CBF Launching Adult Education and Advocacy Course in the Nation’s Capital

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is bringing its comprehensive adult education and advocacy course to the Washington, D.C., metro region this fall and encourages area residents who care about clean water to register now. 

On six consecutive Thursday nights starting October 5, participants in the D.C. Metro Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards (VoCieS) course will learn about local waterways, the challenges to restoring water quality, and how to get involved in protecting them.  

Topics include getting to know your local watershed, Anacostia River restoration efforts, environmental justice, urban farming, agriculture and the federal Farm Bill, and how to be an effective advocate.  

The D.C. Metro VoCieS program will feature expert speakers from several of the region’s leading environmental and conservation groups, including the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Potomac Conservancy, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the D.C. Commission on Climate Change and Resilience.  

“CBF is excited to host this engaging course for the first time ever in the nation’s capital. We look forward to empowering D.C.-area folks to fight for clean water in their neighborhoods, across the Bay watershed, and nationally,” said CBF Federal Policy Coordinator Annabelle Harvey. 

Classes are scheduled from 6 pm to 8 pm every Thursday from October 5 to November 9. They will be held at REI Washington’s D.C. flagship store at 201 M St. NE. Registration is free, but you must register to join the class.  

Participants who attend all six evening sessions and one Saturday field experience will be certified by CBF as Chesapeake Stewards. Those interested in further advocacy work can also complete a final project. Attendance at a minimum of four classes is expected. 

CBF’s Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards (VoiCes) program was created in 2004 to engage local volunteers and provide in-depth education about the Bay and what is being done to protect and restore it. Already active in Maryland and Virginia, this fall’s course will be the first specifically for D.C. area residents.  

For more information or to register, click here or contact Annabelle Harvey at [email protected]. There are only a few spaces left, so sign up today!