Longer and warmer days, blue bird skies, birds and insects and flowers just waking up to the world—there's so much to love about spring. And we thought we'd take a moment now to recognize and celebrate all the wonderful things about this season. Here are five of our favorite things:
- Clean the Bay Day! The annual clean-up event in Virginia is turning 35 this year! And what better way to celebrate than by signing up for the June 1 event at one of the many clean-up sites offered across the Commonwealth. Since the event began in 1989, Clean the Bay Day has brought together more than 165,500 volunteers who have removed approximately 7.18 million pounds of debris from more than 8,250 miles of shoreline.
- Osprey! The return of these familiar friends every spring is a telltale sign that summer is on its way. These quintessential Chesapeake birds travel thousands of miles to return to the same nests, where they reunite with their mate, breed, and fish for menhaden. Often called the "osprey garden," the Chesapeake Bay has the most concentrated population of osprey in the world! And now you can watch them from the comfort of your own screen (though they're much better in person) through our osprey (sometimes goose) web cam!
- Clagett Farm! CBF's regenerative Clagett Farm bursts with life every spring in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Growing and producing 100 percent certified organic vegetables for roughly 250 CSA shareholders, Clagett also donates more than 30 percent of its harvest each week to our partners, the Capital Area Food Bank and Prince George's County Food Rescue. Learn more about our farm and sign up for its CSA, which begins this month.
- Photo Contest! Though our annual Save the Bay Photo Contest has now ended, you can still soak in some of the spectacular Chesapeake-inspired photos that people submitted to this year's content. For close to 20 years now, thousands of photographers have shared with us what makes the Chesapeake region so special. And we are in awe! Take a look at our 2024 Photo Contest Winners Gallery.
- Learning outside! Every spring and summer, thousands of students and teachers come out with us to learn about the Bay and its waters and how they can help them. We've still got spots available on some of our upcoming teacher professional development Chesapeake Classrooms program, Middle School Bay Eco-Camp, and other educational opportunities.
