Stakeholder: Donald Ford

I am a true “Native Son of Somerset County”, born and raised in Dames Quarters, and I have lived my life next to and on the marsh. I grew up hunting, trapping and playing in the marsh. Often I spent all day out there between Dames Quarters and St. Stephens. I have served my community for 36 years in the Deal Island Chance Volunteer Fire Company and am currently Chief of the company. I am also Supervisor of the Somerset County Animal Control (that’s the local dog catcher to you, the public).

 

I first heard about the Deal Island Peninsula Project (DIPP) at the Fire Hall and participated as a local stakeholder during the first meetings about the marsh.  It’s shrinking and it's not as I knew it as a boy. I have a lot of knowledge of the history of the area, opinions about what needs to happen to restore the marsh health

to near its former state. I stay involved and active because I am one of only a few who remember what the marshes were -- families worked and were fed by the marshes, and a good living was able to be had. Trucks could drive across the marsh, something that certainly cannot happen now. I’m looking forward to the next stages of the DIPP and working with everyone to reach our goals.

Upcoming Events

Next meeting of the Wicomico Interfaith Partners for Creation Fellowship will be on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 @ 3pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2812 Old Ocean City Road, Salisbury. Please join us and bring a friend as we continue our planning for Earth Day Creation Care activities on April 21 and 22. Theme: "Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: A Faith Response". It promises to offer an exciting follow-up to last year's initial successful events.

 

The Wicomico Interfaith Partners for Creation Stewardship is sponsoring a free screening of Before the Flood, a Leonardo DiCaprio film on climate change. The event will take place at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Salisbury (302 St. Alban’s Drive), this Thursday, Jan 26 @ 7 pm. All welcome. A conversation about potential local impacts and possible faith responses will follow the film. For more information, call 443-827-5596.

Image credit: MD-DNR

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