Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog

New Online Tool Helps Local Groups Track Water Quality

Riverkeepers, watershed associations, and other groups that track water quality should be interested in IMRivers. This interactive mapping tool is very impressive! Unfortunately, there's no information on their website about costs, so I'm waiting to hear back from Dr. Wansoo Im, the tool's creator.

One of the latest groups to start using the tool is the San Diego River Park Foundation.

Some other organizations have started using IMRivers for other purposes: the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership's map lets you view images along the river's shoreline; the Delaware & Raritan Canal Community created their own interactive photo album, and Chatham High School is using it to map its student-led water quality testing project.

Farmers share their conservation tips

Working at CBF has it’s advantages, but sometimes the news and feedback you get on a wide range of topics is just…impressive. On the BaltimoreSun.com, Ted Shelsby wrote, in his On the Farm section:

“Many farmers hire scouts to search their fields, identify problems, recommend management techniques and implement action to protect crops. Homeowners can take similar management steps before turning to pesticides.”

The more I work at CBF the more I learn just how much we as homeowners, farmers and inhabitants of the Chesapeake Bay region have an impact our soil and water resources; both positively and negatively. I was really impressed with the amount of information that the farmers offered that home owners are able to put in place for a healthier environment and bay friendly home. Some of the tips seem like common sense, but if they were common place we’d all be working towards a healthier land and bay.

Take some time to check out "Farmers Share Their Conservation Tips".

Expedition Student Receives Award

Congratulations Brian Gray! Brian was one of 12 students who participated in CBF's Expedition Susquehanna two years ago. Pennsylvania's Snyder County Conservation District just awarded him its Conservation Wildlife Award and was recently named the 2008 Pennsylvania FFA Star in Agri-Science. Way to go, Brian!

Return Home

by guest blogger Frank Rohrer, stream buffer specialist in CBF's Pennsylvania office.

Back in December of 2007, I made the trip to the gently rolling hills of southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for my annual deer hunt on the family farm. Since I moved north to the mountains of Clinton County, PA over three years ago I don’t get back to the farm much.  Each visit is special because I’m always overwhelmed with childhood memories of baling hay, feeding cows, driving tractors, hunting deer, and fishing in the stream…ah the stream!

As a youngster much of my free time (which is very little when you grow up on a dairy farm) was spent fishing, flipping rocks, catching crayfish, and looking for salamanders in and along Stewart’s Run and a small, meandering tributary that flowed through my grandfather’s farm. What a great way to be introduced to the outdoors. I didn’t know it then, but each time a trout swallowed my bait in that little stream I was actually the one getting hooked on a love for all things outdoors.

So much has changed on the farm during the thirty-two years of my life. My grandparents are long gone now, but Dad keeps the farming tradition alive though much less intensively. The milk house now sits silently through long winters and hot summers. Cows no longer enter the barn for their evening meal and the chores are far fewer. Yes, tobacco still hangs in the shed, corn still grows in the fields and heifers graze in the pasture, but the days of intensive farming for the Rohrer family are now gone. 

Of all the changes I know of on the farm, one of the biggest has been the stream itself. Back in 2002, when my wife Kathy and I lived in the little cottage along the stream, Dad decided to build stream bank fencing and plant trees with CBF’s Farm Stewardship Program. Of course, since I just happened to work for CBF as a stream buffer specialist, I was a major influence with that decision!

So, that year we hired contractors to build 5,400’ of fence, install three livestock crossings, and plant 575 trees and shrubs. The fence and crossing set up allow the livestock to cross the stream and drink in various locations, while at the same time it keeps them out of the majority of the riparian areas. This allowed the streambanks to revegetate and helped to keep the stream cleaner. When my grandfather still milked cows, the livestock had full access to the entire stream and the banks were severely eroded, the water was often muddy, and there was no fish or wildlife habitat at all. In total, 5,820’ of streambanks have been restored and 5.3 acres of forested riparian buffer have been created.

Since I only get back to the area a few times a year, I don’t always get time to check out the buffer that I had put so much care and effort into several years ago. This year as I was hunting I decided to take a leisurely stroll along the buffer to really see how it was faring. Although there were trees that didn’t survive, I was so proud to see that there were many trees growing—quite a few of them were well above my six foot tall head. Some ash, maple, and tulip poplar stretched more than twelve feet above the ground.  Dogwoods and viburnums were thriving as well, providing cover and berries for birds and other wildlife.

The thing that struck me the most was the numerous songbirds that were along the stream. A tremendous diversity of birds flitted about all around me as they grabbed seeds from the tall grass, landed on the growing trees, and swooped down to the water. Chickadees, tufted titmice, sparrows of all kinds, and more. The stream buffer has gone from a grazed area with little habitat to a birder’s paradise in a very short time. Being a birder, I was thrilled.

As I walked and gazed over the pasture and farmstead, I was awed by the memories that flooded me…the big hill that we would ride our plastic and metal runner sleds on every winter, thinking nothing of running back up to the top and doing it all day long just as I’m sure my Dad did when he was young…the “deep hole” as we have always called it, where every year the neighbors and Dad and I would gather during the dawn hours of April’s opening day of trout season to try to hook those brown, rainbow, and brook trout, which were courtesy of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission…the old stone farmhouse built in the 1700’s, where every day my grandmother would make grilled cheese sandwiches for my grandfather and I as we rested from the morning barn chores…bringing in new born calves from the meadow as their mother trailed along behind…baling hay in the sweltering 100 degree heat of August…harvesting corn in the much cooler days of November as a hint of old man winter blew into the air…and of course, those delicious dinners served by my grandmother as the family gathered around the coal stove on those snowy Christmas days.  My simple buffer tour had stirred up so many memories from a 120 acre piece of ground! 

As I neared the end of my walk, my mind gradually got back to the real task at hand—hunting deer! One year I filled my deer tag right there in the buffer (I was doing my part to ensure those new trees would survive) but my luck was not to be this year. I went back north that weekend without a deer but I took home something more valuable—new memories and the knowledge that the stream that hooked me so many years ago was healthier than it has been for several generations. As I left the farm that day, I realized that my career today with CBF has brought me full circle with my childhood of yesterday.

To learn more about streamside buffers in Pennsylvania, you can contact the Chesapeake Bay Foundation at 717-234-5550.  If you live in Clinton, Centre, or Lycoming Counties, PA, you can contact the author directly at 570-295-6164.

A Very "MARI" Anniversary

The Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative (MARI) recently celebrated its one year anniversary. During MARI’s first year, the coalition of more than 50 conservation, businesses, and government partners successfully raised more than $1.4 million to support the creation and monitoring of artificial reefs for fish habitat throughout Maryland’s waters.

“Creating fish habitat not only helps to restore the Chesapeake Bay, but also benefits recreational opportunities and our local economy,” said Bill Goldsborough, Maryland Artificial Reef Committee Chairman and Chesapeake Bay Foundation Fisheries Program Director.

Individuals can help with reef projects across the State by “buying a ton” via a tax-deductible donation to the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative. The Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative was created in early 2007 to raise funds to facilitate development of marine habitat enhancement projects. For more information visit www.ccamd.org/MARI/MARI_home.htm.

Hampton Roads Oyster Gardener Makes News

Mimi Boseman is one of about 300 oyster gardeners in Hampton Roads, Virginia. WVEC reporter David Allen spoke with her recently about her efforts. Check out the video on WVEC's website.

Oysters Are In Our Blood

by guest blogger Tommy Leggett, oyster fisheries scientist in CBF's Virginia office.

The Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission recently supported the concept of boosting Maryland’s oyster fishery using aquaculture. The fact that the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population and fishery is hitting rock bottom is old news. The good news is that aquaculture can produce oysters for market and keep watermen on the water, all while the oysters are in the Bay providing habitat and filtering the water.

I was a commercial fisherman in Virginia for nearly 20 years and every fishery I participated in seemed to be going south. I would switch from one fishery to the other in order to make a living. The final frontier for me was patent tonging for hard clams, and I wasn’t long figuring out that that fishery would not last. Sure enough, there are only about 25 clammers left in Virginia who are actively working full time in the fishery.

In the early 1990s, I had the opportunity to listen to several seminars sponsored by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science on oyster aquaculture. The idea intrigued me, and before long I was investing a small amount of capital in oyster seed and grow-out gear. I also tried growing a few clams with my goal being to eventually get out of the wild fishery and direct all of my efforts in the shellfish aquaculture industry.

I was well on my way to becoming a successful full-time shellfish grower when I had the opportunity to go to work for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) doing environmental education and oyster restoration. For the last 8 years now, I have been operating an oyster farm for CBF and have produced nearly 6 million adult cultchless oysters (grown from spat independent of a substrate, as opposed to spat on shell, which we also grow at CBF) that were planted for restoration but could have been sold. We are now working with the oyster industry to demonstrate the feasibility of spat on shell production by watermen and large growers for the market production of oysters. Meanwhile, I still have my own small oyster farm (separate from my work with CBF) and grow approximately 100,000 oysters per year for sale to local and out-of-state restaurants.

The return on investment isn’t too shabby, either. Consider the following two alternatives, each of which nets $1,250:

• Catching 15,000 wild oysters (50 bushels) with hand tongs
• Growing 5,000 oysters (16 bushels) in cages or floats

Virginia has long been practicing oyster aquaculture, first on private leases where leaseholders would purchase wild oyster seed, and later with the use of cages, bags and trays, using hatchery-produced seed to grow oysters for the half-shell trade. Historically, Virginia has produced more oysters from private leases than from its public oyster grounds, demonstrating that the private sector is better suited than state government to produce oysters for commercial harvest. (Oyster production on private grounds started in the mid-1800s.)

Could oyster farming one day be viable in Maryland? I think so. Of course, some major changes would have to occur. The laws and regulations governing leasing Bay bottom would have to be updated, and a more streamlined permitting process would have to be developed.  But I think what’s most important is that our watermen remain key players in the industry. Yes, they would have to adapt to a business that is more like farming than harvesting a wild resource. These changes may be significant, but they are not impossible to overcome.

For those of us who work the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, oysters are in our blood, and it would be a great thing to see more watermen once again be able to pass the fruits of their labor on to future generations. 

I believe the future is bright for oyster aquaculture. It requires some adjustments in the thinking of watermen, but the fact is, oyster farming will keep watermen on the water producing Chesapeake Bay oysters. Our Bay has changed over the centuries and it continues to change. Watermen should consider changing as well if they want to continue working on the Bay. Will it be easy? Of course not, but nothing worth having ever comes easy, whether it be 15,000 wild-caught oysters or 5000 oysters grown in cages.

Think about it!

This Guy Speaks for the Fish

Congratulations to CBF Director of Fisheries Bill Goldsborough. Bill, who has directed CBF's Fisheries Program for 24 years, has recently been appointed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.

The ASMFC was founded in 1942 in recognition that fish don't abide by manmade state lines, so a fishery in the Chesapeake Bay may be impacted—and need protection—from Maine to Florida. This strategy was critical to the recovery of Chesapeake rockfish. It's a daunting task, but I think the fish are darn lucky to have a guy like Bill standing up for them.

Grasses for the Masses Starts Up in Virginia

It's that time of year again! CBF volunteers can help restore the health of Virginia's rivers and the Chesapeake Bay by participating in our Grasses for the Masses program.

2008 workshops start February 13th.

Get details and sign up here.

Saving the Bay from the Bench

Excerpt of a Baltimore Sun Op/ed written by Kim Coble, Executive Director of CBF's Maryland Office.

When citizens want to change how the government protects the environment, they generally work toward changing legislation, regulations or government leaders. Rarely do people think about judges.

But they should.

Maryland's judges are thoughtful people whose primary experience is with criminal and business law. But they are often unaware or insufficiently educated about the environment and the laws meant to protect it. Too often, these judges do not have a fundamental understanding of the complexity and importance of our natural resources...Lacking a larger understanding, they can be overly sympathetic to claims that protecting our water, air and land should be subordinate to an individual's property rights...As a result, in recent years, we have seen cases in which the legislature had to go back and rewrite legislation to repair damage done to environmental laws through misinterpretation by the court system.

...The courts and other judicial institutions (as well as many local planning offices) have chosen to ignore the cumulative impact of the next shopping center, apartment complex or industrial park. Each case is reviewed independently, and thus the courts look only at the impact of just this "one" case: One parking lot. One gazebo. One bed of underwater grasses destroyed. One wetland lost.

It's an argument developers routinely deliver, with amazing success. But the cumulative effects of these "ones" is death by a thousand cuts for our environment, our rivers and streams, and our bay.

...Sadly, the cost of mounting a legal challenge to each case is beyond the financial ability of most citizens. And special-interest organizations, willing to act on behalf of concerned individuals, are rarely even allowed to appear because of an overly narrow interpretation of who has "standing" - that is, who has the right to appear before the board or court.

...Judges who respect our natural resources and the common good, who have a demonstrated record of protecting the public interest, can help preserve and restore the land, air and water that belong to all citizens.

Maryland has good environmental laws. They could be stronger, but even the strongest and most well-crafted laws are only as good as those who enforce them.

Read the complete Op/Ed here...and recommend it when you're done.

I'll Get You My Pretty, And Your Little Fish, Too!

Gary Brookins at the Richmond Times-Dispatch has another winner!

With the Green Fund coming up in the Maryland General Assembly special session next week it could just as easily be Maryland afloat.

Right now, legislators have an opportunity to support the Green Fund for clean streams and a healthy Bay. Not surprisingly, there’s a lot of support for it: from environmentalists and watermen to homebuilders, community leaders, and health-care professionals; in fact, 63 percent of Marylanders are willing to pay a $20 annual fee to fund Bay clean-up programs.

It’s a rare moment when opportunity, consensus, and a solution all align at the same time. And we must take advantage of this moment.

As for Virginia, the Commonwealth has made great strides in recent years in funding upgrades to sewage treatment plants. Now the big challenge is reducing runoff pollution, especially from farms. CBF and a coalition of agricultural and conservation groups are calling upon Governor Tim Kaine and the Virginia General Assembly to include $100 million annually for 10 years in the state budget to fund programs that help Virginia farmers reduce runoff. The funding would come from 1/10th of one cent of the current sales tax. If fully funded, the programs could cut 60% of the nitrogen runoff—nearly 12 million pounds a year—needed to meet Bay cleanup goals. This is a huge opportunity to fix one of the biggest pollution problems plaguing Virginia rivers and the Bay.

What do you think? Should cleaning up the Bay be a funding priority?

Top Six Regional Conservation Priorities

The metropolitan Washington Smart Growth Alliance (“WSGA”) runs a program that promotes the top regional conservation priorities each year. This year's priorities, announced at a recent press conference are:

• The National Mall, Washington, DC
• Port Tobacco River Watershed Restoration Plan, Charles County, MD
• Mattawoman River Watershed Plan, Charles and Prince George’s Counties, MD
• Merrimac Farm Preservation, Prince William County, VA
• Agricultural Reserve Building Lot Termination Program, Montgomery County, MD
• Four Mile Run Restoration Plan, Arlington and Alexandria, VA

WSGA is a group of “strange bedfellows” who came together in 2002 to promote “smart growth” across the greater DC region.  Comprised of the Metropolitan Washington District Council of the Urban Land Institute, the Metropolitan Washington Builders’ Council, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the Metropolitan Washington Board of Trade, Enterprise Community Partners, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, WSGA runs a “Smart Growth Development Recognition Program” that endorses specific development projects that meet a set of smart growth criteria, in order to help them move forward.

Chesapeake Bay to Benefit from $900,000 Elizabeth River Cleanup

(from Environment News Service)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to award more than $900,000 to the Elizabeth River Project to help clean up 25 acres of sediment contamination in the Money Point section of Chesapeake, VA. The project is one of 16 selected across the country to receive a share of $13.36 million in funding to restore and protect watersheds.

Dobbins Island Boat Parade Scheduled for Sept. 1

CBF and the Magothy River Association are sponsoring a boat parade and rendezvous to support the purchase of Dobbins Island and its consolidation as a port for the Capt. John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

When: Saturday, September 1, 2007 @ 1pm
Where: Parade starts near Henderson Point in the Magothy River and will progress along the channel to Dobbins Island
Why: An opportunity now exists to purchase Dobbins Island and consolidate the Island, beach, sandbar and anchorage as a port for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Making this Historic Island an open space park is a better use of Critical Areas.
What: From 1 to 4 pm MRA volunteers will hand out petitions and educational materials to passing boaters.
RSVP: Contact Paul Spadaro, President Magothy River Association at president@magothyriver.org 

Addressing the Mess with a Little Laughter

via Earth 911

Comedy Central has shown us that laughter may perhaps be the best medicine with satirical content on the world’s issues through shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. With the help of Earth 911, the network will next week launch its Address the Mess website to incorporate that same style while educating people about the environment. The site will feature environment-themed videos with Comedy Central personalities, quizzes created with guidance from Earth 911 on your environmental footprint and content from a number of environmental resources.

CBF Makes Grist's Top 15 Green Buildings

via Grist

# 6 Philip Merrill Environmental Center, Annapolis, Md., U.S.
"The Chesapeake Bay Foundation may struggle with cleaning up that venerable body of water, but it's achieved smooth sailing in the green-construction department. Made of eco-materials including sustainably harvested wood and steel recycled from cars and guns, the foundation's Merrill Center sits on concrete piers to allow parking underneath and is cooled by bay breezes."

Find out what other buildings rate in Grist's top 15 and check out their other "15 Green" lists, from colleges to sports stars.

Tree-mendous Maryland Fall Selection Now Available

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Tree-mendous Maryland program is offering its fall selection of native trees and shrubs for public land planting projects. These reasonably priced, mostly native trees and shrubs including oaks, river birch, serviceberry, sweetbay magnolia, itea, and many other species are available for purchase immediately for schools, parks, watershed organizations, local and county governments, homeowner's associations, environmental groups, etc.

Plants will be available for pick-up or delivery as early as the second week in September. For additional information contact Terry Galloway at tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8510.

Download the Fall Trees and Shrubs List and Order Form (PDF)

36,000 Oysters Planted in South River

via the Baltimore Sun

Arianna Dalton and about a dozen other volunteers took the plunge for the environment Monday evening at Edgewater Beach, adding about 680 rocks caked with 2-month-old oysters to the river bottom to create a reef in hopes of improving water clarity and quality.

The project, organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and the South River Federation, is the third effort of its kind in Anne Arundel County. The Naval Academy seawall and the breakwaters at the CBF headquarters in Bay Ridge also have man-made oyster reefs.

Who Has the Right to Protect the Magothy River

by Kim Coble, CBF Maryland Executive Director
(this column appeared in the Maryland Gazette)

The Dobbins Island case embodies more than just building a home, or a pier. It's about the quality of the Magothy River, the health of the crabs, fish and grasses within it, and about the Bay's future.

This week, Anne Arundel County's Board of Appeals decided that neither the Chesapeake Bay Foundation nor the Magothy River Association had the right to challenge its decision to allow construction of a pier, driveway, well and septic system on the Magothy River's Dobbins Island, one of the last vacant islands in Maryland.

The county said the organizations do not have the right to challenge because they do not own property on the river. It was not enough that 58 of our members own property on the river, or that the organizations have spent considerable efforts to restore the river. We still have no right to question the county's actions on the river.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Magothy River Association argued their right to protect investments in the river, including underwater bay grasses and oyster reefs the organizations built with their hands, sweat, and funds. The organizations' key point is that the county's decision to allow construction of a house, driveway, pier and septic system on an island with steep slopes will produce harmful runoff, damaging these oyster reefs and bay grasses.

Anne Arundel County said that, despite our extensive work and hundreds of thousands of dollars of investment, our interests were no different than the average citizen and called our efforts to protect those essential oyster reefs and bay grasses, "big brother at its worst."

If the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Magothy River Association don't have the right to appear in court and challenge decisions we believe will be harmful to the quality of the Magothy River, then who CAN protect the river and its natural resources?

Anne Arundel County's Board of Appeals believes no one has that right. Their decision to limit that right to anyone living within 175 feet of these islands results in no one being able to challenge the county's decisions.

This is a bad decision for not only the Magothy but for all of Anne Arundel's waters. Little Dobbins Island, right next to the bigger Dobbins, is another example of county decisions that will hurt the Magothy.

With Little Dobbins, we saw a "build first, seek variances later" approach. A developer built a home, lighthouse, pool, boat ramp, driveway, and gazebo, and removed acres of protective trees and shrubs that reduced pollution and erosion—all without the necessary permits and variances. The county allowed the structures to stand, and decided that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Magothy River Association did not have the right to challenge this damaging development.

On Dobbins Island, the county allowed one pier to be built, extending from the island to a length that will kill about 1,600 square feet of flourishing bay grasses—a rare sight in the bay today.

Underwater grasses play a critical role in supporting water quality of rivers and the Bay. Essential bay grasses have dwindled from their abundant numbers, and the Bay and its rivers have less than 40 percent of the grasses they used to have. We should not allow actions that result in losing more underwater grasses.

Anne Arundel County's trend seems to be to issue one permit after another, allowing construction that is harmful to our rivers and bay, without any regard to the grasses, oysters, crabs, and the rest of the bay's bounty. At the same time, the county seeks to block all voices of opposition to such development, even from groups that are spending thousands of hours and millions of dollars to improve county waters.

Citizens and organizations are working tirelessly to restore our rivers and Bay in order to make the Chesapeake Bay a resource they can enjoy and leave to their children in better shape than they found it. Without the ability to protect their efforts, citizens and organizations will start to question whether their efforts are worth it.

The County Board of Appeals' decision to tell the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Magothy River Association that they cannot challenge the county's decision to allow harmful construction—to silence their desire to protect investments in the Bay and its rivers—has larger consequences.

If these organizations - and the tens of thousands of voices and Bay resources they represent - are not allowed to speak for the Bay and the rivers, who can?

Can one roll of toilet paper change the world?

Toilet paper, that ubiquitous and apparently indespensable component of modern life, is often manufactured by cutting down the world's forests. In Canada, clear-cut logging claims half a million acres of Ontario and Alberta's boreal forests each year with much of the destruction earmarked for virgin paper tissue products. Similar activity is taking place in the Southeastern U.S. Recently, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council have started campaigns to educate the public on the environmental impacts of using these kinds of products. See kleercut and nrdc. The good news is that all of this industrial pressure for tissue products can be avoided simply by using recycled paper toilet tissue.

In fact, if every household in the U.S. replaced just 1 roll of virgin toilet paper with just 1 recycled roll 424,000 trees would be saved

Many Americans still believe that recycled content toilet tissue couldn't possibly be comfortable to use—that is, until they try it. To prove the point, Greenline paper is offering a free sample of its Eco-Soft 100% recycled toilet tissue to every interested reader free of charge. Just e-mail them at info@greenlinepaper.com and ask for a free toilet paper sample. Please include your mailing address.

Now, let's change the world 1 roll of toilet paper at a time!

Cash Prizes for Inspirational Environmental Photos

What do the arts and culture have to do with environmental education?

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) believes there is a significant connection between the two. Now, their "Our World" photography contest is seeking amateur and professional photos that "will inspire people to achieve environmental excellence." Entries may reflect anything that connects to the environment. The winning photos will show how the visual arts can create a kinesthetic and emotional connection to the Earth. The photography contest is one element of a larger effort by NAAEE to re-invigorate the use of arts and culture in the EE field. More information about prizes, rules, and entry forms can be found on the NAAEE Web site at www.naaee.org.

Share your entries with us, too! Post your photos to Webshots, Picasa, or other online photo-sharing site and submit a comment with your link.

American Indian, Bay Issues Featured in New Novel

Released on May 15 by Cashel and Kells Publishing, "Herons Poynte: A Novel of the Chesapeake" is the story of a young Choptank Indian named David who travels to the bay in search of his ancestral land. The novel's strong undercurrent of environmentalism emerges when David discovers the land is now owned by a polluting local steel mill. The subsequent conflict between David and the owner of the mill represents what author George Callaghan calls the contemporary struggle to restore the health of the Chesapeake.

Callaghan's novel highlights environmental issues that have recently reached the attention of state legislators. Still, "Herons Poynte" is about more than the environment. The book also aims to address the issue of American Indian entitlement in the United States, a theme that actually emerges in the narrative well before any discussion of sustainability.

"Herons Poynte: A Novel of the Chesapeake" by George Callaghan is stocked by the Salisbury University Bookstore and other independent bookstores on the Eastern Shore, in Ocean City and in Callaghan's hometown of Annapolis. It can also be purchased online at www.HeronsPoynte.com. (from The Daily Times)

Chesapeake Bay Eagle Habitat on NPR

Biologists worry that waterfront development along the Chesapeake Bay is rapidly eating up eagle habitat and that the birds are still in peril. Listen to today's report on Morning Edition, read the transcript, or view a map of nesting sites on the Chesapeake Bay.

Events this Week

3/15 -- Energy Film Festival and Lecture Series, Films: Nobelity, Sundance Summit, Salisbury, MD
3/16 -- Think Globally, Design Locally: Green Buildings in the Chesapeak, Architect Janet Harrison (Harrison was the Green Consultant for CBF's Philip Merrill Environmental Center, the first building to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum award), Howard Community College, Columbia, MD
3/17 -- VoiCes Adult Bay Education Program all-day field trip, Cambridge, MD
3/17 -- VoiCeS Adult Education Program, all-day field trip, Frederick, MD
3/17 -- Monocacy Farm Stewardship Project, Stream Buffer Restoration, Mt. Airy, MD

Other things we've heard about:

Sip a Green Drink at this happy hour with others who share your passion for the environment.

• Tuesday 3/13
  Washington, D.C. -- 6:00 - 8:30 at Local 16

If you have any relevant events in your neck of the woods that you'd like to share with your Chesapeake Bay neighbors, let us know.

Tax Time Reminder from Gov. O'Malley

A reminder from Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley about the Bay Fund 2007 Tax check-off.

Virginia residents -- don't forget you can support the Bay, too.

Eagle Count Soars

ntFor 20 years, CBF senior educator Bill Portlock has done a one-day winter eagle survey on a 35-mile stretch of the Rappahannock from Tappahannock to a spot just above Port Royal.

A decade ago, he was lucky to see 50 or 60. By evening this time around he had tallied over 200. (The Free Lance-Star)

Demise of mussels linked to SAV decline in Magothy

The Magothy River didn't look so good in 2006.

A 20 percent drop in underwater grasses appears to be linked to the demise of dark false mussels, an unusual species widely credited for a burst of good water quality two years ago, according to a draft of the annual Magothy River Index.

"The most interesting thing is what happened when the dark false mussels died out," said Dr. Peter Bergstrom, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologist who helps the Magothy River Association monitor the river. "We saw an improvement in the river that happened together with an explosion of the mussel population in 2004."  (The Capital)

At its "State of the Magothy" meeting last night, the Magothy River Association planned to discuss a five-year plan for clearing the water and increasing the oyster population -- including funding sources. Unfortunately, I was unable to make the meeting so can't report back. I'll update here when I find out more.

Want to help the Magothy and SAVs? Check both the CBF and Magothy River Association web sites for more info and ideas.

Is Maryland risking over reaching its groundwater resources?

The state’s Senate Education, Health and Environment Committee met in Annapolis on Tuesday to discuss Senate Bill 499, which allows developers to claim surrounding land as a groundwater recharge area, even if it is owned by another private party or government agency.

The bill concerns Jenn Aiosa, Maryland Senior Scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, who said that the bill introduced by Sen. David Brinkley (R-District 4), Sen. Donald Munson (R-District 2) and Sen. Larry Haines (R-District 5) is not a reasonable solution.  (The Daily Banner)

King William Reservoir: Latest decision is contrary to VA law

CBF has filed a lawsuit challenging a decision to allow Newport News to continue work on the King William Reservoir.

From the mountains, to the oceans (and the bay)

Western Maryland lawmakers gathered in Annapolis today to push for a third commemorative license plate. The Mountain Maryland tag would join the current tags supporting the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland farming. This is the bill's third year -- and this year it has a twist: the current legislation dedicates the tag fee to the Chesapeake Bay Trust and a similar organization that promotes agricultural interests.

Today's Cumberland Times-News article puts it in perspective, "...by dedicating Mountain revenue to the Bay, the plate would promote the educational mission of the Bay Trust, reminding Western Marylanders that we all have a role to play in protecting this vital estuary."

National budget cuts funds for the bay

The bay has been getting a lot of support from local lawmakers so far this year, but federal support has gone south. Today's Annapolis Capital reports that President Bush's proposed budget includes more than $75 million in cuts to Chesapeake Bay programs.

"If the president's budget were enacted, it would be devastating for the bay," said Senator Ben Cardin.

The proposed cuts reduce funding for sewage plant upgrades, education, oyster restoration, land preservation, as well as cutting $1.6 million from the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office in Eastport.

Video: Why Save Oysters? (WBAL-TV)

Oysters are a top priority in Maryland this legislative session. Check out this video from WBAL-TV.

How much is a clean bay worth?

"Our political leaders need to know how close and within our grasp a restored Chesapeake watershed truly is." So writes David Bancroft, president of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in the February issue of the Bay Journal. Bancroft makes the point that, unlike so many other societal challenges facing our political leaders, this challenge has "well-known and well-documented" technical solutions, as well as a known cost - about $2.4 billion per year. According to Bancroft, that equals an average contribution of $166 per person in the Bay watershed.

So, how much is the Bay worth to you? Would you willingly pay $166 per each member of your household for a clean Bay?

Wetlands' future depends on education

If you're looking for a good article about the importance of wetlands and the challenges they are facing in the Chesapeake Bay watershed this article from The Daily Times is a must-read.

What have we been doing for 19 years?

An article in today's Washington Post includes the following quote from J. Charles Fox, a former head of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources about efforts over the past 19 years to clean up the Chesapeake Bay:

"We have done a truly tremendous job of defining the problem, and we have done a truly tremendous job of defining the solution. But we have not yet succeeded in actually implementing the solution."

National and local legislators throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed will be tackling tough questions during this session. Keep David Fahrenthold's article in mind when the time comes to decide what efforts need your support.

More from the Washington Post:

• A picture is worth a thousand words. What will you do to protect the beauty of the Bay?
• Staggering amounts of work and funding are still needed.

VA Commits $2 Million to Oysters

VA officials have adopted a $2.7 million plan for restoring oysters in the Chesapeake Bay this year, including funds for hatcheries, oyster farming training and equipment, buying seed from private growers, and combating cow-nosed rays. The Daily Press reports that, for the first time, Virginia's plan puts a major focus on what's called "spat-on-the-shell" oyster replenishment. The method has been produced millions of oysters a year in Maryland. Last year, CBF and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission partnered on this new approach with 4.4 million oysters being transplanted to the Piankatank and Lynnhaven Rivers.

However, The Virginian-Pilot reports that the Virginia Seafood Council also asked the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to extend its experiments with Asian oysters. The commission expects to hold a public hearing on the proposal at its February 27 or March 27 meeting.

Indigo Dunes Debate

A 69-acre development is proposed for one of Virginia Beach's last open waterfront landscapes. The proposal will impact four acres of wetlands and about 34 percent of protected area overlooking Pleasure House Creek and the Lynnhaven River. Portfolio Weekly features the story in it's current edition.

After analyzing the Joint Permit Application (JPA) for Indigo Dunes, Joe Lerch, CBF Virginia Land Planner, provided his technical analysis of the JPA to local citizens.

In summary, Lerch proposes that the JPA doesn't comply with the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act regulations, meaning developer L.M. Sandler & Sons will need to seek an exception from Virginia Beach to develop the majority of the Resource Protection Areas (canals and wetlands - including a 100-foot protective buffer).

He also disputes the claim made by engineers for the developer that the existing wetlands and canals were manmade and therefore not worthy of protection under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. "(This) doesn't this follow the logic or letter of the law and regulations. Looking at the aerial photographs going back to 1937, it appears that the site was historically a wetland. Furthermore, when the years of spoil and dredge activity ceased it makes sense that nature would begin the process of returning wetland vegetation. Lastly, there is no reasonable justification (within the Bay Act regulations) for allowing an exception to remove the existing RPA features (water bodies, wetlands, and buffers)...Clearly, the exception being sought is due to a proposed "self-created" or "self imposed" hardship. I recommend contacting Shawn Smith (principal planner with DCR's Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance office) to verify this interpretation of the regulation."

You can read Joe's full comments about the proposal on the Shore Drive Community Coalition website and Shawn Smith's reply here (pdf file) .