IAN continues to foster strong relationships with its partners and is achieving goals related to products and dissemination. However, goals are not being met in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, and Education and Outreach categories, and for including Core Categories of Indicators in assessment projects. IAN also needs to promote more teaching and training opportunities.

This report is in response to Senate Bill 830 (2022) that instructed the University of Maryland Center … for Environmental Science (UMCES) to evaluate the following topics in collaboration with Smithsonian … Environmental Research Center, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, appropriate State and federal … agencies, and industry and other stakeholders:

Structures (SHORES) is part of an effort to fill key knowledge gaps in support of Maryland’s … oyster resource and oyster industries. Chesapeake Bay is home to thriving commercial fishing and … aquaculture industries and one of the largest oyster restoration efforts in North America. The lack of … fresh shell substrate has become a major impediment to all of these activities and alternatives are … being considered for large-scale use in restoration and industry efforts.

In February 2024, the COAST Card team visited the study site in Goa, India. There, they participated in a conference on sustainability work occuring in Goa, listening to presentations from students of all ages, as well as professors from the local university. Students also created posters on their work in Goa and participated in a Listening Session on their values and concerns for the area.

In October 2024, the COAST Card team made their final site visit to the Chesapeake Bay. There, they participated in field trips, a workshop on the Chesapeake Global Collaboratory, and discussed the final year of the COAST Card Project. This trip marked the end of the site visits for the project and the final of four countries visited for the project.

Elizabeth's Landing's living shoreline was installed and funded by the community, who came together to assess the need for this living shoreline, raised funds, and planted the area with native marshes. This sign was installed on the shoreline to inform the community about the various benefits of a living shoreline, ensuring the area remains a valuable asset for generations to come.

The recent tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge has highlighted the critical importance of Baltimore Harbor to the region’s infrastructure, environment, and economy. In response, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), through its Chesapeake Global Collaboratory (CGC), hosted “Baltimore Harbor in Context” on October 10, 2024. The event gathered diverse stakeholders and featured plenary talks, panel discussions, and interactive breakout sessions.

This symposium and report were sponsored by the State of Maryland and convened and produced … by University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). Lead organizers were Dr. Elizabeth North and Dr. Matthew Gray of UMCES Horn Point Laboratory. The symposium team also … included David Nemazie, Conor Keitzer, Roshni Nair, Monica Fabra, and Kurt Florez. Graphic design … and logistical support were provided by the UMCES Integration and Application Network (IAN).

This 24-page strategic plan highlights IAN's impact so far, along with the mission, vision, and values by which IAN conducts itself. This document details IAN's objectives for the next five years.

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay and its Watershed. Since 2016, UMCES has engaged stakeholders throughout the watershed to transform the report card into an evaluation of the Chesapeake Watershed health. Watershed health includes traditional ecological indicators, but also economic and societal indicators.