A new statewide initiative aims to help Eastern Shore communities adapt to growing climate pressures through investments in wetlands, forests, living shorelines, and other nature-based resilience projects.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently launched “Roots for Resilience: Strong Roots for a Changing Landscape,” a climate adaptation initiative supported by $42.5 million in federal funding focused on strengthening vulnerable Eastern Shore ecosystems and communities.
“Roots for Resilience will be a major initiative for the environment and people of Maryland,” DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz said. “This work will focus on the Eastern Shore, where vulnerable rural areas are already managing the effects of rising sea levels and more intense storms. The new investments will make ecosystems and communities more resilient by protecting people, homes, and infrastructure while also improving wildlife habitat.”
For counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the initiative intersects with ongoing conversations about flooding, sea-level rise, shoreline protection, agricultural impacts, and long-term infrastructure resilience. The initiative will also support projects such as wetland restoration, living shorelines, sustainable forest management, and expanded tree planting efforts. The goal here is to help communities better manage increasing impacts from storms, flooding, saltwater intrusion, and rising temperatures.
State officials noted that models project significant marsh loss across portions of the Eastern Shore by 2050, while some agricultural lands are already experiencing saltwater intrusion.
Overall, the initiative’s aims include:
- Restoring tidal connectivity of 400 acres of marshes.
- Restoring 200 acres of tidal wetlands.
- Installing living shorelines to protect 400 acres of tidal marshes.
- Restoring 500 acres of forest habitat and improving forestry management on 1,000 acres.
DNR says the initiative will also support local jobs, conservation partnerships, and additional coordination with county governments and regional organizations. The department is currently seeking nonprofit partners to assist with outreach and implementation efforts and expects to announce awards for living shoreline projects later this year.
For counties, the initiative highlights the growing role nature-based infrastructure may play in local resilience planning and environmental management strategies. Projects like wetland restoration and living shorelines are increasingly being discussed not only as environmental tools, but also as practical approaches to reducing flood impacts, protecting infrastructure, and improving long-term community resilience.
