Friends of Eastern Neck
Interactive Partnership
In 2010 the Friends of Eastern Neck (FOEN) awarded $15,800 to the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College. The grant was used to develop seasonal education and outreach programs, including a popular “Open House” in December, at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (ENNWR).
A spectrum of programs promoted the appreciation and conservation of fragile island resources while cultivating volunteer stewardship of the wildlife refuge. Gren Whitman, President of the Friends, says: “Our ongoing relationship with Washington College is helping to raise awareness of the natural, cultural and historic resources of Eastern Neck Island.”
A project manager, JoAnn Fairchild Wood, served as liaison between the respective organizations, US Fish and Wildlife staff, and other stakeholders. “Our goal is to engage volunteers, visitors, public school groups and community members in stewardship of the Refuge and the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” she says.
Activities included classes and workshops, guided tours of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, collaborative programs at Chino Farms, cruises aboard the College’s new research vessel Callinectes, and special events to complement existing activities like shoreline clean-ups, kayaking trips, and field excursions. “We want to engage visitors in a quality natural experience, making them more aware of their connection to— and impact on— the natural world,” says Wood.
The Center was awarded a Coastal America Partnership Award on April 21, 2010, for its contributions to the Hail Cove Living Shoreline Project. Coastal America is a group of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations established in 1992 to protect, preserve, and restore the nation’s coastal resources.
