Environmental Accomplishments
Environmental Accomplishments
Every Jam Heals The Bay
Annapolis Baygrass is so much more than just a music festival.
We are a conservation and community-focused musical experience with a mission to protect the Chesapeake Bay, raise mental health awareness, and create an environmentally responsible music event.
A portion of every dollar spent on tickets, drinks, oysters, and Baygrass merchandise goes to our three Bay Conservation non-profit beneficiary partners who do the work on the ground and in the water: Watershed Stewards Academy, Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Below is some information about how the money we donate from the revenues generated by our wonderful Baygrasser community directly impacts the restoration and protection of the Bay.
HERE’S HOW EVERY BAYGRASSER HAS AN IMPACT ON SAVING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY THROUGH OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNERS:
Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA)
WSA was built on the idea of the Master Gardener Program, training individuals who then volunteer in their communities, giving lectures, conducting outreach, and organizing projects.
Since 2008, WSA has trained over 330 Watershed Stewards, including Baygrass Founder Ron Peremel, to collaborate with neighbors, businesses, schools and each other to install over 5,000 projects that reduce pollution in our rivers and streams.
- Projects ranging from rain barrels to stream restoration.
- Planted more than 234,000 native plants and trees.
- Engaged and educated nearly 280,000 residents.
Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP)
ORP is restoring the Bay’s native oyster population by building sanctuary reefs, rebuilding public fishery reefs, supporting the aquaculture (oyster farming) industry, recycling oyster shell, and getting the public involved through hands-on volunteering and events.
ORP, with the help of state and federal partners, has planted 13 billion oysters on more than 3,000 acres of restored reefs and recycled more than 300,000 bushels of shell!
- The reefs are self-sustaining.
- Water clarity is improving.
- Commercial harvests are the highest in a generation.
- Habitat precious to blue crabs and striped bass is returning.
One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day! They remove nitrogen and other pollutants from the Bay when they feed as they pump water through their gills.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Since 1971, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay has served as the ‘backbone’ for action-oriented impact and collaboration across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Through boots-on-the-ground solutions, technical assistance, and expertise, the Alliance prevents pollution where it begins – on the land – before it reaches our rivers and the Chesapeake.
Last year the Alliance:
- Installed 120 conservation practices on 90 farms across the Chesapeake Bay watershed
- Planted over 124,000 trees, creating 407 acres of new Chesapeake f
- Installed and maintained over 1,300 urban green infrastructure projects
- Engaged over 3,000 volunteers to monitor water quality, plant trees, clean up trash, and maintain newly planted trees and rain gardens
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