Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog

CBF Educator Lends a Hand to The Downstream Project

2009-10-30T10:02:50-04:00

CBF's Allan Thomson, assistant manager for our Virginia Watershed Education Program (VWEP), devoted three days to lend his expertise to The Downstream Project.

The Downstream Project is a non-profit organization founded to inspire individuals and groups to initiate solutions to ecological issues that threaten their communities. The program believes in fair, open and responsible communication on relevant topics that will foster alliances toward a sustainable future.

Both Allan and Pat Calvert, VWEP Manager, frequently devote their spare time to assist other local groups, and are wonderful ambassadors for CBF in the Shenandoah region. Allan was previously featured in the documentary 'Shenandoah Voices', and continues to foster important community relationships "in the valley."

Here's a video of Allan in action with The Downstream Project earlier this month.

Speak Up for the Bay Tomorrow Night

2009-10-13T16:21:51-04:00

Elected and appointed officials in Richmond and Washington, D.C. are making decisions about Bay restoration right now! They need to hear from you.

Please join CBF tomorrow evening for a Chesapeake Bay Town Hall meeting in Arlington, VA. Find out about progress on Bay restoration efforts—including the President’s Executive Order and upcoming legislation in the House and Senate.

Whether you have specific questions you’d like to get answered or simply want to hear the latest updates directly from the movers-and-shakers involved, your participation will help make the point that you want promises turned into actions! For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Guest Speaker:
Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia District 8

Panel Speakers:
Chuck Fox, EPA Senior Advisor on the Chesapeake Bay
Senator Mary Margaret Whipple, Virginia District 31
Dr. Roger Mann, Director of Research and Advisory Services, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Roy Hoagland, Vice President, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Participate in a Focus Group

2009-10-07T10:11:06-04:00

Help CBF strengthen our fight for clean water. We will be holding a focus group on Thursday, October 15, in Annapolis, MD. We want to know what you think about the fight for a clean Chesapeake Bay and how we can make a bigger impact. For more information and to sign up, visit our website.

Earth Science Week Leaves No Child Inside

2009-09-25T14:50:00-04:00

The American Geological Institute has organized Earth Science Week since 1998. Last year, they added "No Child Left Inside Day" to the celebration as a way to get kids to experience earth science hands on. This year's nationwide celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13th.

A full kit with media suggestions, activity guides, helpful hints for bringing on community partners, and classroom follow-up ideas is available on their website. Host your own NCLI event and invite your legislators to join you!

Check out all of the details here.

Learn more about No Child Left Inside at www.nclicoalition.org.

CBF Sanctuary Garden Open House

2009-09-25T09:29:00-04:00

Come visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF) Sanctuary Garden at our headquarters in Annapolis, MD. This special open house will include a native seed propagation demonstration and an opportunity to purchase hard-to-find native plants.

The event will be held Saturday, October 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register and for directions, please contact Sheila Gallagher at Sheila.Gallagher22@comcast.net or call 410-867-0113.

And Away Go...Candy Wrappers?...Down the Drain

2009-09-24T11:04:27-04:00

Stormwater -- for some reason it's difficult for a lot of folks to make the connection between what's on their roads and lawns and what ends up in the Bay. I think a lot of people see storm drains on their streets but don't really think about them.

Well, Baltimore radio reporter Joel McCord had an excellent piece on WYPR 88.1 FM this morning that creates a clear picture of why storm drains and stormwater are keys to a clean Bay. Listen online at WYPR.org.

Vote for the 2009 Youth Thrive Awards

2009-09-23T19:42:10-04:00

The Youth Thrive Awards from GreatNonprofits recognizes the top-rated youth-focused nonprofits. Support your favorite youth-focused nonprofit by writing a review for their page on GreatNonprofits.org. Individuals who post reviews of the winners will be eligible to win great prizes, too!

Contest deadline: September 30

Show your support for CBF's education and volunteer programs. Write your review today!

CBF Member Rows for Clean Water

2009-09-17T09:16:17-04:00

When James Caple sent us an e-mail about his upcoming Chesapeake Bay Challenge, we were honored he selected the Chesapeake Bay Foundation fight for clean water as a focal point for his message of "raising awareness for the ecological concerns of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding watershed regions." His challenge starts tomorrow, September 18. We're happy to share his story with you here.

By James Caple of Falls Church, VA

For me, there seems to be a strange, ethereal connection between Cornwall, UK, and Ocean Rowing. About a year ago, I set off for the Cornish Coast to look at ocean rowing boats and to partake in a training ocean row sponsored by Woodvale Challenge Events in Plymouth. My intent at the time was to investigate the possibility of becoming a participant in an Ocean Rowing Race. This year, I've set my sites on rowing across the Chesapeake Bay—well, half way across anyway. On September 18th, I will launch from Reedville, VA, and row out to Tangier Island where I plan to hang out for a couple of nights. I then plan to row back into Reedville early Sunday afternoon. The synchronistic Cornish connection with this particular row is that after Captain John Smith first documented the existence of Tangier Island in 1608, settlers arrived there from Cornwall, England, nearly 12 years later.

Another aspect of this particular row is my desire to raise awareness for the importance of the Bay and the surrounding watershed regions. As a competitive rower, I row on number of different bodies of water, including the Potomac, Occoquan, Charles, and sometimes the Schuykill, rivers. Rowers and paddlers get a good feel for the ecological state of the waters they workout and play on probably better than most people—they are closer to the water than regular boaters, and they move slower through their environment, which helps to increase awareness about smaller details around them. During my morning workouts, I've noticed that there is some great wildlife on the Potomac river; I've also noticed that the water can smell and look quite awe full at times due to sewage and other pollution being put in the water. This is a big reason that I'd like my row out to Tangier Island and back be about raising awareness for the ecological concerns of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding watershed regions. September 19th is also the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup Day, so it's a great weekend to get out and do something positive for our aquatic environments.

Smith Point Marina in Reedville, VA, and Alexandria Community Rowing have been invaluable partners in helping me implement this row, as have Allison Caple, John Clayborne, Alan Weatherley, and Brian Schexnayder.

So here's to Cornwall, Tangier Island, Ocean Rowing and the preservation and renewal of our pristine natural resources.

You can track my progress this weekend on my blog at: http://www.rowthepond.com

James Caple

If you're a boater, rower, sailor, or angler and you want to show your support for a clean Bay, we invite you to join James as a CBF Boater for the Bay. Just go to cbf.org/boaters for more information.

Richmond - Walk with us to support safer streets

2009-09-15T22:02:44-04:00

Cycling and Pedestrian Awareness Walk

Thursday, September 17th; 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Richmond, VA

WALK WITH US TO SUPPORT SAFER STREETS!

Join our walk and help emphasize the importance for creating walk-able and bike-able communities where safe roadway sharing is standard. This is a rain or shine event and will include sights such as Kawanza Plaza, Brown's Island, Richmond's Canal Walk, and State Capital grounds.

Walkers should meet outside of the Capital Place Building located at 1108 East Main Street, across from the Bank of America building. There will be great give-aways, good company - including staff from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and BikeWalk Virginia, good exercise, and a good cause! Cue sheet and freebies provided at the start!

Please RSVP to Jbarton@cbf.org

Hope to see you there!

CBF's Will Baker on WYPR Thursday

2009-09-15T21:21:13-04:00

Tune into Baltimore public radio station WYPR 88.1 FM Thursday (September 17th) at noon to hear CBF President Will Baker on the Dan Rodricks show. Will will be Mr. Rodrick’s guest and will discuss the draft Executive Order reports issued last week. Those reports outline the federal government’s new leadership for the Chesapeake and the kinds of strategies federal agencies proposed to take.

Listen Thursday or catch the podcast, then share your thoughts with us here.

In the meantime, read Will's press statement and find out more about the reports.