Lessons learned restoring the Chesapeake will help leaders clean up Rio's Guanabara Bay

December 9, 2013

Knowledge gained by Maryland scientists who have studied the Chesapeake Bay for decades will soon be shared with leaders in Brazil to help clean up of Rio's Guanabara Bay.

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed an agreement with Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral Filho to share best practices for keeping the Chesapeake Bay and Rio’s Guanabara Bay clean, healthy, and sustainable. The agreement aims to connect more than 30 years of experience Maryland has in restoring the Chesapeake Bay with the challenges Rio faces with improving the water quality of Guanabara Bay in time for the 2016 Olympics. UMCES will play a key role in facilitating the communication use of science.

UMCES President Don Boesch and Associate Vice President of External Relations Dave Nemazie joined Governor O'Malley and Maryland business, education and government leaders on the seven-day mission to Brazil. They also had fruitful discussions on developing educational exchanges with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of São Paulo as part of UMCES Global Reach focus.