For over 30 years, citizen science organizations have been a trusted voice and advocate for the health of tributary watersheds to Chesapeake Bay. By engaging citizens in promoting specific Bay friendly actions, these clean water advocates have hoped to improve Bay water quality. However, no comprehensive assessment had been conducted to establish a baseline of current behaviors or measure behavior change. The probability that key stewardship behaviors are occurring and the likelihood that those behaviors will be adopted in the future was the focus of the last year's work.

The primary objective of this project is to layout and design one 4-page factsheet, four 2-page factsheets, a final report, and to provide web-ready graphics to the Rookery Bay NERR. This includes designing colors, font, and design elements within each document. A common “branding” will be applied throughout the products so they are separate but related products. To achieve this, the following tasks have been identified and are outlined below. UMCES ability to complete this work within the tasks outlined in these objectives is contingent on frequent contact with Rookery Bay NERR staff.

Our goal is to develop a suite of indicators that will reflect resource resilience to impacts related to sea level rise, increased water temperature, changed precipitation patterns, and increased storm intensity and frequency. The suite of indicators will be integrated into the Chesapeake Bay Report Card. We estimate that this process will be achieved over a two-year period and will be an important evolution in the Chesapeake Bay Report Card, and for environmental reporting globally.