ST. LUKE'S RESTORATION OF NATURE
St. Luke’s Restoration of Nature is an environmental education campus on a four- acre comprehensive coastal plain stream valley restoration. We seek to inform and inspire others on how nature effectively serves Bay restoration goals, enhances community well being, provides climate resiliency elements, and conserves natural resources.
Located on Back Creek in Annapolis, this project followed Chesapeake Bay Program guidelines to restore the historic stream valley and clean 28 acres of polluted urban stormwater runoff flowing directly into the creek through a municipal pipe system. Best management practices include infiltration at the highest elevation to restore the stream’s hydrological function by daylighting stormwater pipes and capturing stormwater via curb cuts into bioswales, production of clean water springs, a regenerative stream channel, wetlands, tidal marsh, a living shoreline, native trees and plants replacing degraded land, and expanded forested buffer. With construction completed in 2018, the end result of this treatment train of best management practices will be a restored ecosystem producing multiple benefits:
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Cleaner water entering Back Creek, serving the City’s mandatory WIP goals
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Protected water resources through maximizing infiltration and replenishing aquifers
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Abundant food and shelter for wildlife and aquatic species
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Valuable carbon sequestration features: tree canopy, tidal marsh, and living shoreline.
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Cooling of water temperature under 4 acres of tree canopy provides shelter for aquatic life seeking cooler water in which to thrive as temperatures rise and threaten survival
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Sponge-like tidal marsh, living shoreline, and wetlands protect the community against flood tides
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Quality green space with educational trails throughout the 4-acre restoration
Through our guided tours along trails with overlooks to illustrate the many values of a restored stream valley, the campus is already serving public and private schools, government officials in demonstrating Bay restoration that fulfills clean water and climate resiliency goals, naturalists, and civic groups.
