Ecosystem

Summer Pollinator Play Trail Debuts at Pickering June 17

June 4, 2021 by Pickering Creek Audubon Center Leave a Comment

Pickering Creek Audubon Center will debut its Summer Pollinator Play Trail, sponsored by The Easton Group at Morgan Stanley, on Thursday June 17 to coincide with the end of the school year. This new trail begins near the Pickering Creek Welcome Center and loops through the nearby meadow and shallow water wetlands, including a stop at one of the Center’s viewing platforms overlooking 24 acres of marsh. The trail features fourteen stops that encourage kids and families to explore nature together through short fun activities. The trail is self-guided, and in both English and Spanish. At each stop, learn about nests by following interactive signs with prompts like, “Nocturnal pollinators like moths and bats prefer white flowers that reflect moonlight and are easier to see in the dark. Look for three different white flowers before the next sign!” Each location asks kids and families to engage a different sense as they explore nature around them.

“The Pollinator Play Trail is a great way to mark the end of the school year with a family adventure outdoors on the trails of Pickering Creek,” says trail designer Sammi Ocher. “With flowers blooming, colorful butterflies fluttering everywhere, and frogs and toads singing up a storm, it is a wonderful time to be outside.” The trail will be in place from Thursday June 17 through Monday July 5 and coincides with the long fourth of July weekend as well as the end of school. Keep an eye on the weather and remember both ticks and mosquitoes share the outdoors with us.

After enjoying the Summer Pollinator Play Trail, further explorations lie beyond! With over four miles of trails and several beautiful vistas over Pickering Creek and the Center’s expansive wetlands, Pickering Creek has miles of trails for exploration and enjoyment.

Pickering Creek’s trails are open daily from 7am to 8pm during this summer. There is no admission fee. Guests are asked to carry masks and wear them when passing each other on trails; restrooms facilities are limited at this time, so plan accordingly. For all our guidelines please check:

https://pickering.audubon.org/visit/planning-visit

ShoreRivers Luminaries Recognized with State and Regional Environmental Awards

May 21, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

W. R. “Nick” Carter, III

Two powerful voices in the environmental movement received acclaim in May.

On May 7, W. R. “Nick” Carter, III became the second recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship during the organization’s State of the Rivers presentation. The award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment.

On May 11, Jeff Horstman, a Wye River resident and former executive director of ShoreRivers, was named an Ambassador of the Chesapeake Bay by Governor Hogan. Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles presented the award.

Ann Swanson, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission for the last 33 years, was tapped to speak on both occasions. Swanson was the first recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship and considers it “one of the greatest recognitions of my life.” She went on to say that it was a special honor for her to present the award to her friend Nick and to sing his praises. “Nick is brilliant. He is a synthesizer—a complex thinker. His friends and colleagues liken him to E.O. Wilson; some even refer to him as the David Attenborough of the Chesapeake.”

Jeff Horstman

After 35 years of service to Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Carter retired in 2000, but it can hardly be said his work came to an end. From his beloved “natural wonderland” on the Choptank River or his peerless jonboat, Swanson says, “Nick can take disparate pieces of information—biology, ecology, hydrology, sociology, history, and even politics—and weave them together into an understanding that becomes new knowledge, not just regurgitated facts.” In his distinctive Norfolk, Virginia drawl, “Nick can talk to anyone—including any age, education level, or political persuasion. He believes that everyone has an entry point [to environmentalism], you just need to find it.”

Jeff Horstman’s entry point to Eastern Shore conservation work at a professional level appeared nearly a decade ago when Tim Junkin invited him to join the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy’s board. Horstman went on to serve as the organization’s Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, deputy director, and eventually succeeded Junkin as executive director. His vision expanded beyond the Wye River he had cherished since youth. Swanson remembers first working with Horstman around 2014 and seeing how well he “understood that each river of the Eastern Shore had its own cultural and ecological identity that should never be erased or ignored.”

When ShoreRivers was formed in 2017 by merging Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, Chester River Association, and Sassafras River Association, it was Horstman’s leadership as executive director that established the organization as a strong, united voice for the region’s rivers. “He simply was the right person at the right time,” Swanson reiterates. “He had the right disposition; he never commanded, he just listened. And his deep connection to place—both the people and the resource—was apparent.”

In a surprise ceremony via Zoom, Horstman was presented the title Ambassador of the Chesapeake by Secretaries Haddaway-Riccio and Grumbles on behalf of Governor Larry Hogan and the State of Maryland. His award recognized “leadership within many environmental organizations including ShoreRivers, mentorship of the next generation of stewards, and inspiration to others to further the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.”

ShoreRivers is extremely grateful for the leadership and vision of these two local champions. To watch the presentation of Carter’s award and to learn more about the mission of ShoreRivers, visit www.shorerivers.org/2021-sotr-qa.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

ShoreRivers Reduces Vessel Discharge in Eastern Shore Waterways

May 11, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The ShoreRivers pumpout boat will be up and running for the 2021 season on May 21.

ShoreRivers works to identify and address all pollution sources, including discharge from boats with marine sanitation devices. Boat discharge, especially in marinas, high boat traffic areas, and sheltered coves, can lead to nutrient or bacteria pollution hotspots that pose serious health risks to humans and animals. The newly-designated Chester River No Discharge Zone and the Miles and Wye pumpout boat help to eliminate the chance of boat discharge entering the waterways.

As the result of a multi-year effort by ShoreRivers, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) designated the Chester River as the second No Discharge Zone in Maryland’s Chesapeake watershed. According to the DNR website, a No Discharge Zone “is an area of water where the discharge of all boat sewage is prohibited. This includes raw sewage . . . as well as sewage treated by Type I or II marine sanitation devices.”

In rivers without No Discharge Zones, it is legal to discharge treated sewage into the waters. While treated sewage (from a properly maintained and functioning marine sanitation device) does not contain bacteria pollution, it does contribute nutrient pollution. The Chester River NDZ will be marked with DNR buoys. Once inside the boundaries of the Chester River No Discharge Zone, all boats with marine heads must pump their waste at a discharge station (a list of pumpout locations can be found at shorerivers.org/programs/no-discharge-zone). Violators can face fines up to $1,000.

River-friendly boaters in other ShoreRivers waterways can help to eliminate this pollution source by always utilizing pumpout services. On the Miles and WyeRivers, the ShoreRivers pumpout boat will begin its 2021 season May 21. Boaters are encouraged to take advantage of this free service and do their part to keep our waterways clean and healthy. Pumpout boat Captain Jim Freeman states, “Both transient and local boaters rave about the convenience of using the pumpout boat. We can serve any boater on the Miles and Wye rivers, and can carry up to 300 gallons of waste.”

Now in its fifth year, the pumpout boat program is funded by DNR and ShoreRivers in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The vessel has disposed of more than 74,000 gallons of waste from 1,270 vessels, giving boaters a more convenient way to keep this pollution from potentially entering the Miles and Wye rivers.

Pumpout boat service is available Friday evenings and weekends (including holidays) during the summer and early fall. To arrange service, boaters can contact the pumpout boat by calling 410-829-4352 or on VHF channel 9. To contact Captain Jim with specific questions or to schedule a regular pump out, email POBCaptJim@gmail.com. Please adhere to social distancing guidelines when interacting with the pumpout boat. Visit shorerivers.org for more information on the pumpout boat and the Chester River No Discharge Zone.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. We work collaboratively with our community yet maintain an uncompromising and independent voice for clean rivers and the living resources they support.

shorerivers.org

New Chronolog Photo Station Encourages Citizen Science at Blackwater NWR

May 5, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) have partnered with the Chronolog Citizen Science Project (https://beta.chronolog.io/about), an environmental monitoring website, to install a Chronolog photo station at the Observation Platform along the refuge Wildlife Drive.

Visitors can place their smartphone in the photo station to capture an image of the marsh and then email it to the Chronolog website, which stitches the photos together to create a crowdsourced, time-lapsed video illustrating changes to the marsh over time. The Blackwater NWR video can be viewed at https://beta.chronolog.io/site/BWR101.

Photo: Photo station with mounted bracket helps visitors position their smartphone to capture consistent photos of the marsh over time. (Credit: Friends of Blackwater)

The station is near the confluence of the Little Blackwater River and the Blackwater River, tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. This location provides views of tidal marshes, forests, and shallow open water. The refuge is impacted by sea level rise, which can drown tidal marshes and convert them to open water, as well as flood adjacent forests, kill trees, and create new tidal marshes. The Chronolog station engages visitors by allowing them to contribute their photos and witness how the ecosystem is changing over time.

For more information about the Chronolog project, contact Rick Abend, 443-521-2201, rdabend@yahoo.com.

The Friends of Blackwater is a nonprofit citizens’ support group founded in 1987, assisting staff at Blackwater NWR in Cambridge, Maryland, in carrying out their educational, interpretive, and public use missions. Visit the Friends at https://www.friendsofblackwater.org

ShoreRivers Announces 2021 Photo Contest

May 4, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The 2019 Photo Contest Winner for the Miles, Wye, and Eastern Bay watershed was taken by Crystal Dorothy.

Do you have a passion for photography or just like to capture special moments with your phone? Do you love your local waterways and want to promote and preserve them? ShoreRivers is pleased to announce its 2021 Photo Contest from May through October, so snap a picture and send it our way! Shore rivers are your rivers, and we want to see how you engage with the natural resources that we all strive to conserve. ShoreRivers is especially interested in photos that reflect the organization’s mission of protecting and restoring our waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

Contest winners will be announced December 1 by email, social media, and the photo contest webpage. Categories include Wildlife, Waterways, Human Interaction with Nature, and Agriculture/Restoration (e.g. farm fields, restored streams, wetlands, shorelines, rain gardens, river-friendly yards). ShoreRivers will use winning photos in publications and outreach, such as:

community presentations and events, which reach over 500 people annually
emails and social media accounts, which have thousands of followers
Semiannual Advocate newsletter and River Report Card, which are mailed to over 3,000 people.

Photographers will be credited for their photos and may submit up to four images for consideration. Images must be taken within the four watersheds that comprise ShoreRivers’ geographic area: Chester, Choptank, Miles-Wye, and Sassafras. To learn more about the contest rules and how to submit photos, please visit shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

Phased Re-opening of the Lodge at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge

May 1, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in coordination with the Governor and local public health authorities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is re-opening the Lodge at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Rock Hall on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm.

The refuge is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and is using a phased approach to safely increase access to Eastern Neck NWR lands and facilities. The refuge’s roads, trails, and hunts have been open throughout the pandemic.

Beginning May 1, 2021, Eastern Neck NWR will reopen public access to the Lodge (Visitor Contact Station) on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm. In addition, refuge lands that are regularly open to the public continue to be open and available daily from sunrise to sunset. Those entering the Lodge will be required to wear a mask in accordance with the USFWS mask mandate as well as follow CDC guidelines, which include social distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home if sick.

As we continue to review access, services, and programs, a return to full operations at Eastern Neck NWR will be phased in according to protocols set by the federal government, the Governor and local public health officials. These decisions will be informed by the most current guidance and information from the Department of the Interior, CDC, Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of Health to ensure the health and safety of those visiting and working at Eastern Neck NWR are protected. We will continue to closely monitor conditions and adjust our operations accordingly.

Updates about the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s response to coronavirus are posted at https://www.fws.gov/home/public-health-update.html.

Please check our website for current updates and status: www.fws.gov/refuge/eastern_neck.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq.

Embark on a ShoreRivers Solstice Expedition

April 25, 2021 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Beginning on the Summer Solstice (Sunday, June 20) until June 26, ShoreRivers will host a new kind of Solstice Celebration that offers something for everyone. Instead of one evening under the tent, the week-long celebration will include small-group expeditions, an online auction, and a free livestream concert with Philip Dutton and the Alligators. ShoreRivers is grateful for support from local partners and the Raymond James Charitable Foundation. Become a sponsor, reserve your ticket, and find more information at shorerivers.org/event/solstice.

Solstice Celebration Expeditions are extraordinary experiences with local experts that give participants a closer look at how science, advocacy, restoration, and education combine for cleaner water and a safer future for all. Edible plant foraging with Permaculture Educator Shane Brill, a dive into dragonflies with Biologist John Gillespie, and a chance to harken through a storied history at The Hermitage property are just a few examples of more than a dozen opportunities available. From paddling to pollinators, aquaculture to agriculture, environmental justice to ecopoetry, don’t miss the chance to register for these meaningful, informative, and interactive opportunities! Tickets are limited to ensure safety, as well as to give participants an insider’s experience.

Another way supporters near and far can contribute to ShoreRivers’ work is through an online auction, which will offer a custom oil painting by Chestertown’s own Marcy Dunn Ramsey, a secret adventure sail with Captain Andrew McCown, a vacation in Hilton Head, a cottage in the Berkshires, bourbon, books, bracelets, a hot air balloon ride, and a boatload of other exciting items. Bidding will open online June 14.

The celebration will culminate with a FREE livestream concert from ShoreRivers board member Bob Ingersoll’s Silver Barn studio, featuring local favorites Philip Dutton & the Alligators. All funds raised during this event directly support healthy, accessible waterways.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

Maryland Environmental Groups File Notice of Potential Lawsuit Against Valley Proteins for Pollution Violations

April 15, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Today, Maryland environmental groups sent a notice of intent to bring a lawsuit against Valley Proteins for violating its wastewater permit.

In years when records have been available, the company has exceeded pollution limits when releasing wastewater from its Linkwood plant on Maryland’s Eastern Shore into the nearby Transquaking River. Records indicate Valley Proteins has routinely exceeded its permit limits for pollutants including fecal coliform, nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia. In one quarter, from July to September 2020, the company exceeded the ammonia limits by 2,518%, according to EPA’s enforcement and compliance database. In other periods, Valley Proteins has failed to file complete documents detailing what pollutants are being released into the groundwater and river from the plant.

Monitoring and inspection reports have indicated wastewater leaking from two wastewater storage lagoons on the plant property may be causing high nitrate levels in monitoring wells and polluting the groundwater. The company has also failed to properly document the composition of the thousands of tons of sludge being hauled away from the property each year and the quantities of sludge that are land applied or treated at another wastewater treatment facility. These issues are likely contributing to pollution problems in the area and surrounding waterways.

The Transquaking River is a Chesapeake Bay tributary that has been plagued by long-term problems associated with algal blooms, which are fueled by water pollutants such as nitrogen. Algal blooms reduce water clarity and can cause deadly low-oxygen conditions in the water. These water quality impacts impair recreational use of the river by boaters and kayakers, as well as potentially make the river uninhabitable for marine life. The excess amounts of pollutants from this plant may be making it more difficult for Maryland to reach 2025 pollution reduction requirements as part of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.

The notice of intent is being brought by ShoreRivers and Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), and Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). ShoreRivers and DCPG are represented by Chesapeake Legal Alliance. Industrial polluters can be held accountable through citizen suits under the Clean Water Act for impairing the public’s right to clean, swimmable, and fishable waters. The notice gives Valley Proteins 60 days to potentially settle claims under the Clean Water Act before a formal lawsuit is filed against the company.

Valley Proteins is an industrial plant in Linkwood that uses a chemical process to render chicken carcasses into protein for animal feed, which it then sells. The plant’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit expired in 2006, but the state has enabled the company to continue to operate in Linkwood by administratively extending it for 15 years.

“Valley Proteins is responsible for the waste it produces, like all companies and individuals are,” said Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers Choptank Riverkeeper and Director of Riverkeeper Programs. “But while most of us follow the environmental laws designed to protect our shared environment, Valley Proteins has been discharging its waste at illegally high levels into the Transquaking River. They are polluting this shared resource, which harms the river and our ability to enjoy it. This company must be held accountable for their actions, the same way any of us would be if we violated a law.”

For more than 10 years, DCPG volunteers have been sampling water quality near the plant and have found higher-than-average levels of E. coli bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorus as well as low levels of dissolved oxygen in the river. The Maryland Department of the Environment has also documented significant algal blooms in Higgins Mill Pond, which receives the Plant’s discharges and is part of the Transquaking River.

“DCPG has been concerned for more than seven years about numerous violations and pollution from the wastewater discharge at the Valley Proteins site,” said Fred Pomeroy, president of Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth. “We’ve voiced our concerns to the Maryland Department of the Environment for years, but they have continued to allow Valley Proteins to operate without a current permit or updated pollution controls. We’ve decided to join with ShoreRivers, Chesapeake Legal Alliance, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation to bring legal action against a company that continues to pollute the Transquaking River.”

In the past, CBF has called for a more stringent wastewater permit for the plant and more transparency around the pollution being pumped into the Transquaking River.

“We won’t look the other way when businesses pollute our environment,” said Doug Myers, Maryland senior scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “We’ve had significant questions about how this plant is operated and its impacts on surrounding water quality for years that went unanswered. We heard about potential permit updates that were never completed. At this point, we feel like nothing will change except through litigation. We hope the outcome will result in a cleaner Transquaking River and Chesapeake Bay for those who depend on these waterways for their livelihoods and recreation.”

The goal of this action is to bring Valley Proteins into compliance with its wastewater permit and protect water quality, the environment, and public health.

Nancy Cordes to Host ShoreRivers “State of the Rivers” Online

April 14, 2021 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Nancy Cordes, CBS News chief White House correspondent. Photo courtesy of CBS News

ShoreRivers proudly presents its annual State of the Rivers online via Zoom on Friday, May 7, from 5:00-6:15 pm. Nancy Cordes, CBS News chief White House correspondent, will emcee the live presentation, which will include the official release of the 2020 River Report Card and a Q&A session with the Choptank, Miles-Wye, Chester, and Sassafras Riverkeepers. The evening will also feature a presentation of the second annual Award for Environmental Stewardship to Nick Carter, who has been called the Druid of the Chesapeake. The event is free and does not require a Zoom account; register at shorerivers.org/events.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways are negatively impacted by excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment runoff from residential, commercial, and agricultural properties. Seasonal flares of bacterial contamination pose risks to human health. ShoreRivers conducts the only comprehensive water quality testing and monitoring of these and other pollutants in our local waterways. The 2020 Report Card reflects the results of these tests throughout four watersheds that span more than 1,650 square miles of the middle and upper Eastern Shore. With data collected by four professional Riverkeepers and citizen scientist volunteers, the Report Card provides a science-based approach to water quality analysis that fuels action.

“The state of our rivers is in our hands,” says ShoreRivers Executive Director Isabel Hardesty. “Good water quality and equitable, easy access to our rivers depend on the actions of our communities; the science tells us where to start. The State of the Rivers event is designed to welcome everyone to the conversation.” Headline topics for the event will include tributary and overall river grades, regional river health trends, strategies to clean local waterways, and a discussion of equitable accessibility. Participants will be able to ask questions of their Riverkeeper in breakout rooms.

In a special highlight of the event this year, ShoreRivers is proud to honor Nick Carter with its Award for Environmental Stewardship in recognition of his transformational accomplishments. After 35 years of service to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, Carter is renowned for his spectrum of influence on Bay policies and his singular, moral voice for all woodland and wildlife of the Chesapeake.

ShoreRivers gratefully acknowledges scientific testing support from LaMotte Company. For more information, visit ShoreRivers.org/events or contact Connor Liu at cliu@shorerivers.org or 443.385.0511 ext. 210.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

Phased Re-opening of Visitor Center at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

April 13, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in coordination with the Governor and local public health authorities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is re-opening the Visitor Center at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Cambridge on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm.

The refuge is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and is using a phased approach to safely increase access to Blackwater NWR lands and facilities. The refuge’s Wildlife Drive, trails, and hunts have been open throughout the pandemic.

Beginning April 17, 2021, Blackwater NWR will reopen public access to the Visitor Center on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm. In addition, refuge lands that are regularly open to the public continue to be open and available daily from dawn to dusk. Those entering the Visitor Center or any other part of the refuge will be required to wear a mask in accordance with the USFWS mask mandate as well as follow CDC guidelines, which include social distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home if sick.

As we continue to review access, services, and programs, a return to full operations at Blackwater NWR will be phased in according to protocols set by the federal government, the Governor and local public health officials. These decisions will be informed by the most current guidance and information from the Department of the Interior, CDC, Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of Health to ensure the health and safety of those visiting and working at Blackwater NWR are protected. We will continue to closely monitor conditions and adjust our operations accordingly.

Updates about the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s response to coronavirus are posted at https://www.fws.gov/home/public-health-update.html.

Please check our website for current updates and status: www.fws.gov/refuge/blackwater.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, protects over 32,000 acres of rich tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and pine forest, managed freshwater wetlands and cropland for a diversity of wildlife. To learn more, visit our website at www.fws.gov/refuge/blackwater or follow us on Facebook @BlackwaterNWR.

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