AKRF, Inc. – Maryland Office is a Founding Businesses for the Bay Member. AKRF, Inc. is a leading environmental, planning and engineering consulting firm. Their integrated approach draws on a wide range of technical specialties to develop real-world solutions for complex and time-sensitive projects.
Melissa Grese and Justin Krebs remove English ivy near Historic Ellicott City in April 2016
The Maryland Office’s Businesses for the Bay team is actively involved in the community and plans to volunteer regularly throughout Howard, Baltimore, and Anne Arundel Counties. For example, in April 2018, the team built a rain garden at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, led by team member, Andrea Fortman. They also regularly control non-native, invasive plant species, including English ivy, from the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area. In 2016, they installed 6 amphibian coverboards on their office site in the floodplain, forested wetland area. They installed 2 additional coverboards in 2018. The team is hoping to see some redback salamanders since they have been maintaining and monitoring the coverboards since installation!
In April 2017, the team participated in Project Clean Stream trash clean-ups and stream surveys in Howard County, MD. The most recent trash clean up and stream survey was at Troy Park.
Mark Southerland, Ph.D. finds a redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus) under a coverboard
The office recently purchased a dishwasher and a new water filter, which helped them eliminate the use of disposable dishware in the office. Everyone on staff received a reusable water bottle, staff use non-disposable plates, cups, and silverware in the break room, and there are reusable cups available for visitors.
Building a rain garden at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum in April 2018 (Staff Member, Andrea Fortman, is towards the back of the photo in pink gloves).
Mark Southerland, Ph.D.
Vice President
For more information about contacting this member, email Corinne Stephens.
We in the Maryland Office of AKRF are focused personally and professionally on the restoration of our nation’s signature waterways from the Hudson River to the Chesapeake Bay. We are happy to join Businesses for the Bay and proudly commit to continuing and enhancing our contributions to restoring the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.