UMCES Graduates Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) held its annual Commencement on Tuesday, May 24, featuring the conferral of master’s and doctorate degrees, distinguished speakers and university awards, and keynote speaker Dr. Deborah Bronk (MEES Ph.D. ’92), oceanographer and President and CEO of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science celebrated Commencement on its Horn Point Laboratory campus in Cambridge, Maryland this week. (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science/Cheryl Nemazie)
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science celebrated Commencement on its Horn Point Laboratory campus in Cambridge, Maryland this week. (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science/Cheryl Nemazie)
“This is a time for optimism and hope because your generation of scientists have demonstrated a resilience and determination to succeed,” University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science President Peter Goodwin told graduates. “You are the smartest and most environmentally-aware generation ever to grace this planet.”
UMCES is a preeminent environmental research and educational institution that leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay from a network of laboratories across the state. As an environmental research and graduate institution, UMCES holds a unique and important place among the University System of Maryland’s 12 institutions, leading a nationally ranked graduate program in marine and environmental science and providing unbiased science to assist Maryland policymakers as its mission.
Every year, more than 80 graduate students study and work alongside UMCES scientists and faculty members through the Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences (MEES) graduate program, a nationally eminent interdisciplinary graduate program. Students go on to become environmental leaders in both the public and private sectors, research, and environmental advocacy. Twenty students received joint degrees from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and the University of Maryland College Park (UMD) at the ceremony.
For a complete list of graduates, visit www.umces.edu/commencement-2022.
“A career based on science is a great way to spend your life. Make the choice to enjoy the ride no matter where it takes you,” said commencement speaker Dr. Deborah Bronk (MEES Ph.D. ’92), President and CEO of the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. “It’s an all- hands on deck moment, and we need to share the resources we have. You chose well when you chose UMCES.”
Bronk has conducted more than 50 research cruises and field studies in freshwater and marine environments that stretch from pole to pole during her three decades of experience as an oceanographer. In 2020, she was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and recognized for her substantial research advances on the marine nitrogen cycle and for leadership in the ocean science research community. She earned her Ph.D. from the Marine Estuarine and Environmental Sciences (MEES) graduate program at UMCES’ Horn Point Laboratory campus.
The ceremony included recognition of faculty, student, and staff accomplishments and excellence.
Xin Zhang was awarded President’s Award for Excellence in Application of Science for exemplary applications of science that have had a positive impact on environmental protection. She was recognized for her global leadership in improving understanding of the intersection between food production needs, economic concerns, and the environment. An expert in sustainable agriculture, She led the development of the Sustainable Agriculture Matrix, a quantitative assessment for agriculture sustainability for countries around the world, as well as collaborative projects to identify ways to improve sustainability of nitrogen management in China and the United States.
Senior Faculty Research Assistant Casey Hodgkins was given the President’s Award for Outstanding Research Support for her impact on UMCES’ research enterprise and graduate experience. She has been an integral part of a variety of projects and technical support roles during her 13 years at UMCES’ Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. She has participated in 34 cruises aboard the R/V Rachel Carson as a senior scientist in support of research efforts aimed at understanding ocean acidification and the Patuxent River ecosystem. She has also shared her experiences and skills to mentor junior FRAs and students in the rigor and care involved in the scientific enterprise.
Graduate student Claire Nemes, a Ph.D. candidate with a research focus on birds, was awarded the UMCES Student Service Award for a high level of engagement and service to UMCES’ Appalachian Laboratory and the broader community. Nemes has given more than a dozen talks to community groups, organized countless bird walks in western Maryland, and developed educational materials to teach visitors about the challenges of bird migration. She has a record of educating herself and others to actively promote inclusivity, equity, and diversity and being the first to welcome new people in the community.
Associate Professor Eric Schott, a marine ecologist whose research focuses on understanding aquatic health, was selected by the graduate student body to receive the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award for his dedication to both science and his students. Active in science education and watershed preservation, Schott’s research focuses on understanding discovery and tracking of estuarine pathogens in the blue crab and other shellfish. Students say he is dedicated to improving diversity, equality, and inclusion in his lab and has helped them grow into independent researchers and to be successful in job hunting and developing their career path.
John Piasecki was recognized for receiving the UMCES Staff Excellence Award for consistently demonstrating a high level of commitment and dedication to UMCES as the facilities manager for the Appalachian Laboratory. The Appalachian Laboratory relies on him for wide-ranging duties, from building maintenance to helping students with research projects, and he has made significant contributions to the reduction of energy use and costs by updating the HVAC system and transitioning the facility to LED lighting.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. www.umces.edu
ShoreRivers and Washington College Complete Urban Stormwater Retrofits

Chester Riverkeeper Annie Richards, center, cuts the ribbon for the completion of the North Commons Bioretention Project at Washington College.
ShoreRivers and Washington College recently celebrated the completion of the North Commons Bioretention project, which installed numerous bioretention practices in the North Commons parking lot to better manage and treat stormwater runoff. Urban stormwater runoff is one of the most damaging threats to our waterways because it contains nutrients and other harmful pollutants, and can contribute to localized flooding. The project culminated in a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce on May 6, 2022.
These stormwater improvements were made possible with funds from Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Green Streets, Green Towns, Green Jobs (G3) grant program. The practices were designed to capture and hold water so biological activity can remove nutrients as well as pollutants coming from asphalt and vehicles before draining into the stormwater pond that eventually discharges to Radcliffe Creek, a tributary of the impaired Middle Chester River. This project is the first of a number of improvements the college hopes to make on its campus that will have water quality and habitat benefits and serve as demonstration projects to the large audience the college serves.
“This project is an example of leveraging private investment to increase water quality protections,” explains ShoreRivers Restoration Manager Kim Righi. Washington College invested in the gray infrastructure components of the upgrades—resurfacing and curb placement—providing the required matching funds for the green infrastructure components paid for by grants from Chesapeake Bay Trust.

ShoreRivers Agriculture & Outreach Coordinator Laura Wood poses by the sign she created about the “Stormwater Sanctuary” partnership with Washington College
Washington College Interim Director of Sustainability and Regenerative Living Shane Brill, adds, “We plan to continue partnering on more regenerative stormwater conveyances, attractive native plantings, and signage. ShoreRivers is helping us improve water quality, habitat, and aesthetics while also providing educational opportunities for our student body and campus visitors.”
ShoreRivers is a leader in designing, funding, and managing major restoration projects to reduce the sediments and nutrients that pollute our waterways. Community collaborations like this have resulted in hundreds of projects installed on county-owned properties, private lands, school campuses, town properties, and church lands.
ShoreRivers is certified by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as a Technical Service Provider with an in-house engineer, staff with training in geospatial technologies, and the technical expertise to manage these projects. If you are interested in implementing a restoration project at your home or business, please contact our Director of Agriculture & Restoration or your local Riverkeeper at shorerivers.org/staff-directory.
ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.
shorerivers.org
Explore the World of Marine Science, Tour the Horn Point Laboratory

“Standing on the oyster hatchery setting tank pier, visitors learn about the growing Aquaculture industry and Horn Point Lab’s Aquaculture Demonstration Farm where growers can learn state-of-the-art methods to improve efficiency of their farming practices.”
Dive into science and see the Bay the Horn Point way! Every Tuesday at 10:00 am from Memorial Day through Labor Day tours will be offered to lead you through the amazing world of marine science taking place at the Horn Point Laboratory (HPL). Free and open to the public, these 90-minute walking tours are led by Horn Point Lab’s graduate students.
Learn about the Chesapeake Bay, its health and the vital role of Horn Point science as you experience a behind-the-scenes tour of HPL. You will explore oysters in the largest hatchery on the Atlantic coast, physical oceanography and remote sensing providing a wealth of data on the Bay’s complex ecosystem, coastal resilience, water quality and much more. The Horn Point Lab is located on more than 800 acres on the banks of the Choptank River outside Cambridge. Their research advances society’s understanding of the world’s estuarine and ocean ecosystems.

“Professor Emeritus Bill Boicourt, second from right, describes the advances made with remote sensing and data gathering stations across the Chesapeake Bay to track and gather data on winds, currents, salinity, oxygen levels and more.”
Add a tour of the Horn Point Lab to your summer fun and learn about the Bay’s diverse and mysterious marine life and the science that studies it. For more information, contact the Horn Point Lab at 410-221-8383 or email tours@umces.edu.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. www.umces.edu
Something of the Marvelous Challenge Features Tour of Wye Heights’ Magnificent Gardens

Wye Heights arbor
In 2020, Pickering Creek Audubon Center celebrated it’s work with “Celebrate at Your Place – Join us for another night at home” and in 2021 with Dive into Nature, which included small group outdoor nature events held throughout the year. Each of these efforts played a key role in raising funds to keep the Center’s science and outdoor learning experiences in front of students during the pandemic and transition its school programming to a virtual world (and back again) and work with classroom teachers to continue connecting their students to science and the outdoors. Funds raised through these campaigns allowed Pickering Creek to keep its trails open (with no admission fee) and looking great for the record number of visitors we have welcomed throughout the pandemic, as the need for respite increased.
This year Pickering Creek offers the Something of the Marvelous Challenge. Supporters of the Center’s work through the challenge will receive an invitation to either a delightful autumn nature program at the Center or a tour of the impressive gardens at Tim and Lisa Wyman’s historic Wye Heights in Easton, Maryland. Unlike Pickering Creek’s Tour Toast and Taste, Something of the Marvelous has no tent, no auction, and no dinners for sale. It is all outdoors- just soaking in the marvelous blooms and scenery of the amazing 10-acre garden along the Wye River.
The home’s stunning gardens and grounds will be open on June 4 to approximately 250 supporters of Pickering Creek Audubon Center’s award-winning education programs participating in the Something of the Marvelous Challenge. Timed entrances scheduled throughout the day on June 4th will include complimentary beverages, time to explore, and special pop-up events such as live raptor presentations and roaming plant identification docent ready to offer guidance as needed.
Pickering Creek’s fundraising goal for the 2022 Something of the Marvelous Challenge is to raise $100,000 for Pickering’s education programs. Please join us as we celebrate our achievements and prepare for the future.
School groups, families, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers from far and wide visit Pickering Creek Audubon Center throughout the year to participate in hands-on outdoor learning, volunteer experiences and immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the Eastern Shore.
Challenge gifts must be made by June 1 to qualify to attend the June 4 Wye Heights Garden Tour. For more information please visit www.pickeringcreek.org
Ferry Cove Oyster Hatchery now Producing Millions of Seed Oysters

Alex Golding, hatchery technician at the Ferry Cove facility, monitors brood-stock oysters ready to spawn in a rack of individual tanks filled with circulating, filtered bay water. Warming water temperature triggers spawning. When visual checks identify spawning, eggs and sperm are collected and moved to other tanks for fertilization, algae feeding, and gradual development toward seed-sized oysters. One spawning cycle in this rack can produce hundreds of millions of eggs. Golding is a biology and environmental sciences graduate of Salisbury University.
Five years after conception, the privately owned Ferry Cove Oyster Hatchery is now producing millions of seed oysters for Maryland’s oyster industry. The high-tech, multi-million dollar facility located on Route 33 between St. Michaels and Tilghman Island moved into full production mode this spring after completion of construction at the end of 2021.
“We’re producing good quality larvae and have already seeded some leaseholds and grounds,” said hatchery manager Steven Weschler this week. “Now we’re scaling up even further, increasing production, monitoring and adapting as we go along. So far we have no issues; cross fingers and knock on wood. We’re pretty ecstatic with how it’s all functioning.”

Ferry Cove Oyster Hatchery Manager Steven Weschler stands alongside containers of variously sized, developing oyster larvae, also known as spat and juvenile oysters. The larvae are force-fed algae piped into the containers from another area of the facility where the microscopic plants are grown in large tanks in a computer-monitored and automated process. Water quality and food quality are critical for the operation’s success. The largest larvae, at the left, are just about ready to be deployed for planting on leasehold oyster-farming bottom and public oystering bars. Weschler said this group of vessels contains about two million seed oysters.
Weschler said oyster farmers Ferry Cove has sold its product to so far are very happy with the quality of the product. ‘I’d say we’ve produced about 100 million seed oysters at this point.”
Stephan Abel, prime mover behind the Ferry Cove operation, said the Ferry Cove hatchery has the capacity to produce two to three billion eyed larvae – seed oysters – per year. Oyster larvae develop what is known as an eyespot which detects light and helps guide them to the bottom of the water column when they are ready to eventually attach themselves and grow into the bivalve creatures that most of us know.
Although the recent northeaster that hammered Delmarva’s coast cooled Chesapeake waters to below normal temperatures for this time of the year, that problem has now passed. With temperatures rising again, Weschler said demand for seed oysters will also begin increasing. Seed oysters do their best attaching to shells and other bottom structure when water temps reach into the mid and upper 60s.
After the seed oysters attach themselves and begin growing, they should reach market size in about two years.
Weschler said the greatest portion of oyster seed sales so far have gone to private producers working bottom leased to them by the state. The state requires leaseholders to plant oysters on a certain percentage of their holdings each year. That requirement is part of the master plan to help restore the Chesapeake’s historic oyster-growing capacity, for economic and environmental benefits.
One of the problems with that requirement has been a shortage of available seed oysters. Abel said part of his business plan is to help fill that gap.
Another portion of Ferry Cove’s anticipated annual production of seed oysters may go, said Weshler, to the various oyster-producing counties in Maryland for planting on public fishery bars. The state puts out contracts each year for oyster seeding but they haven’t been advertised yet for 2022.
Ferry Cove wants to join University of Maryland’s Horn Point oyster hatching facility near Cambridge as a major provider of seed oysters for the state’s growing oyster farming operations and to help make public fishery bars more productive.
Abel said there are currently 7,700 acres of Chesapeake bottom leased for oyster farming. “And,” he said, “recent reports indicate there are another 100 leases pending. Those same reports indicate further that 2021 was the best year yet for oyster farming, in terms of total bushels harvested, since the state started the program several years ago.”
Several individual leaseholders are increasing their leasehold acreage, according to Wechsler. Abel said a study a few years ago determined that a minimum of 100 acres is the threshold for making money in the oyster farming business.
Now that Ferry Cove’s facility has proven it can produce quality seed oysters, Weschler is ready to increase production from its current 50 percent capacity. “June, July and August are the prime planting months in the Chesapeake. Oyster seed attaches best when the water is warmer, and the little oysters need time to grow to the point where they can best survive the winter. That’s what we’re aiming for now.”
Dennis Forney has been a publisher, journalist and columnist on the Delmarva Peninsula since 1972. He writes from his home on Grace Creek in Bozman.
A Real Bummer: New VMRC Report Suggest Continued Downturn for Blue Crabs
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) has announced the results from the 2022 Baywide Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey which indicates a continued downturn in juvenile recruitment and a record low year of total blue crab abundance.
Total abundance of blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay declined in 2022 to 227 million crabs – the lowest abundance estimate in the 33-year history of the winter dredge survey. This decline is driven primarily by a third consecutive year of below average recruitment of juvenile crabs, even though the number of juveniles increased 18% from 2021 to 101 million crabs. The low numbers of juvenile crabs, and this year’s decline in the adult female crabs (which will spawn this spring and summer) will factor into decisions VMRC, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR), and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) make in regards to management measures for the 2022 blue crab season.
These three Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions, which are responsible for baywide management of blue crabs, have successfully managed harvest of blue crabs to prevent overfishing since 2008. Adult female crabs are the key to conservation, as each female can spawn an average of three million eggs per brood, averaging up to three broods per year. These adult females observed in the Winter Dredge Survey are likely to spawn from late May to mid-summer of this year, contributing to next year’s juvenile population. The number of adult female crabs (97 million) declined in 2022 and is below the target abundance of 196 million, but remains higher than in the period before 2008 when the Chesapeake Bay blue crab resource was declared a fishery disaster.
While the Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions have maintained fishing mortality of blue crab at safe levels, crabs still face many other challenges in the bay. Although Chesapeake Bay water quality and submerged aquatic vegetation continue to improve, blue crabs are still vulnerable to low oxygen levels from nutrient runoff and a lack of sea grasses which can leave vulnerable juveniles and soft crabs without habitat for refuge. Recruitment can be hindered by storms and currents which can wash crab larvae out of bay circulation, and growing abundances of predators, such as red drum and blue catfish, can increase natural mortality of blue crabs.
Virginia’s 2021 commercial crabbing season saw harvest of 18 million pounds of blue crabs, one of the lowest harvest levels in the last ten years, but baywide harvest remained well under the threshold fishing removal rate that would indicate overfishing. The 2011 benchmark blue crab stock assessment and subsequent updates establishes a threshold removal rate of 37%. This threshold is the maximum percentage of females that can be harvested annually without overfishing the population. The removal rate in 2021 of 26% by commercial and recreational fisheries indicates overfishing is not occurring. Juveniles observed by the winter survey contribute heavily to the next fall’s crab harvest, which could mean another year of low harvest for Virginia’s commercial crabbers in 2022. Although Virginia’s 2021 harvest fell 15%, high prices lead the total dockside value of crabs to increase 14% to $35 million.
The winter dredge survey is conducted annually by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and MD DNR. Since 1990, the survey has utilized traditional crab dredges to sample blue crabs at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay from December through March. By sampling during winter when blue crabs are buried in the mud and sedentary, scientists can develop precise estimates of the number of crabs in the Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee (CBSAC), an advisory group under the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team (Fish GIT) which brings together state managers and technical experts to address blue crab issues, will hold a working meeting next week to discuss the results from the 2021-22 Winter Dredge Survey. The results will be published in the full CBSAC Annual Report this June, and provide science based recommendations for management. The Fish GIT and CBSAC are also planning a fall blue crab science workshop to identify which environmental factors are likely driving the low abundances and evaluate the need for a new blue crab benchmark stock assessment.
“We are concerned with the two consecutive years of poor recruitment,” said Pat Geer, Chief of Fisheries Management for VMRC and Chair of CBSAC. Geer continued, “However, fishing pressure on our spawning stock is still at acceptable levels and the spawning stock remains relatively healthy. We are hopeful a workshop planned for September will help explain these concerns with recruitment and lead to a new benchmark stock assessment that will address blue crab abundance in the Bay.”
VMRC’s Crab Management Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on May 23rd at 4 PM at the VMRC Main Office to discuss these results and potential management measures for the coming fishing year. These results and data on the 2021 blue crab fishery will also be presented at the monthly meeting of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission on May 24th at the VMRC Main Office. See MRC.Virginia.Gov for more information about these meetings.
Celebrate Summer Solstice with ShoreRivers
Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, ShoreRivers pivoted its annual Summer Solstice Celebration to instead features mall-group outdoor expeditions led by experts presenting particular aspects of our local ecosystem. Back by popular demand, ShoreRivers will again host a slate of exciting and experiential outings, as well as the beloved big-tent party on the banks of the Chester River! Register online now for your choice of a dozen expeditions and get your tickets for the Solstice Celebration at shorerivers.org/events. Expeditions will be held throughout the region from June 14-24 and the Celebration will be held at the Washington College boathouse on June 25.

ShoreRivers staff members help run the rousing Solstice Celebration Live Auction. Pictured (left to right) are Director of Development Rebekah Hock, Executive Director Isabel Hardesty, Ag & Outreach Coordinator Laura Wood, and Director of Agriculture & Restoration Tim Rosen.
ShoreRivers Executive Director Isabel Hardesty puts the event in context: “For many, the solstice indicates the official start to summer and warmer months when so many people flock to the river. By connecting with partners—regional experts in their fields, local celebrities, and entrepreneurs—we are able to provide uniquely memorable experiences that illustrate the need for healthy, accessible waterways. And it’s especially meaningful that we can celebrate the river together this year!”
Expedition offerings include a full moon paddle out of San Domingo Creek with Riverkeeper Matt Pluta, an evening tour and navigation lesson on board the River Packet with Bob Ingersoll, and a fabulous afternoon and evening of cycling followed by a wine tasting and rustic dinner in the barn at Crow Vineyard. Find details about these and more online.
The week will culminate in a grand celebration on Saturday, June 25, at Washington College’s Hodson Boathouse in Chestertown. Each $100 ticket includes: open bar with beer, wine, and a signature cocktail; hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet dinner; live music; and a beautiful setting along the Chester River. The celebration begins at 6:00 pm and continues through dusk with a rousing live auction where guests will bid on exceptional artwork, enticing destinations, and even a sail with Gary Jobson, America’s pre-eminent Ambassador for Sailing and Ted Turner’stactician aboard the winning America’s Cup yacht Courageous.

Solstice Celebration guests enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet dinner in a beautiful setting along the Chester River.
All funds raised during this event will go directly to support ShoreRivers’ work for clean rivers.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Help ShoreRivers achieve their clean water goals by becoming a sponsor for the Solstice Celebration, and joining a cadre of committed environmental stewards.
For tickets and more information, visit shorerivers.org/events or contact Freya Farley at 443.385.0511 ext 210 or ffarley@shorerivers.org.
ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.
shorerivers.org
How Does the State Plant 5 Million Trees? It’s Complicated

The John S. Ayton State Forest Tree Nursery in Preston will play a big role in helping Maryland meet is mandate to plant 5 million new trees by 2030. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.
Growing up in West Baltimore, Greg Burks never thought much about the lack of vegetation around him. But his younger brother suffered from asthma, and that was one of the family’s primary concerns.
“This is your brother’s inhaler,” Burks recalls his mother saying every time the boys went out to play. “Keep it with you.”
Only now does Burks realize that one of the reasons his brother needed an inhaler was that the level of ozone and other pollutants in their neighborhood was so high because there were so few trees around.
Now, Burks is poised to help families in Baltimore and other Maryland urban areas who struggle with their breathing because of air pollution. He manages the new Urban Tree Program for the Chesapeake Bay Trust, a nonprofit launched by state government in the 1980s dedicated to improving the watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays, and Youghiogheny River in Western Maryland. The trust’s mission is to plant 500,000 trees in urban areas over the next eight years.
“Marylanders’ lives depend on it,” Burks said in an interview. “That’s why this program exists. It’s for people who don’t have the resources to leave the city.”
Burks and his colleagues at the CBT are a small but important part of Maryland’s attempts to plant 5 million trees by 2030. That ambitious goal was set in legislation that the General Assembly passed in 2021, and it’s now up to a pastiche of state agencies, nonprofits, industry and environmental groups to make it happen.
On the one hand, it’s a bureaucratic process as all state government attempts to comply with new laws inevitably are. But on the other hand, it’s fused with optimism and imagination, and a sense that almost anything’s possible.
“If we can green our cities, we can improve our lifespan,” said Burks’ boss, Jana Davis, the president of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “This isn’t just about science. This isn’t just about the environment. This is about human health.”
And while it may be a bit of a stretch to say so, some stakeholders believe the state’s execution of the tree planting law could be a template for how the government implements the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, the ambitious legislation that passed this year to reduce carbon emissions in Maryland by 60% by 2031 and hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.
At a minimum, said Suzanne Dorsey, the assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, who is helping to oversee the implementation of the tree planting measure, it can serve as a way of tracking the state’s ability to meet the provisions in the new climate laws.
“It’s about counting and accounting,” she said. “I think the new legislation will require us to track more and to do more.”
Throughout the country — indeed, throughout the world — there is a campaign to plant as many trees as possible as a key ingredient to combating climate change. One nonprofit, called 1T.org, aims to see 1 trillion trees planted worldwide over the next several years. The organization has already received commitments from major corporations around the world to plant 33 billion trees, and now the advocacy group is turning its attention to states like Maryland.
The Tree Solutions Now Act passed in 2021. A less ambitious forest conservation bill, sponsored by state Del. Jim Gilchrist (D-Montgomery), passed overwhelmingly in the House last year, but when it landed in the Senate, the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, which was wrestling with the larger climate legislation, amended the House measure to put the 5 million tree planting requirement into law, and that’s how it emerged from the General Assembly.
The amended legislation called for 500,000 trees to be planted in urban areas, and an additional 4.5 million would be planted as part of a process known as aforestation — establishing a forest on land not previously forested.
The legislation required the state to assemble a stakeholder group to figure out how to implement the law. It makes tens of millions of dollars available for initial tree inventories and purchasing. And it laid out specific tasks for various state agencies and other organizations.
“Five million trees is a lot of trees,” Dorsey said.
The Commission for the Innovation and Advancement of Carbon Markets and Sustainable Tree Plantings began meeting earlier this year. Its membership, spelled out in the legislation, features representatives of the Maryland Department of the Environment; the University of Maryland College Park; the Maryland Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities; the Maryland Farm Bureau; the Maryland Association of Counties; the Maryland Municipal League; and three environmental groups: Blue Water Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the Nature Conservancy, and the Patapsco Heritage Greenway.
Serving as ex-officio members: representatives of the State Treasurer’s office; the Maryland Department of Agriculture; the Maryland Department of Natural Resources; and the Maryland Forestry Foundation.
Beyond counting on the Chesapeake Bay Trust to oversee the planting of 500,000 trees in urban areas, the legislation spells out discreet roles for most of the state agencies: The Department of Natural Resources, which operates a tree nursery on the Eastern Shore, and the Agriculture department are responsible for most of the rest of the tree planting and will work with groups and local governments across the state to achieve that goal. MDOT is responsible for tree maintenance along state highways and for replacing whatever trees are removed for road construction. The Environment department is responsible for coordinating it all.
“I want to emphasize what a great collaboration this has been so far,” Dorsey said.
‘A game changer’
Several stakeholders praise the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s early planning for the new law, which will enable the nonprofit to begin handing out grants to other entities for tree planting as soon as state funds become available on July 1.
The irony is, trust leaders weren’t part of the early planning for the tree planting legislation.
“It was not our idea,” Davis said. “It’s the brainchild of other folks. But it’s an honor to be part of the process.”
As soon as they learned they were included in the bill, trust leaders mobilized to get ready, she said. “We knew if we didn’t start early we’d never be ready for the fall 2022 planting season.”
One of the first things they did was bring on Burks, the West Baltimore native who had worked for other nonprofits and institutions — most recently for Johns Hopkins University as a senior community programs manager focused on affordable housing, the digital divide and food deserts. He had never worked in the environmental space before.
Burks, who calls the urban tree planting program “a game changer,” convened a series of listening sessions around the city and state, to determine how to bring communities together, how best to implement the tree planting program, how to maintain the trees once they’ve been planted, and how to access civic resources.
“Greg Burks is a force of nature and a delight to work with,” Dorsey said.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust has already been sifting through dozens of grant applications from groups that want to plant trees. Some are seeking funding to plant just a few; others have the capacity to plant 10,000 trees in a fairly short time period. The applicants range from local governments and forestry boards to nonprofits to schools, churches and community associations.
The trust will have $10 million in tree planting grants to dole out this year — and has already received $14 million in spending requests. Davis said one of the things trust leaders like about the program is that it lets local leaders who know their communities best chart their own tree planting and maintenance strategies.
“The community interest in this program has been incredible — way larger than we thought,” she said. “Which speaks to the real community need.”
Other agencies are preparing to implement the law in different ways. The Department of Natural Resources has hired 12 tree planters and one assistant nursery manager.
And state agencies are putting private Maryland nurseries on alert that they’re going to have to increase their stock of saplings. Nurseries are among the biggest parts of the state’s agricultural sector.
“They’ve got to know that we’re about to order a lot more trees than we usually do,” Dorsey said.
Some local governments already have tree planting programs under way.
Baltimore County, for example, has had an unofficial goal of maintaining a 50% tree canopy for several years, and in an interview, County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr. (D) said the number has gone up during his administration thanks to a handful of tree planting initiatives, including a new one called the ReTree program, which focuses on urban and poorer communities in the county
The county government traditionally gives hundreds of trees away to residents on Arbor Day, and it makes free backyard trees available to property owners whose lots are one-tenth of an acre or bigger, Olszewski said. But the ReTree program relies on data the county is already using for environmental justice and equity initiatives to plot out where the heat islands are in the county and where trees are needed the most.
“We’re really being more intentional about it,” he said.
The tree plantings started a few months ago in Dundalk and will expand over the next several weeks into Essex, Owings Mills and Randallstown. About 1,000 trees will be planted this year through the new program.
The idea of using statistical analysis for a tree planting strategy “is surprisingly new,” Olszewski said. “We know the imperative of the environmental justice movement, and this aligns it with the data.”
David V. Lykens, the Baltimore County director of Environmental Protection and Sustainability, is the Maryland Association of Counties designee on the state’s new tree commission, and Olszewski said Lykens will discuss the counties’ successes on the tree planting front with others on the panel.
“We think we have a story to tell,” he said.
‘It’s wonky’
Even with so many stakeholders involved with implementing the state’s new tree planting law, there are sure to be some skeptics.
Colby Ferguson, director of government and public relations at the Maryland Farm Bureau, is a member of the tree commission and a supporter of the 5 million tree goal generally.
“It’s an interesting discussion,” he said. “I’m always trying to figure out what we’re trying to do here and what we’re not.”
For farmers, Ferguson said, the issue is how and where the 5 million trees will be planted, and what kind of acreage of arable land will be involved.
“We don’t want to be trading our prime farmland and our food for environmental practices,” he said. “We can’t trade food for carbon sequestration.”
That’s just one of the many questions the state tree commission is going to try to answer in the months ahead. The panel is supposed to issue a written report to the General Assembly this fall, outlining how the state can hit the 5 million tree mark by 2030. Members of the commission aren’t just looking into how to plant them and making sure the right tree species are going into the appropriate areas. They’re also figuring out how to maintain them and how to prevent invasive vines, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in Maryland, from overcoming them.
State officials are also going to keep track of how many trees are being planted, because so many entities — and even individual landowners who may plant a single tree — are going to be involved. They have to figure out how to count the carbon mitigation when the trees are all planted and as they mature. And they have also been directed by the tree planting legislation to set up a Maryland-based carbon offset market.
Carbon offset markets are just being established around the country. They enable businesses, including power plants, to purchase vouchers when they are unable to meet short-term carbon reduction goals. while they transition to more sustainable business practices. The money spent on carbon offsets are traditionally put toward emission reduction projects — including the planting of a new forest.
So the challenge for Maryland officials is figuring out what kind of entities might want to purchase carbon offsets from the state that match the emissions reductions from all the new trees. And they’ve also got to determine how much revenue a carbon market can generate and how much of that they can plow into additional tree plantings.
“It’s wonky,” said Dorsey, the Department of the Environment assistant secretary, who is slated to become deputy secretary on June 1. “This market is new and volatile. People are just getting into it.”
Earlier this month, the state tree commission met virtually to discuss the offset market. It was a challenging discussion, with technical terms like “MS4 acres of credit,” “additionality” and “ease of access into the market” being thrown around liberally.
“Some of you are as wonky as we are or maybe even more in the weeds, and some of you, your heads may really be spinning,” Dorsey conceded.
Maryland officials believe any offset market they set up based on the tree program can become a national model. But Anne Hairston-Strang, acting director of the Maryland Forest Service, laid out a warning about the limits of the carbon offset markets that almost anyone could understand.
“The prices we’re seeing in the carbon market aren’t going to fund aforestation,” she said. “So we’re going to have to look for additional funding.”
By Josh Kurtz
Pickering Creek Audubon Center June Public Programs
WEBINAR: Animal Architects
Thursday, June 9, 2022
7:00 – 8:00 pm
$5 per person
Humans aren’t the only species that build homes for shelter and warmth. This webinar will dive into the amazing world of animal architects and the inspiration humans draw from these beautiful buildings. From the labyrinthian ant nest to the iconic Beaver dam and many other homes in between come and learn about amazing structures built by wildlife across Delmarva. REGISTER HERE
Nature Walk with the Executive Director: Sunset Walk
Tuesday June 14, 2022
7:00-8:30 PM
$5 per person
Join Director Mark Scallion for a trail walk at the Center. Walks are a great introduction to the Center’s trails and programs and an opportunity for you to learn more about what the Center has to offer and for us to learn about your interests. We’ll adventure to a different part of the Center each month, so come as often as you like. REGISTER HERE