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National Aquarium To Bring Operations Outdoors

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Revitalizing Baltimore's downtown waterfront. The National Aquarium is expanding its operations outdoors, building a scenic wetland right inside the Inner Harbor.

Tracey Leong has the details on this new plan.

The goal of the urban wetland is to not only beautify the Inner Harbor, but to also promote conservation.

The revitalizing project will create a greener space in Charm City with wetland and bay habitats and interactive stations.

"Connect people to nature and with an effort to make it a world where we all live in harmony," said aquarium curator Jack Cover.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is expanding their habitats outdoors, providing a habitat for wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay and also improving the water quality---an idea floating well with visitors.

"I love the idea of being able to always come back and have something new to see and share something as a family," said Amalea Hijar.

The $14 million project will be built in the middle of the aquarium's campus between Pier 3 and 4. This free oasis is giving everyone access to a green infrastructure, hopefully inspiring a conservation movement to protect our natural resources.

"Understanding what the problems are, what they can do to help the many problems happening to the Chesapeake Bay," Cover said. "It's going to really take a collective effort."

Construction for the project will begin by the end of this year and should be completed by 2019.

The project is being funded by public and private funds.

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