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NOAA-Wide Partnership
This section includes background information about how NOAA Restoration Day began, the partners involved with the effort, and why NOAA staff should volunteer to assist with restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, it links to more specific details about the different events.
NOAA-Wide Partnership
This project first came to fruition in 2004 through an innovative, staff-led partnership between the NOS Special Projects office, the NOAA Restoration Center, and the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office. It combined the NOS SAV office growing initiative started in 2002 with NCBO's field expertise, and a pre-existing NOAA Restoration Center project. This undertaking utilizes in-house NOAA restoration expertise, existing partnerships, eager NOAA staff, and supplements an on-going NOAA restoration project. The core planning team was acknowledged with a 2006 NOAA Bronze medal.
NOAA Restoration Day has become extremely popular among NOAA staff. From 2004 to 2005, tank set-ups were reserved within one day of their announcement, a 'waiting list' to participate was needed, participation almost doubled in size, and senior NOAA leadership 
attended the event. In 2006, there were two events -- one held at the Trent Hall Restoration Site (near Benedict, MD) for NOAA HQ employees from Silver Spring, and the other held at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rice Center in Charles City, VA for NOAA employees based in the Virginia area.
- NOAA Restoration Day Summary Poster (pdf, 1.2 MB, July 2007, dimensions: 44" x 34")
- NOAA Restoration Day Summary Fact Sheet (pdf, 1.3 MB, July 2007)
Background
In 2002, a small, but enthusiastic effort began in the NOS Special Projects office to grow and plant underwater bay grasses through a Chesapeake Bay Foundation program. Bay grass provides important food and habitat for fish, shellfish and waterfowl and helps keep water clean. The ultimate goal of this activity was to help repair Bay habitat though an additional attraction was that it provided a rare, and greatly appreciated opportunity, for NOAA headquarters staff to get outside for hands-on field work.
This small bay grass growing effort began with three tank systems in 2002 and has expanded into a much larger NOAA-wide activity which includes at least 20 tanks hosted by all NOAA-line offices using in-house, NOAA scientific expertise along with a variety ofother hands-on, restoration activities with over 130 NOAA volunteers.
- Read more about the 2008 Restoration Day events -- the Maryland event Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Virginia Event at York River State Park.
- Read more about the 2007 Restoration Day events -- the Maryland event at Jug Bay and the Virginia event at VCU’s Rice Center.
- Read more about the 2006 Restoration Day events -- the Maryland event at Trent Hall and the Virginia event at VCU’s Rice Center in collaboration with the adjacent US Fish and Wildlife, Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery.
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Read more about the 2005 Restoration Day event held at Webster Air Field in St. Mary's County, MD.
- Read more about the 2004 Restoration Day event held at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
- Check out the photo archive for pictures of the past Restoration Day events and earlier Bay grass planting events in 2002 and 2003.
Why NOAA Should Help the Chesapeake Bay:
- The Bay is a local treasure that needs our help and support.
- NOAA conducts and supports habitat restoration activities within the Bay watershed
- Headquarters staff want to volunteer and do field work.
- Initiative is consistent with the NOAA mission.
- Employees are well informed and supportive of environmental protection and restoration.
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