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March 4, 2021

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Ecosystem Eco Notes

CBF Adds 14 Million Oysters to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland in 2020

February 13, 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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CBF Oyster planting vessel Patricia Campbell on its way to seed oysters in the Tred Avon River.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) continued its long-term push to restore oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay by adding more than 14 million oysters in Maryland waters during 2020’s pandemic-affected season.

More than 10 million of the oysters were added to the Tred Avon River on the Eastern Shore, where CBF is working under a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to restore oyster reefs at the tributary scale along with other state and federal partners. This effort contributes to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement goal of restoring oyster reefs in 10 tributaries by 2025.

Despite the pandemic limiting CBF staff’s ability to connect with volunteers, CBF’s cadre of oyster gardeners contributed 500,000 adult oysters to the 2020 tally. These oysters were added to Maryland’s portion of the Bay from as far south as the Virginia border to the Baltimore area in the north. The work helps engage citizens with limited access to the Bay and exposes them to this iconic reef-building species they may only be familiar with from eating.

Volunteers also helped CBF collect more than 1,200 bushels of oyster shells, which will be recycled, re-set with oyster larvae and put back into the Bay to grow. In the Bay, oysters naturally produce larvae that attaches to existing oyster shells and grows into larger oysters, which helps build reefs.

CBF Oyster Restoration Manager Karl Willey in front of oysters that were later added to the Tred Avon River – Summer 2020

The oyster restoration figures were down from CBF’s annual average of adding about 25 million oysters to the Bay. This was mostly due to limitations on restoration activities to ensure safety during the pandemic. CBF limited the number of staff working closely on boats as well as how many volunteers could gather for oyster gardening events.

“As soon as we became aware of the pandemic in early March of last year, we took immediate action to change our oyster restoration operations to ensure the safety of staff and volunteers,” said Doug Myers, CBF’s Senior Maryland Scientist. “What we didn’t do is halt the program. Instead, we worked within safety guidelines and continued planting millions of water-filtering oysters in the Bay. We’re so thankful to our dozens of volunteers who were able to assist our efforts during these trying times by helping to pick up and clean recycled shells.”

Chesapeake Oyster Alliance and Large-Scale Restoration Efforts 

CBF’s effort coincided with work by other groups that are also adding more oysters to the Bay. The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, a coalition of oyster-related businesses, academic institutions and environmental organizations, has now added more than 2 billion oysters to the Bay as it continues its march toward its goal to add 10 billion oysters to the Bay by 2025.

CBF Oyster Restoration Specialist Patrick Beall stands next to one of four trucks used to transport oysters raised by volunteers for planting in Herring Bay in fall 2020. Credit – AJ Metcalf

In 2020, the Alliance and CBF joined forces to help oyster aquaculture operators sell farm-raised oysters directly to consumers. Oyster aquaculture businesses were hit particularly hard by reduced restaurant demand for oysters during the pandemic.

“We were able to help four oyster farmers sell more than 18,000 oysters during oyster pop-up sales hosted throughout Maryland during the summer and fall,” said Tanner Council, Chesapeake Oyster Alliance Manager. “Oyster farming has been one of the great seafood economic success stories during the past decade, with the industry growing by about 24 percent per year in Maryland from 2012 to 2018. We wanted to help any way we could to ensure businesses survive the reduced demand for oysters caused by restaurant closures during the pandemic.”

This past year, CBF also celebrated the completion of oyster restoration work in the Little Choptank River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where 358 acres of Bay bottom have now been seeded with 2 billion spat-on-shell oysters. CBF added about 66 million oysters to the Little Choptank during the restoration work, which began in 2015.

The large-scale restoration work is targeted to meet the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s goal of restoring oyster populations in at least 10 Bay tributaries by 2025. So far, those efforts have been completed in Maryland’s Harris Creek and Virginia’s Lafayette River and the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River, as well as the Little Choptank.

Oyster Innovation 

CBF has been innovating to respond to oysters’ ongoing challenges. In 2020, staff continued monitoring a 700-foot oyster reef ball living shoreline installed in the South River in 2019 in partnership with the Arundel Rivers Federation. The concrete reef balls placed near an eroding shoreline were seeded with spat, or juvenile oysters. Some of those oysters have since grown much larger. CBF is reviewing the project to see if reef balls seeded with oysters could be used in living shorelines elsewhere along the Bay to provide habitat, filter water, and reduce shoreline erosion.  By growing vertically, this nearshore reef could continue to provide shore protection better than bulkheads and other shoreline armoring because the growth can keep pace with sea level rise.

CBF has also been working with engineering firm Northrop Grumman to develop ways to more easily monitor oyster reefs below the often murky water of the Bay. In 2021, CBF and Northrop Grumman plan to deploy new SONAR and acoustic listening devices to help better understand how oysters are faring in the Bay and identify new target reefs for restoration.

Oysters are a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay. An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, their reefs provide habitat for fish, crabs, and other marine life, and oysters are an important part of the region’s seafood economy. For these reasons, CBF has prioritized the protection and restoration of the Bay’s oyster reefs.

More information about CBF’s oyster-related work can be found in the 2020 Maryland Oyster Annual Report.

Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: chesapeake bay foundation, Ecosystem, local news

Josh Kurtz Named Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Maryland Executive Director

January 13, 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has named Josh Kurtz as its new Maryland Executive Director. Kurtz joins CBF after serving as the policy and government relations director for The Nature Conservancy in Maryland. Kurtz previously led advocacy campaigns at the Maryland General Assembly and the D.C. City Council to generate support for environmental conservation and policies to reduce climate change.

Josh Kurtz

In his new role, Kurtz will lead CBF staff in Annapolis and Easton as they work on policies and legislation aimed at helping Maryland reach its 2025 Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint pollution reduction goals. This includes efforts to plant more trees, conserve forested land, help farmers make environmental improvements, green cities, and ensure the state maintains sustainable fisheries. Kurtz will also oversee the Maryland office’s work to add millions more oysters to the Bay and promote regenerative agriculture throughout the state with tree plantings and farm restoration projects. 

“It’s my pleasure to welcome Josh to CBF and our Maryland team,” said Alison Prost, CBF Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration. “He brings with him broad experience addressing Chesapeake Bay pollution issues in Maryland at the state and local levels. His work will focus on engaging the community, educating decision-makers, and strengthening the state’s environmental policy and regulations.” 

Kurtz, a Crownsville resident, worked at The Nature Conservancy from 2013 until joining CBF this month. He has a master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife conservation from the University of Delaware. Kurtz will fill Prost’s previous position after she was promoted to oversee CBF’s watershed-wide environmental protection and restoration efforts. 

“Maryland is working hard to meet the state’s 2025 Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals and these next four years will be key to ensuring the progress we’ve made so far becomes permanent,” said Kurtz. “We need to protect forested land, plant trees, minimize stormwater runoff in cities and towns, and ensure farmers continue to reduce polluted runoff flowing off agricultural land. I’m honored to have the opportunity to join the Maryland team in this important work.” 

Filed Under: Eco Homepage, Eco Portal Lead

More Than 50 Acres of Tree, Shrub, and Meadow Plantings Underway in Several Maryland Eastern Shore Jurisdictions

December 9, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation 2 Comments

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A late fall groundbreaking is underway at 13 sites in six jurisdictions on Maryland’s Eastern Shore as part of work to add more than 50 acres of new trees, shrubs, and meadows to improve water quality.

The ongoing construction is happening due to collaboration between six Eastern Shore local jurisdictions, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), and others to identify environmental improvement projects and provide the support needed to fund and install the projects.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) provided a grant to kickstart the partnership, which enabled CBF to hire a staffer, known as a “circuit rider” to work on behalf of the localities. The staffer prioritized the jurisdictions’ potential projects and then sought out funding for them.

“The goal of this program is to help local governments grow the capacity they need to achieve the 2025 pollution reduction goals,” said Alan Girard, CBF’s Eastern Shore Director. “This collaboration empowers Eastern Shore counties, cities, and towns to put more projects in the ground at reduced cost to local governments. It demonstrates a cost-effective way to stop polluted runoff from entering streams, rivers, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.”

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources subsequently awarded $300,000this summer to the collaboration to pay for the initial projects. Tom Leigh, the circuit rider, is now working with the contractor, Cambridge-based Delmarva RC&D, to install the vegetation, trees, and other projects that improve water quality.

The long-term goal is to build the collaboration to continue to reduce costs and time related to staffing and grant applications. By working together, Leigh and the jurisdictions were able to use one application, one grant manager, and one contractor to apply and plan for the projects—a process that if done individually by each jurisdiction would have taken significantly more resources.

“This ground-breaking circuit rider strategy is a great way to protect the Bay at the local grass roots level, greening and growing strong partnerships with communities through teamwork, trust, and technical assistance,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. The Maryland Department of the Environment matched funding provided by participating counties and towns and NFWF to get the partnership underway.

Few of these models have been attempted in the region, but the effort builds on increasing interest in working across traditional boundaries to clean up the Bay. The projects being installed now help the jurisdictions reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution, which is required as part of Maryland’s commitment to the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. The Blueprint is the multi-state effort to reduce pollution across the Bay watershed by 2025. Trees and other vegetation planted near farm fields and along streams are among the most cost-effect practices to filter and reduce Bay pollutants. Pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus fuel agal blooms in the Bay, which reduce water clarity and lower dissolved oxygen levels that fish and crabs need to survive.

During a virtual press conference Tuesday, several elected and government officials discussed the value of the circuit rider effort.

“This really is a win-win for the Eastern Shore,” said Talbot County Councilmember Pete Lesher. “By working together Talbot County and its neighbors will have more trees, meadows, and other vegetation throughout the landscape. The new additions will beautify our communities and help improve the Bay’s health.”

The circuit rider collaboration was one outcome of the Healthy Waters Round Table, which in 2015 first brought together Eastern Shore government officials and environmental organizations to identify shared restoration needs and how to address them.

The following projects are now being constructed or are in the pipeline through the circuit rider collaborative effort:

Queen Anne’s County

  • Lining 12 acres along Price Creek in the Blue Heron Nature reserve with a grass buffer
  • Planting trees near the entrance of the public Blue Heron Golf Course driving range
  • Planting trees and shrubs around a portion of the perimeter of Grasonville Park
  • Transforming turf grass areas in Whitemarsh Park with trees, shrubs, and meadows
  • Adding a new meadow at Batts Neck Park near a stormwater pond overflow

Talbot County

  • Adding trees and shrubs around the perimeter of Cordova Community Park
  • Expanding a riparian forest buffer near the biosolids spray irrigation facility northeast of Easton
  • Planting a newly created ditch near the recently expanded Goldsborough Neck Road with shrubbery to reduce runoff to Goldsborough Creek

Easton

  • Planting trees, shrubs, and meadows at Moton Park and RTC Park
  • Adding seven acres of new meadow next to the Easton Airport

Oxford

  • Using reclaimed sediment to create a large berm that will be graded into an outdoor amphitheater at Oxford Central Park. The area will also be planted with trees, shrubs, and meadow and new bioretention areas will be created.

Cambridge

  • Planting trees in Great Marsh Park to reduce flooding during high water events that have become more frequent

Salisbury

  • Undertaking an urban tree canopy study to assess and recommend ways to increase the city’s tree cover

Note: Funding provided to CBF by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction program includes funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government, or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or its funding sources.

Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: Chesapeake Bay, Ecosystem, local news

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Hosting Oyster Pop-Up Shop In Easton November 24

November 14, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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Get fresh local oysters directly from growers. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is hosting four oyster pop-up shops at various locations in Maryland in October and November including Easton..The sales are designed to benefit Maryland oyster farmers, who are facing declining sales this year due to limited restaurant openings and ongoing restaurant closures due to COVID-19.

Oyster farmers depend on restaurants for the bulk of their sales. About 90 percent of the oysters they raise are sold directly to restaurants. As the pandemic continues, CBF is working to help oyster farmers sell their product directly to consumers.

Oyster farmers purchase larvae or spat on shell and raise them into market-sized oysters in the Bay. Oyster aquaculture operations are sustainable and help ensure consumer demand for oysters can be met without depleting the wild oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay.

Oysters in the Bay clarify the water and provide habitat for fish, blue crabs, and other marine life. Oyster populations in Maryland have been on a long-term decline since the late 1800s due to overfishing, pollution, and disease. Oyster aquaculture provides a way to reverse this decline while providing Marylanders with fresh, local oysters.

For instructions on how to handle and shuck oysters visit CBF’s website – www.cbf.org/join-us/more-things-you-can-do/oyster-pop-up-shops

Tuesday, Nov. 24 – Easton, Maryland

  • Pickup time and location: 4 to 6:30 p.m., Easton Point 24 Fuel, 930 Port St., Easton
  • Oyster farmer – Pirate’s Cove Oyster Co.
  • To order: Email piratescoveoysters@gmail.com before Nov. 23 at noon
  • Quantities available and price:
    • 12 count – $12
    • 24 count – $20
    • 50 count – $35
    • 100 count – $60

Filed Under: Archives

CBF Opposes Maryland Proposal to Limit Areas for Oyster Restoration

October 21, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation 1 Comment

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is opposing proposed changes to Maryland’s public shellfish fishery areas that would limit the ability to expand oyster farming and restoration activities in the future.

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) presented the proposed policy Oct. 12 at the Oyster Advisory Commission meeting. The proposal, if approved in regulation, would establish criteria to develop new public shellfish fishery areas—Bay bottom reserved exclusively for oyster harvesting —if the area has five or more oysters per square meter of bottom.

Once a public shellfish fishery area has been established, the bottom can no longer be used for activities such as oyster restoration or oyster farming, also known as aquaculture. However, Bay bottom with strong oyster populations are among the best areas to restore oyster reefs or raise oysters as part of an aquaculture operation. This proposal could prevent reef restoration and aquaculture in large portions of Maryland’s Bay by reserving them for commercial harvest. More than 179,000 acres of Bay bottom are already designated as public shellfish fishery areas. An additional 100,000 acres or more that fall outside of these areas are also open to oyster harvest. About 6,500 acres of Bay bottom are currently being leased for oyster farming.

Environmental advocates, scientists, watermen, and seafood sellers are working together to develop recommendations for a new fishery management plan for oysters as part of a consensus process established in Maryland law in January. DNR’s proposed regulations represent a major change in oyster management that undermine the spirit of that law and the process that’s already underway. This end-around the consensus-based process ties the hands of stakeholders working to develop a shared vision for oyster management.

The proposal must still go through a public comment period and legislative review before it can be established in regulation by DNR. CBF is urging DNR to consider tabling this proposal so that it may be properly considered by the Oyster Advisory Commission members whose legislative mandate is to cooperatively develop recommendations for oyster management that increase oyster abundance and ends overfishing.

The reality is Maryland needs more oysters. Oysters filter and clarify water. Their reefs provide habitat to blue crabs, fish, and other marine life. Despite these benefits, oyster populations in the state remain at historic lows. Expanding areas for the exclusive use of harvesters that require no replanting of oysters and excluding aquaculture operators, who are required to replant areas at sustainable levels, seems highly unlikely to achieve this outcome.

CBF Maryland Fisheries Scientist Allison Colden issued the following statement about the proposal:

“This proposal undermines the process put in place by the legislature to implement actions to increase the oyster population and end overfishing. It appears to be a one-sided proposal to increase the oyster harvest at the expense of restoration and aquaculture efforts that are helping to bring Maryland’s oysters back. Making more of Maryland’s Bay bottom off-limits to restoration and aquaculture makes no sense as oyster populations are wallowing at historic lows. The state must balance the interests of the fishery with the environmental and social benefits more oysters could provide, instead of reserving the remaining oysters in Maryland waters for harvest.”

Filed Under: Eco Homepage, Eco Portal Lead

Experts from CBF and Glenstone Museum to Detail Fall Lawncare Tips

October 3, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation 1 Comment

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Ditch the fertilizers and weed killers and make your lawn environmentally friendly this fall.

Join Paul Tukey, the Glenstone Museum’s Chief Sustainability Officer, and Beth McGee, Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) Director of Science and Agricultural Policy, for a free live webinar at noon on Oct. 7 about how your lawncare choices affect the environment. Online registration in advance is required to join.

Tukey and McGee will discuss how to create natural landscapes using native plants that add habitat for local wildlife and reduce polluted rain runoff. By incorporating these techniques into your lawncare you can help restore the local environment and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

“We want to show people the beauty and the benefits of having a more natural landscape,” said McGee. “We’ll be encouraging homeowners to embrace native plants, add trees, and replace swaths of turf with low maintenance groundcovers. The traditional suburban lawn, which often requires fertilizers and herbicides to maintain, is going out of style. We can help you transition into the future.”

At the webinar, Tukey and McGee will detail ways homeowners can plant native grasses, clovers and other types of ground cover to create a lush lawn composed of diverse plant species. Doing so will increase soil health, which brings back a complex ecosystem of microorganisms and enables the soil to store more water.

Lawns compose more than 3 million acres of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, meaning what happens to them affects the Bay’s health. When it rains on lawns, the water can wash away fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals that then flow into local waterways and ultimately the Bay. Removing traditional turf lawns and replanting with native plants can greatly reduce this polluted runoff.

Tukey leads sustainability efforts at Glenstone, a nearly 300-acre contemporary art museum in Montgomery County, Maryland. He is also the author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, a book that details how to grow a gorgeous lawn free of harsh chemicals. McGee has worked for CBF for 17 years and currently leads the organization’s efforts to help farmers implement regenerative agriculture techniques that restore healthy soils and reduce water runoff.

Fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that wash away from turf lawns after rainstorms contribute to the overall pollution loads that Bay watershed states are working to clean up by 2025 under the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint goals. Once in the Bay, these pollutants can cause harmful algal blooms that cloud the water and deplete dissolved oxygen, which kills marine life, among other negative effects.

Reducing lawn pollutants is a key component of watershed-wide efforts to reach the 2025 goals. Watch the webinar Wed., Oct. 7 to see how you can make a difference.

More information about the Speakers:

Paul Tukey, Chief Sustainability Officer, Glenstone Museum

Paul Tukey came to Glenstone in 2010 as a sustainable landscape consultant and joined the museum as a full-time associate three years later to focus on all aspects of sustainability and regeneration in grounds and buildings. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Organic Lawn Care Manual, as well as hundreds of articles on many aspects of natural landscape techniques. Paul was named the first-ever Green Medal of Honor recipient from the Garden Writers of America in 2017. An avid photographer, writer and runner, he resides in Maryland with his wife and two daughters.

Beth McGee, Director of Science and Ag Policy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Dr. Beth McGee is the Director of Science and Agricultural Policy with CBF. Beth has been at CBF since 2003 where she is the lead policy advisor and coordinator on regional water quality and agricultural initiatives. For more than 30 years, Beth has been very active in Chesapeake Bay issues, conducting research, serving on technical subcommittees and advisory groups, testifying before Congress, and helping shape the precedent-setting clean-up plan for the Chesapeake Bay. In her spare time, she likes doing anything outside—kayaking, hiking, biking.

About Glenstone

Glenstone, a museum of modern and contemporary art, is integrated into nearly 300 acres of gently rolling pasture and unspoiled woodland in Montgomery County, Maryland, less than 15 miles from the heart of Washington, DC. Established by the not-for-profit Glenstone Foundation, the museum opened in 2006 and provides a contemplative, intimate setting for experiencing iconic works of art and architecture within a natural environment.

Glenstone is open Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to Glenstone is free and visits can be scheduled online at: www.glenstone.org.

Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: Ecosystem, local news

CBF Launches CBF Owl, a Live Online Environmental Education Program

September 29, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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This month the Chesapeake Bay Foundation launched CBF Online Watershed Learning (CBF OWL)–a new education program designed to bring CBF’s expert environmental educators live into online classrooms.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the spring, CBF’s educators have been working to transform the lessons they typically deliver to students on boats, canoes, and hiking trails for students learning remotely.

CBF OWL does this by providing schools with a team of educators who lead an online and interactive 45-minute lesson about a Chesapeake Bay environmental subject. Teachers and administrators can choose from topics such as Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, connections between land and water, forests, and oysters. The first live OWL lessons begin in classrooms throughout the Bay watershed Oct. 5.

“We’re excited to bring our educators’ passion for Chesapeake Bay science and restoration into online classrooms,” said Tom Ackerman, CBF’s Vice President of Education. “This new program gives us the ability to continue to educate students during the pandemic and we think it has greater potential as well. We hope to reach new classrooms and schools we haven’t been able to welcome into the field in the past, using technology and resources we’ve developed over the past year. This program will provide schools with a new avenue to access CBF’s experience and knowledge about the watershed.”

Virtual classroom sessions with CBF educators keep environmental education rolling during COVID-19 remote learning. Credit: CBF Staff

When a teacher signs up for an OWL class, a CBF educator will review the lesson in advance with the teacher and introduce them to CBF’s Learn Outside, Learn at Home online resources. Learn Outside, Learn at Home is a new, free library of online videos and investigations created by CBF to encourage students to examine environmental issues in their neighborhood and throughout the Bay’s watershed.

CBF Educator Kellie Fiala said she is looking forward to bringing a similar interactive education experience to students learning from home as the one she typically delivers in-person at the Merrill Center in Annapolis.

“We have always emphasized the importance of hands-on learning in our field programs,” Fiala said. “While we won’t be physically leading students into a marsh, helping them paddle a canoe, or passing out binoculars on the boat, we still plan to engage students in a way that’s similar to how we interact in the field. This new program will allow us to, quite literally, meet students where they are, which allows us to use artifacts, demonstrations, data, living organisms, and relevant discussions to connect students to their local environment.”

Teachers or administrators interested in bringing a CBF educator live into their online classrooms can reserve a date and time on CBF’s website. The program costs $50 per reservation and fee waivers are available for schools that qualify, which includes Title 1 or FARM schools. CBF uses the registration fees to support the organization’s education program.

More information about the CBF OWL program can be found at the CBF OWL website or in this Q&A with several CBF educators – Back to School with CBF Owl.

Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: Ecosystem, local news

CBF Announces New VP for Environmental Protection and Restoration

September 17, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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Alison Prost

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) President William C. Baker is pleased to announce that Alison Prost is CBF’s new Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration. Ms. Prost has broad experience in environmental issues, having received her Environmental Law Certificate from the University of Maryland and having worked at the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning before coming to CBF. She has been with CBF for more than 12 years, first as the Maryland Office attorney, then as the Executive Director of the Maryland Office. Prost began her career as a legal intern with CBF in 2003 before joining the staff fulltime in 2007.

“Alison Prost’s broad experience with local, state, and federal government agencies makes her an ideal choice to lead CBF’s policy, grassroots, and restoration programs,” CBF President William C. Baker said. “Alison understands the challenges the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint faces. With just five years to go it is essential that EPA and the Bay states accelerate efforts to reduce pollution.  Alison’s experience and knowledge will be crucial to restoration of this national treasure.”

The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, implemented in 2010, is unlike past state/federal voluntary agreements. It includes pollution limits, state-specific plans to achieve those limits, two-year milestones to evaluate progress, and consequences for failure. In it, the states also committed to implement the practices necessary to restore the Bay by 2025.

As Maryland Office Director, Prost led CBF’s advocacy efforts in the state that have helped increase funding for Bay restoration efforts, establish and permanently protect oyster sanctuaries, conserve forested land, and aid farmers who install environmental practices. She has also overseen CBF’s Maryland restoration work, which has included planting millions of new oysters and tens of thousands of trees during the previous decade.

“CBF is an amazing place to work,” Prost said. “It’s a team of committed staff that are at the top of their fields. I look forward to applying my experiences in Maryland throughout the watershed. In this new role, I’ll continue to fight for completing the Blueprint so that future generations can have cleaner streams, rivers, and a restored Chesapeake Bay to enjoy.”

Alison Prost resides in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: Ecosystem, local news, The Talbot Spy

CBF and Partners Help Eastern Shore Jurisdictions Secure Grant for Environmental Improvements

August 18, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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Three years ago, six jurisdictions on the Eastern Shore teamed up with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to develop a system to increase their ability to conduct Bay restoration work – and make priority environmental projects more attractive for grant funding.

In July, the new effort paid off when the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced a $300,000 grant award for projects throughout five of the jurisdictions. Property in Talbot and Queen Anne’s counties, the towns of Easton and Oxford, and the city of Cambridge will benefit from the grant, which was awarded through DNR’s Trust Fund. Salisbury, the sixth jurisdiction involved in the effort, did not receive funding through the DNR grant, but received funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to conduct a tree canopy study as part of the combined work.

The DNR grant will pay for 41 acres of trees and nine acres of meadow. About 20 acres of plantings will be in the Critical Area, land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters. These coastal areas serve as the last line of defense for filtering pollutants and stormwater before rain runoff flows into rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Ditches and swales will also receive new plantings to slow down and filter polluted runoff after it drains from roads and farm fields. Plantings scheduled to begin in September are on a fast track to be completed by December.

The award represents a major milestone for the “circuit rider” program supported by CBF Senior Regional Watershed Services Manager Tom Leigh, who worked closely with the Shore localities to identify environmental projects they needed funding to put in place. By working together, Leigh and the jurisdictions were able to use one application, one grant manager, and one contractor to apply for and plan the projects—a process that if done individually by each jurisdiction would have taken significantly more resources. This was the first time a circuit rider program like this one had been attempted anywhere in the state.

“These jurisdictions had several projects they wanted to put in the ground, but lacked the funding to do so,” Leigh said. “By working together, we were able to create efficiencies that enabled us to secure a sizable grant to plant trees, shrubs, and other vegetation that will help improve the region’s water quality long-term.”

“This is just the beginning. As Maryland works to accelerate effort to meet Bay restoration targets by 2025, public and private partners are looking at this pilot as a way to get the job done cheaply and effectively,” Leigh added. “This program enables the smaller jurisdictions to access grants that were typically being awarded to larger counties with more resources and staff at their disposal to handle the application and implementation process.”

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) provided funding to enable the creation of the partnership as well as capital to pursue opportunities such as the DNR grant. Matching contributions from the local jurisdictions, CBF, and MDE ensured the successful implementation of the circuit rider model.The new DNR grant deepens the impact of NFWF’s original investment, adding new resources that help advance locally important stormwater management goals.

The contractor working on the projects funded by the DNR grant is Delmarva Resource Conservation & Development, a locally-owned nonprofit in Cambridge, MD.

“Working directly with Tom Leigh through the circuit rider program, Queen Anne’s County was able to realize stormwater reduction goals identified in its Watershed Implementation Plan,” said Michael Wisnosky, Queen Anne’s County Director of Planning and Zoning. “Without this partnership, the funding and ability to implement these best practices on public and private lands would not have occurred within the foreseeable future. Tom’s ability to assist the County to identify specific environmental projects and to pool resources between jurisdictions has been extremely valuable, and we look forward to continued opportunities to join forces.”

“The Town of Oxford is appreciative of the work of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in support of our community water quality improvement efforts and especially grateful for our Regional Watershed Services Manager, Tom Leigh,” said Cheryl Lewis, the Town of Oxford’s Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer.  “Tom, acting as a circuit rider for multiple jurisdictions, has been instrumental in keeping us all on track, assisting us individually in defining the projects that will best serve our communities, and jointly pursuing funding for those projects.”

“We are overjoyed with the recent success of this collaboration’s application, which Tom took from an idea to a robust submittal to the DNR Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund on our behalf,” added Lewis. “The success of our multijurisdictional group is a remarkable feat, as demonstrated by the recent award from DNR, and one of which I am proud to say the Town of Oxford is a participant.”

As the grant-funded project moves to the construction phase, Leigh is working to secure other benefits, such as buying trees in bulk to reduce costs. He’ll also continue to evaluate the program’s effectiveness to determine how the projects fulfill the jurisdictions’ stormwater reduction requirements and Bay cleanup goals.

Project Details:

Queen Anne’s County

  • Lining 12 acres along Price Creek in the Blue Heron Nature reserve with a grass buffer
  • Planting trees near the entrance of the public Blue Heron Golf Course driving range
  • Planting trees and shrubs around a portion of the perimeter of Grasonville Park
  • Transforming turf grass areas in Whitemarsh Park with trees, shrubs, and meadows
  • Adding a new meadow at Batts Neck Park near a stormwater pond overflow

Talbot County

  • Adding trees and shrubs around the perimeter of Cordova Community Park
  • Expanding a riparian forest buffer near the biosolids spray irrigation facility northeast of Easton
  • Planting a newly created ditch near the recently expanded Goldsborough Neck Road with shrubbery to reduce runoff to Goldsborough Creek

Easton

  • Planting trees, shrubs, and meadows at Moton Park and RTC Park
  • Adding seven acres of new meadow next to the Easton Airport

Oxford

  • Using reclaimed sediment to create a large berm that will be graded into an outdoor amphitheater at Oxford Central Park. The area will also be planted with trees, shrubs, and meadow and new bioretention areas will be created.

Cambridge

  • Planting trees in Great Marsh Park to reduce flooding during high water events that have become more frequent

Note: Funding provided to CBF by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction program includes funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government, or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or its funding sources.

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Filed Under: Eco Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Ecosystem, local news

Environmental Education Comes Home for Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

April 19, 2020 by Chesapeake Bay Foundation Leave a Comment

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The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has launched a new online environmental learning series designed to be a resource for teachers, parents, and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, Washington, D.C., announced schools would be closed until May 15. Virginia and Pennsylvania schools are closed through the end of the school year, while Maryland’s school closure is likely to be extended.

Since the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) founding in 1967, CBF’s education work has focused on a simple motto: Learn Outside. But due to restrictions related to coronavirus, for the first time CBF has cancelled all educational field experiences this spring on CBF boats and outdoor education centers across Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.

That’s why CBF is undertaking a new effort to bring outdoor education experiences to teachers and students tasked with learning remotely. This new remote learning series, called “Learn Outside, Learn at Home,” features videos of CBF’s professional educators discussing environmental science topics from around the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The online resources are carefully crafted to align with school curriculum and state learning standards.

“These are tough times for everyone. We realize many parents are juggling work and life responsibilities while also caring for children at home due to school closures,” said Tom Ackerman, CBF’s Vice President of Education. “Meanwhile, teachers are grappling with the best ways to educate students remotely. CBF is ready to help. Several new education videos, investigations, and activities are already available and during the next several weeks we’ll add many more. They’re all designed to bring our award-winning Bay education programs into your homes and get students exploring nearby nature.”

Each video is paired with an investigation for students to complete. Students can also explore nature journaling activities to document the environment around their homes and backyards. Schools and teachers both locally‑-such as in Alexandria, VA, and Harford County, MD–as well as from as far away as Oregon are integrating the Learn Outside, Learn at Home series into remote learning efforts.

For adults restricted by stay-at-home orders, CBF is creating educational and entertaining webinars, videos, and blog posts related to news, wildlife, and the environment along local rivers and the Bay. The wide variety of topics include a webinar on dolphins in the Bay, a video and blog post on how COVID-19 is affecting oyster farmers, and an Ask an Expert video series covering topics from oysters to regenerative agriculture.

Over the next few weeks, CBF’s team of educators and scientists will continue creating new material that anyone can benefit from during the pandemic. The new videos and investigations are being compiled at cbf.org/bringhome. To get CBF’s weekly e-mail roundup of engaging new resources, subscribe to the special Save the Bay e-newsletter at cbf.org/newsletter

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Filed Under: Eco Notes, Portal Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Ecosystem, local news

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