Beach in Round Bay Gets Native Makeover

The beach in the Round Bay Community is getting an environmentally friendlily makeover.

With help from the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Corp, the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Baltimore Aquarium, community members will transform their rocky beach into a more natural shoreline habitat through the planting of 1,000 native grasses. 

The planting event, led by Christine Carpenter of the Chesapeake Conservation Corp, will create a more stable shoreline, reduce run off and provide better habitat for Chesapeake wildlife such as diamondback terrapins and blue crabs.

“Basically we are trying to retrofit the shoreline,” Carpenter said. “They already have rock on the shoreline and we are trying to add ecological benefits. We will be planning two main marsh grasses.”

From 9 a.m. to noon on Friday and Saturday volunteers will help plant the grasses along the shoreline. Children attending the Round Bay Beach Day Camp will also participate in Friday’s plantings as well as learn about marsh ecology through interactive activities. 

“On Friday we are incorporating the Round Bay camp and we are going to let them do some planting,” Carpenter said. “We are hoping for some more community members and families to come out on Friday.”