8 Steps You Can Take This Earth Day to Help Mother Nature
Are looking for things to do for Earth Day? Here are a few actions you can take and events you can attend to support the Earth.
1. Take a walk in your neighborhood and pick up trash.
All it takes is a couple of pairs of gloves and a trash bag to get involved. Look out for sharp and dangerous objects and stay safe!
2. Pick up pet waste! Timely removal keeps waste from washing into waterways and spreading bacteria and parasites.
Click the image to learn more about why picking up pet waste is so important!
3. Switch to online billing and go paperless for your household budget.
Imagine how many bills pile up on your desk each year. Switching to e-bills cannot only make your life more efficient but save trees in the process.
4. Make a personal plastic audit.
Check items around your house to fully understand how prevalent plastic is in your life and investigate ways to make simple swaps.
5. Switch out single-use plastic bags for reusable shopping totes.
It is estimated that every year, 300 million plastic bags are put in the Atlantic Ocean. If we all make the change, we can help prevent this pollution.
6. Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with efficient CFLs or LEDS.
By switching to efficient light bulbs, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds a year!
7. Contribute to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to help make a powerful investment in the Chesapeake region.
By donating to the Chesapeake Bay Trust, you are contributing to the funding of organizations that help make a powerful environmental impact on the Chesapeake region each year.
By Kristina Arreza Chesapeake Bay Trust Communications Intern
Maintaining and enhancing its community areas is one of the primary responsibilities of the Edgewater Beach Citizens Association for the Edgewater Beach Shaded section community. The community is a small neighborhood of 53 homes. In the communal area of several acres a park, picnic area, and an active pier with boat slips are the backdrop for 36 goats from Browsing Green Goats. Why you may ask? In the little nook located on South River from Park Avenue to Edgewater Beach Drive lies tangles of invasive Kudzu vines engulfing and suffocating the existing native trees and plants. Kudzu has destroyed natural riparian vegetation along the banks of Beards Creek and South Park River, causing instability and erosion of sediment which fills the South River. Known as an overpowering vine, Kudzu can suffocate trees at the crown when engulfed which, result in rotting roots.
Mary Bowen, invasive species control specialist and founder of Browsing Green Goats, has mastered the innovative technique of tackling weeds in a sustainable matter. “Goats can graze in hard to reach places that machines usually miss; such as slopes, wetlands, and rough terrain areas.” Goats also eat poisonous plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and knotweed to name a few. Additional benefits of goat browsing include the natural fertilizer source of their excrement and their ability to till the soil with their hooves which break down clumps and large mounds of soil for a better surface to plant new trees. They have made significant progress. According to John Greene, project leader for the Edgewater Beach Citizens Association (EBCA), “the goats cleared almost an acre in the first 24 hours!”
This project was funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s (Trust) through the Community Engagement Mini-Grant Program. This grant program is designed to connect residents throughout Maryland in activities that enhance communities, engage residents, and improve natural resources. A few of these activities include tree plantings, rain gardens, stream cleanups, storm drain stenciling, and yep, removal of invasive species. The Trust seeks to reach groups that have traditionally been under-served in tackling environmental issues and new applicants and organizations from a diverse array of communities.
Before the Trust’s approval of the Edgewater Beach Shady Side Community project, Mr. Greene said that the plants were “too powerful for the toxic and environmentally unfriendly herbicides or from removing the vines by hand.” Completion of the invasive removal was slated for Summer 2020, however, the goats have made a significant impact in their short period spent in the area. After this phase of the project, maintenance will include identifying crowns (root systems) and treating those crowns with approved chemicals for removal. Further maintenance of the entire park area is conducted by residents throughout the year. The EBCA was able to accumulate $2,500 towards this project alongside an additional $2,500 in donations to complete the eradication of kudzu.
The Arundel Rivers Federation (ARF) aided in raising awareness and publicity for the rest of the Edgewater Beach Shaded community to be educated and involved in this portion of the project. In the second phase, ARF intends on hosting a kayak trip with area neighbors and the South Riverkeeper – to inform them about native riparian plants and their importance to the river. Additional opportunities for outreach include anticipated services from Annapolis area high schools – including the Annapolis High Key Club. The project intends to educate students about the issue of invasive plants and river health.
Recently, the community and their project was featured in the Edgewater Patch. Read the full story here.
For many adults, the start of summer means rolling down the windows during the drive to the office and looking out the window a little more longingly while we’re there. So when I was offered a chance to spend a Friday with the Chesapeake Conservation Corps at Arlington Echo, an Outdoor Education Center that sees every fourth grader in the county each year, for one of their “All Hands on Deck” events I accepted immediately. Expecting nothing more than a few hours in the sun and maybe a decent lunch, I was completely unprepared for the experience I received.
As I arrived, I caught glimpses of pavilions and picnic tables tucked behind trees, several inviting trails branched off of the main road, and a cloud of butterflies and bumblebees hovered over the flower gardens that surround every building and field. Having not been to an outdoor education center since I was about 12, I was afraid that I would no longer enjoy an entire day of environmental education geared towards a pre-teen age group. While I parked my car and walked towards my Corps group I couldn’t help feeling like I was walking into a new elementary school, worried that the other kids would make fun of my shoes. But my fears evaporated instantly under the infectious smile of Anna, our group’s camp guide, as she led us towards the low ropes course. Minutes later I was being passed through a gigantic spider web, lifted over a 12 foot wall to escape the “zombie apocalypse,” and testing the limits of my balancing skills on “Don’t rock the boat.”
Feeling much more comfortable with my new friends and our teamwork potential, we met up with the rest of the Corps members and Echo staff for lunch. Before we could eat however, we had to learn the rules of Wheel of Echo! , a game after lunch where a lucky 4th grader (usually) gets to show off their ecology chops by answering a random nature question. Despite my personal, grouchy aversion to cheesy audience participation, I soon found myself joining the rest of the dining hall in enthusiastically shouting “SPIN THAT SQUIRREL!” and straining to see what category it landed on. However, lunch wasn’t over until after the traditional weighing of any leftover food waste. Thankfully our group of career environmentalists was able to finish our veggies, earning us a coveted spot on the food waste wall of fame.
After a short digestion break, the Conservation Corps split into two groups and prepared for an afternoon hike/canoe through the Severn Run natural area. Not satisfied that we were soaking in all that Arlington Echo had to offer the staff challenged us to see which group could spot the most plant and animal species before we left later that day. So with our eyes and ears peeled looking for types of life we began paddling up the Severn Run. Focused mostly on not getting stuck in the shallows, and then of course on having to get ourselves un-stuck, we were only able to identify six different types of birds including a great blue heron, a kingfisher, and even a bald eagle. The real fun began once we met up with the other group and our mystical forest guide Sean.
Leading us through stands of chestnut oak and Virginia pine, pointing out lady slipper orchids and wild cherries, rainbow tie-dye socks poking out of the tops of his boots, Sean McGuinn could only be described as the cool counselor in every movie about summer camp. As he led down the trail leaking tidbits of information like “Jewelweed can help counteract poison ivy,” I was reminded of my childhood camp experiences just like when I was in 4th grade and looked up to older kids working at Arlington Echo and decided that’s what I want to be when I grow up.
It wasn’t until we had finished the hike and I sat under a red cedar rehydrating that I realized how much fun the entire Arlington Echo experience had been. Not only was the location right on the Severn River beautiful, you could tell the staff truly cared about their program and wanted every visitor to leave with a newfound passion for supporting local habitat. On top of Arlington Echo itself, I was blown away by the Chesapeake Conservation Corps members: their enthusiasm for environmental stewardship, and the incredible projects they are working on outside of this event. Somehow it made even my own healthy environmental passions and career goals feel shallow. The worst part of the day was driving away and realizing that I had to go to work on Monday and there are kids that are going to get to go there every day of the week this summer.
Will Cameron is an intern at Chesapeake Bay Trust and a senior at John Hopkins University.
Jana Davis, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust, recently sat down with Comcast Newsmakers’ Yolanda Vazquez to discuss the Trust, our grant programs, the health of the Bay, and the value of buying a Bay Plate. Check out the video to learn more about our programs, mission, and purpose.
Tree Keepers project funded by Prince George’s County Stormwater Stewardship Grant Program
Trees are essential—they clean the air, lower the temperature of cities during warm weather, and reduce heating bills in cold weather. They also act as filters to clean stormwater and slow the flow of water during heavy rains to reduce flooding, which is why even urban areas need plenty of trees. Trees along sidewalks and roads in urban areas are known as “street trees.” Street trees require regular care and maintenance to keep them healthy and thriving.
The Town of Forest Heights received a Prince George’s Stormwater Stewardship Grant to fund their unique Tree Keepers project, a summer program which combined a maintenance plan for existing street trees with job training and mentorship for high school students and a community outreach plan to engage citizens in the care and maintenance of street trees.
Using grant funds, the Town hired six high school students from Oxon Hill and Potomac High Schools, one college graduate student, and one community elder for the summer program. These new hires for the project were known as the “Tree Keepers.”
At the start of the project, the Tree Keepers learned about trees from two certified arborists. Then they examined, watered, mulched, and pruned 150 street trees. The group also conducted research to identify and catalogue trees. The Town will use this data to create an environmental asset inventory.
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
The Tree Keepers engaged Town residents using an educational campaign that focused on sharing the benefits of trees, including improved property value, stormwater collection, air quality, and energy conservation. In addition, the Tree Keepers talked with people who lived near the street trees to share the value of the tree, along with a few easy tips to help the tree continue to grow and thrive. They also shared a brochure with residents that they developed as part of the program.
PROJECT SUCCESS!
This project was a success for the Town of Forest Heights. The high school students gained job experience, some for the first time, and the guidance of the community elder and the graduate student was a successful model for mentoring and learning in the program. Building capacity within the community and building job skills was important goal of the project. The Town even hired one of the students at the end of the summer to provide maintenance and upkeep for plants at the Town Hall property.
Most importantly, the Tree Keepers forged connections with homeowners about the care and maintenance of the trees in their neighborhood. Now Town residents are interested and excited about their street trees!
PRINCE GEORGE’S STORMWATER STEWARDSHIP GRANT PROGRAM
The following organizations have received funding through the Prince George’s Stormwater Stewardship Grant Program to plant trees on private individual residential property in Prince George’s County in 2018:
An island with no time, marsh bouquets, and stories by fire light
By Morgan Jones
Barely visible on the horizon, a resilient piece of marshy land sits with a single structure that catches the light of the midday sun. With Tangier Island to its west and Pocomoke Sound to the east, Fox Island rests there quietly in the Chesapeake Bay. The blue-green waters around it are teeming with life. Built in the 1920’s as a hunting lodge, the quaint building on the island is now an environmental educational center owned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Thanks to CBF, school groups from all around the watershed can visit Fox, as it’s known, for an authentic island experience. In September, I spent three days on Fox Island with a group of students from the Key School of Annapolis as part of my experience as a Chesapeake Conservation Corps member with CBF.
Aboard the Walter Ridder, a 40-foot jet boat, our group motored away from the town of Crisfield on Maryland’s eastern shore and out into the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. As we traveled further from shore, the legendary islands of Smith, Tangier, and Fox began to take form around us. The students were bursting with curiosity and excitement.
Before I knew it, we pulled up to the dock at Fox. Soon after getting settled, we met in the living room to listen to the rules of the island. One rule in particular stuck with me:
“There is a time and a place for everything, and here is a place where time is nothing.”
Adam Dunn, the Fox Island Manager, explained that from now on we would be living on “island time.” He went around the room collecting cell phones and watches from all of the students. Then, he said, “your normal lives are filled with schedules and routines, but out here all of that goes away.” After this, whenever a student asked for the time, the reply was always “it’s island time.”
The next few days were filled with nonstop adventures. Students learned how to bait and set their own crab pots, dredge for oysters, and identify exciting species that frequent the bay such as red beard sponges, lined seahorses, and black-fingered mud crabs. We spent a few hours on the neighboring island of Tangier where the kids were able to meet island locals and observe the similarities and differences between island culture and their own. To let out some extra energy, we went mud muckin’ and collected bouquets of marsh flowers and grasses.
The nights were just as thrilling. Students stared up at a clear night sky bursting with stars, and they tasted the famous Smith Island cake one evening after dinner. Perhaps my favorite experience of all was sitting around a warm, crackling fire listening to Captain Larry Laird tell the story of the “Green Man” and feeling more spooked than most of the kids.
The time I spent on Fox Island felt magical, and I believe that the students felt it too. The environmental education experiences that the Chesapeake Bay Foundation provides to kids, many of which are funded by grants from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, last a lifetime in their memories. Not only does it draw them closer to the ecosystem, culture, and history of the Chesapeake Bay, but ultimately the rest of the natural world around them.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust offers two educational grant programs that can supply funding for similar environmental field experiences for your students or school. The Trust’s Environmental Education Mini-Grant Program, which awards up to $5,000, is open and accepting applications until January 12, 2018, at 5 pm. The Environmental Education Grant Program, which awards between $5,001 and $40,000 per year (with a multi-year option), is open and accepting applications until December 8, 2017, at 5 pm.
To learn more about CBF’s invaluable educational field programs, visit their website.
Morgan Jones is a Chesapeake Conservation Corps member working for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. She splits her time between the Environmental Protection and Restoration Department and the Education Department. This position provides her with professional, educational, and social skills to advance in the environmental field.
Get the resources you need to make your community cleaner and greener through the Prince George’s County Litter Reduction and Citizen Engagement Mini Grant Program.
According to the Prince George’s County Litter Reduction Campaign, “litter costs [the] County millions of dollars a year, decreases property values, has a negative impact on health and wellness, and threatens wildlife, reservoirs and waterways.” Therefore, “reducing litter is critical to improving the economic, environmental, and social health of [the] County.”
To support and engage County residents in the fight against litter, the Prince George’s County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announce the Prince George’s County Litter Reduction and Citizen Engagement Mini Grant Program. This program supports community-driven litter reduction and litter-related citizen engagement projects that engage and educate residents, students, and businesses about ways to make their communities cleaner and greener. Communities may request funding for community cleanups, “Adopt-a-Stream” cleanups, storm drain stenciling projects, and more through this program.
Join the fight against litter for a #LitterFreePGC! Contact Nguyen Le at (410) 974-2941 x110 or nle@cbtrust.org if you have questions or to discuss project ideas.
Community-based organizations (homeowner associations, civic associations, and nonprofits) and small municipalities are encouraged to apply. Faith-based organizations interested in participating are encouraged to be a partner for a community group nearby that will serve as the lead on the project. If you are a resident interested in participating, we encourage you to reach out to your community organization and share this opportunity.
Applications for this program will be accepted on an on-going basis until funds for this fiscal year are exhausted.
Sam coring a white pine as part of her Capstone project to study the impact of historical fires on forest structure at TNC’s Sideling Hill Creek preserve in western Maryland. (Photo: Deborah Landau/TNC)
Participating in the Chesapeake Conservation Corps (Corps) is a unique experience. We are showcasing the individual Conservation Corps members in the 2019-2020 cohort along with information on their host site and descriptions of the incredible work they are doing. This month’s featured Corps member: Sam Myers.
Growing up in Maryland, Sam’s love for the environment was ignited by her experiences in the marshes of the Chesapeake Bay. Sam will always remember her middle school field trip where her class spent time out on the water setting out crab pots, netting fish close to the shore, and mucking in the nearby marsh. She states, “this hands-on learning is what drew me to environmental science and sparked my love for ecology and environmental conservation.” During her time at Washington University in St. Louis, she pursued a degree in environmental studies and worked in their research labs studying plant population ecology and plant pathology. In college, Sam was able to visit the Mojave Desert in California, and Hawaii to study the unique ecology and geology on federally managed lands. Sam also studied abroad in Panama learning about tropical ecology and indigenous resource conservation. Her time traveling helped her realize that there is so much more to learn about the natural world and how different communities work to manage and preserve it.
Chesapeake Conservation Corps members learned how to core trees and helped collect data for Sam’s capstone project at TNC’s Sideling Hill Creek preserve as part of a site visit that she hosted in February.
Upon beginning her time in the Corps, Sam initially wanted to learn about and contribute to environmental conservation projects and spend time working out in the field. She feels lucky to have been placed with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in their Maryland/District of Columbia office where she learned about restoration, land management, and conservation science.
Spanning 79 countries and territories alongside all 50 states, TNC is a science-based organization whose mission is to “conserve the lands and waters on which all life depend” by working with partners to advance conservation locally, regionally, and globally. Sam supports their mission as part of the Land Management team by assisting with controlled burns, monitoring rare plant species, and removing invasive species on their preserves. Sam has been able to work on multiple research projects of her own, including an ecosystem services analysis of TNC’s preserves in Maryland and a Capstone project, which is part of each Corps member’s work plan for the year, and is a graduation requirement.
One of her favorite things to experience (before COVID-19 restrictions were put in place in Maryland) was exploring the different landscapes across the state encapsulated in TNC’s preserves—from the Delmarva bay wetlands on the Eastern Shore to the Central Appalachian forests and montane bogs in western Maryland. Even though she grew up in Maryland, Sam admits, she had no idea of the vastly diverse ecological communities feeding into the treasured Chesapeake Bay.
Assisting with a controlled burn at Plum Creek Cedar Swamp on the Eastern Shore in January 2020. The burn helped to prepare two grass fields for a longleaf pine planting in February. (Photo: Chase McLean/TNC)
For her Capstone project, Sam studied the impact of historical fires on forest structure at TNC’S Sideling Hill Creek preserve in western Maryland. Sideling Hill Creek preserve is an 800-acre oak-pine forest with areas of shale barrens that harbor the unique biodiversity of plants and animals. TNC has been conducting controlled burns since 1962 and uses fire as a management tool to sustain fire-dependent ecosystems and prevent catastrophic wildfires. In Maryland, TNC has been conducting controlled burns on the Eastern Shore since 2008 and has started to develop a burn program in western Maryland (central Appalachians). Though fire was once common and widespread throughout this region, fire exclusion during the past century has threatened the dynamics of this forest. Sam’s capstone project examines how the fire history at Sideling Hill Creek may have shaped today’s forest dynamics. It will serve as a baseline to inform TNC’s management of the preserve and can also inform management of forests regionally across the central Appalachians.
At TNC, Sam has been able to dip her toes into different conservation projects and learn about the interdisciplinary functioning of a global non-profit conservation organization. Sam states that through this opportunity she has gotten to know some wonderful people who have enriched her Corps experience, including her mentor, Deborah Landau. Among other professional development opportunities, the Chesapeake Conservation Corps program also provided a variety of opportunities to learn about other environmental organizations and work alongside other Corps members. Sam will be attending the University of Massachusetts – Amherst to further her learning in their Master of Science program for Environmental Conservation, where she will take a sustained connection to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the people she has met through the Corps. Sam hopes to continue developing interdisciplinary skills to bridge the gap between conservation practitioners and scientists.
Gearing up for a controlled burn at Sideling Hill Creek preserve in western Maryland in November 2019. (Photo: Sev Smith/TNC).
The 2020-2021 class of the Chesapeake Conservation Corps had orientation on August 18th, 2020 at a virtual ceremony. To find out more about the new members and their host sites please see their member placements, here. The Chesapeake Bay Trust is also excited to announce the first Corps Alumni web page is now available here, showcasing 10 years of the program.
The objectives for this project aligned with the goals of the Prince George’s County Stormwater Stewardship program, which strives to improve neighborhoods, improve water quality in the County’s waterways, and engage County residents in stormwater issues. Since 2014, Prince George’s County Department of the Environment has partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Trust to fund impactful projects that strive to accomplish these goals. The Prince George’s County Rain Check Rebate Program is a second program funded by the County that incentivizes environmental stewardship by offering reimbursement to homeowners, businesses, and others for installing practices that will improve stormwater runoff quality, reduce runoff quantity, and improve local streams and rivers. This program operates on a rolling deadline and is currently accepting applications.
Anacostia Riverkeeper worked with First Baptist Church of Glenarden, St. Ambrose Catholic Church, and St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. To connect with and engage members of each faith-based organization, Anacostia Riverkeeper conducted stormwater outreach events at each of the three locations where they planned to install a high-volume cistern. Five outreach events were conducted with the help of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. These outreach events were offered in English and Spanish, which increased accessibility and helped to draw in over 170 participants. The events covered stormwater runoff and offered potential solutions and actions that participants could take. Anacostia Riverkeeper also informed participants about the existing opportunity to apply to the Prince George’s Rain Check Rebate Program to install stormwater management practices at their own homes.
Educational signage placed at each cistern installation.
To directly address stormwater management needs, high-volume cisterns were installed on each of the faith-based organizations’ properties. Each cistern captures between 17,500 to 39,000 gallons of stormwater per year, which reduces the amount of stormwater runoff and pollution that flows into local streams and rivers, and allows the stormwater to be used for other purposes.
Congratulations to Anacostia Riverkeeper on a successful project that engaged community members and directly addressed stormwater management!
After 89 years, Behnke Nurseries announced that this spring season would be their last. They will close their nursery on the evening of Saturday, June 15th. Behnke Nurseries grew to be more than just a garden center. It became a beloved destination with kind and knowledgeable staff who created a sense of community. Over the years, Behnke Nurseries has been a wonderful community partner in Prince George’s County, for the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and to other awardees.
For the first project, the LID Center and Behnke’s installed all seven of the Rain Check Rebate stormwater practices on Behnke’s property. The seven practices include rain barrels, cisterns, urban tree canopies, rain gardens, pavement removal, permeable pavement, and green roofs. These practices improve local waterways by reducing polluted runoff from entering our streams and rivers. Each of the installations included educational signage for visitors to learn about the practices and how they work.
For the second project, the LID Center and Behnke’s installed a Rain Check Rebate resource center inside Behnke’s to provide information about the program and how to participate. For several years, Behnke’s has served as a demonstration site for the Rain Check Rebate program where residents and others can see the practices in action, learn how to implement them on their property, and how to participate in the program.
In addition, Behnke Nurseries won the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Commercial Stewards Award in 2017 for their commitment to environmental stewardship. This award recognized Behnke’s devotion to environmental stewardship as a company in many ways. First, they have promoted the use of and educating the community about native plants through their “BaySafe Plants Program.” Second, they integrated environmental stewardship into their business practices through responsible procurement and marketing. Third, they implemented an array of innovative practices on their own property to improve water quality and reduce runoff. Finally, Behnke’s has partnered with other community organizations to further environmental initiatives.
Launched in 1998, the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Scholarship and Awards Program honors students, educators, individuals, communities, businesses, and organizations for their work to promote environmental education, improve local communities, and help restore the natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay region.
Thank you Behnke Nurseries for all you have done for our community and environment. We are all the better for having known and worked with you!
