Press Release

A free, family-friendly event presented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) on June 12 at Historic Poole Forge, will celebrate the Upper Conestoga River in Lancaster County and a restoration plan to clean and protect it.

“Experience the Upper Conestoga: Connecting with Our River,” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Historic Poole Forge, 1940 Main St., in Narvon, is among Lancaster Water Week activities between June 7 and 15.

At 6:30 p.m. on June 12, a presentation in the main pavilion on the restoration plan to restore the health of the Upper Conestoga River will be given by Brian Gish, CBF Pennsylvania Senior Watershed Planner.

“For a lot of people, the Upper Conestoga River is there, but not something they engage or interact with,” Gish said. “This event will give the Upper Conestoga real presence in their lives.”

The family-friendly event on June 12 will include free demonstrations by Upper Conestoga River Conservation Partners of fly fishing, water safety, water ecology presentations, stream restoration information, soil health simulations, pollinator garden exploration, and raptor rehabilitation. Free food, beverages, and giveaways will also be available.

Because of pollution, the Upper Conestoga River does not meet water quality standards. Gish said the goal of the restoration plan is incremental progress toward cleaner waters that people can enjoy. “The plan focuses on aquatic life, as it really struggles there,” Gish said. “The goal is to make the waterways and farms work in harmony.”

The plan is built on equal parts scientific analysis and community input. Once approved, the Upper Conestoga plan will make restoration projects in the watershed eligible for millions of dollars in public and private grants.

Gish coordinated a restoration plan for the Pequea Creek Watershed that became eligible for federal funding. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) also secured $2.18 million for the Pequea plan.

“At the end of the day, this is the community’s river, and the choices are theirs to make,” Gish said. “We need to find solutions that work for them and ways that serve their broader needs, not just those of the river. No plan is going to work unless the community feels a sense of ownership.”

Now in its 8th year, Lancaster Water Week features 60 events to celebrate the 1,400 miles of rivers and streams in Lancaster County.

CBF and the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership will be participating in other Lancaster Water Week events:

• First Friday at Penn Square, downtown Lancaster, June 7, 4-8:30 p.m.;
• Summer Music Series at Longs Park, June 9, 4-9:30 p.m.; and
• Concert in the Park at Greenfield Park, June 13, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

“Partners in Lancaster County have been doing some impactful work for the resiliency of local rivers and streams, and CBF is proud to be part of this important effort,” said Julia Krall, CBF Executive Director in Pennsylvania. “CBF appreciates Lancaster Water Week as a time for exploring, learning, volunteering, and taking action.”

Historic Poole Forge has partnered on numerous environmental projects to improve the beauty of the facilities and downstream. To learn more about current and future projects at Poole Forge, contact Executive Director Dr. Dawn Rise Ekdahl at hpf1940@gmail.com, or call 484 797-5302.

To learn more about Lancaster Water Week and for a schedule of events, visit www.lancasterconservancy.org/water-week.

More than 100,000 pounds of litter will not flow into Virginia’s waterways thanks to thousands of volunteers who participated Saturday in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) annual Clean the Bay Day, Virginia’s largest and longest-running litter and shoreline cleanup.  

On June 1, 4,470 volunteers and more than 60 CBF partners gathered at more than 200 sites in Richmond, Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and at Virginia State Parks. Totals show more than 100,000 pounds of litter and debris were removed from beaches, parks, shorelines, streams, rivers, and lakes.  

Since 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged more than 168,375 volunteers who have removed approximately 7 million pounds of debris from more than 8,200 miles of shoreline.    

“What began as a discussion among four residents sitting around a kitchen table is now Virginia’s largest cleanup event. And that was clear across Virginia Saturday. Volunteers cleaned up their communities, experiencing that unique connection from coming together for that common goal of restoring the Bay,” said CBF Grassroots Coordinator Lisa Renee Jennings.    

As in previous years, the most common items found during this year’s cleanup were plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers, plastic bags, and cigarette butts. But volunteers recovered many larger items, including a mattress, toilet, car bumper, and the carpeted floor of boats. Unusual items included the skull of a dog and toadfish, a gun safe, an empty R-22 refrigerant canister, and a bird cage. Volunteers also rescued a box turtle entrapped in a pile of Styrofoam. 

Among the volunteers were many elected officials, other community leaders, service members, small businesses, large corporations, and thousands of other Virginians.  

Fines Levied Against Darling Ingredients, Owner of the Valley Proteins Facility

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has levied $15,000 in fines against Darling Ingredients, owner of the Dorchester County Valley Proteins animal waste rendering plant, for repeated violations that could pollute waterways. 

The plant processes poultry byproducts, including dead birds, feathers, bone, meat, fat, blood, and other poultry parts.

The fines are linked to 51 recent violations of a requirement to leave at least two feet of empty capacity in wastewater lagoons. The empty space, called freeboard, is needed to prevent overflows and spills during heavy rains or other conditions that could cause pollution to be washed into rivers and streams. 

MDE inspections revealed violations occurring between August 2023 and March 2024, as detailed in a May 24 enforcement letter that MDE sent to the company. Recent MDE inspections have found dozens of other pollution violations not listed in the letter. Darling Ingredients has fourteen days to respond to MDE’s letter.

Due to violations in previous years, the plant has been under a consent decree since October 2022 with MDE, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), ShoreRivers, and Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth. That agreement ordered the facility’s owners to pay $540,000 in civil penalties to the state of Maryland to partially account for more than 40 violations to a state-issued discharge permit.

MDE’s action this week is for new violations observed since the consent decree went into effect. The consent decree, approved by Dorchester County Circuit Court, authorizes MDE to order financial penalties for failures to comply with the agreement’s terms. 

In a separate matter, in February 2023, CBF, Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth (DCPG), Friends of the Nanticoke River, ShoreRivers, and Wicomico Environmental Trust challenged the renewed wastewater discharge permit that MDE issued for the facility. The suit filed in Dorchester County Circuit Court states the permit is not sufficiently stringent to protect water quality in the downstream Transquaking River, Higgins Mill Pond, and Chesapeake Bay.

CBF Maryland Advocacy Director Alan Girard issued the following statement. 

“Time and again, the Darling Ingredients plant has committed violations that could cause harm to Eastern Shore waterways. We’re grateful that the Maryland Department of the Environment is stepping up to levy fines and enforce the terms of the consent decree. The Bay’s health depends on consistent and timely enforcement of laws and regulations designed to protect our environment.”

May 30 Visit Convenes Federal, State, and Local Officials to Confront Sea Level Rise and Erosion Challenges

Seeking solutions for Tangier Island, one of the country’s communities most at risk from sea level rise, federal, state, and local officials met on Tangier Island on May 30 with Tangier community leaders and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).  

The officials visited sites by boat where land is being lost due to sea level rise and erosion, followed by a discussion that explored challenges and solutions for the island. Tangier Island has lost about two-thirds of its land since the 1850s, and research finds that much of the rest of the island could be lost within 50 years.  

At this meeting, partners discussed working with the Tangier community to develop a state-certified resilience plan for the Tangier Island system, including neighboring Port Isobel Island. The plan would help the community secure funding and implement projects to protect this unique place. An existing partnership between CBF and Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience can support Tangier in pursuing this plan.  

“Nowhere is the ever-present threat of climate change felt more strongly than on Tangier Island,” said CBF President Hilary Harp Falk. “Now is the time to stand with Tangier and all the coastal communities along the Chesapeake Bay facing unimaginable change.”  

The Tangier visit included representatives from Tangier, the Virginia state government, the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, and academic institutions and nonprofit organizations. 

“I’m very encouraged,” Tangier Mayor James Eskridge said following the meeting. “To accomplish something, it’s vital to get different groups working together on the same page.” 

Next steps for the future of Tangier could encompass the following:  

• Working with the Tangier community to develop a certified resilience plan; 
• Identifying federal, state and private funding opportunities for projects to protect the island; 
• Investing in an engineering study for mitigation and resiliency strategies for Tangier Island; 
• Beginning implementation while community infrastructure on Tangier can still be saved; 
• Assessing the viability of using beneficial dredge spoils to protect the island; 
• Including nature-based coastal adaptation strategies, including living shorelines of marsh grasses and oysters that protect shorelines from erosion while creating wildlife habitat and reducing pollution; 
• Sharing strategies and outcomes with other coastal communities throughout the watershed and across the country. 

Work on Tangier Island can serve as a model for nature-based practices for climate change mitigation and adaptation along the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.  

“With a clear plan and the right investment, we can preserve Tangier and neighboring Smith Island for at least another generation,” said Harp Falk. “These islands are a fantastic place to demonstrate solutions for what responsible climate adaptation can look like.” 

With a CBF environmental education center near Tangier on Port Isobel Island, this living laboratory would also provide the opportunity to educate the next generation about innovative, large-scale restoration efforts to protect the Bay and its communities in the face of climate change. 

In the fight for environmental justice and cleaner air and water, advocates from South Baltimore have filed a civil rights complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of people suffering from pollution from Maryland’s largest trash incinerator. 

South Baltimore Community Land Trust (SBCLT), represented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), filed a Title VI administration complaint on May 28 regarding the Baltimore City Department of Public Works’ (DPW) 10-year solid waste management plan. 

The complaint states that DPW failed to adequately plan a transition away from reliance on the highly polluting municipal waste incinerator called the Baltimore Refuse Energy Systems Company (BRESCO), formerly known as the Wheelabrator. This contributes to the unequal health risks faced by people living in the Mt. Winans, Westport, Cherry Hill, Lakeland, Brooklyn and Curtis Bay neighborhoods.

“As someone raised in Cherry Hill who now suffers from an incurable lung disease as a result of air pollution, I am hopeful that our call for a just transition away from burning trash in our communities is finally heard and acted upon. I don’t want another generation to have to grow up worried about the air they breathe,” said Cherry Hill resident Cleo Walker.

Shashawnda Campbell, Environmental Justice Director for SBCLT said, “We’ve already seen our three former neighboring communities of Fairfield, Wagner’s and Hawkins Point be involuntarily displaced because of city planning decisions to concentrate more and more polluting waste infrastructure in South Baltimore.”  

“Residents tireless organizing over the past decade has led to our officials promising they’ll do everything they can to end trash incineration and build new zero waste infrastructure, but we still aren’t seeing it where it counts—in policy and budgets,” Campbell said. “We are taking this action now because residents of South Baltimore have a right to finally live free from air polluted by burning trash.” 

Located in one of Baltimore’s most disadvantaged communities, BRESCO is the largest stationary source of industrial air pollution in Baltimore. People living nearby face health risks from the facility’s air emissions, which include mercury, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter. These emissions contribute to respiratory issues, heart conditions, and other serious health problems. 

“Way too many of my family members and classmates at Ben Franklin High School suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems made worse by air pollution,” said Carlos Sanchez-Gonzalez of SBCLT. “I’m proud to be able to commit my life to solving this problem of how to get our city to break its addiction to funding trash incineration because it will mean a better future for my community of Lakeland and all my friends and neighbors from across South Baltimore.” 

BRESCO’s emissions cost Maryland and neighboring states $55 million in human health problems annually, according to a 2017 study commissioned by CBF. The study concludes that living near the incinerator is similar to living with a smoker, at least for some children, senior citizens, and others with sensitive lungs.

Residents also describe heavy truck traffic carrying trash into the incinerator and waste ash out to the Quarantine Road Landfill, which is a large emitter of methane, a pollutant driving climate change, and has a history of water quality violations. 

“Even though our youth and community members have literally created a zero-waste plan and started businesses to prove we can do it, our city gave us another 10-year solid waste plan that will keep putting the same environmental injustice on us here in South Baltimore,” said lifelong Mt. Winans resident Angela Smothers. “I won’t continue to sit by while my friends and neighbors suffer from so many health issues worsened by having that giant white smoke stack standing over us spitting out toxins into the places we love the most.” 

The air pollution eventually falls down and pollutes waterways. Based on 2011 emissions data, BRESCO’s NOx emissions deposited an average of 6,570 pounds per year of nitrogen pollution directly into the Chesapeake Bay. Excess nitrogen in the Bay fuels harmful algal blooms that can lead to low-oxygen dead zones. These emissions make it harder for Maryland to meet requirements to reduce pollution to the Bay, putting the burden on taxpayers rather than the polluting facility. 

Members of SCBLT have led zero-waste initiatives to reduce the amount of trash that must be burned or sent to landfills. Their work includes advocating for a city compost facility and challenging a new incinerator in Fairfield in 2009, which would have been the largest incinerator in the nation. The group holds the City of Baltimore accountable for its zero-waste commitments, which are not currently prioritized in DPW’s solid waste plan.

After DPW announced its intent to develop a 10-year solid waste plan in 2023, the agency held a multi-phase public comment process and received over 700 comments. SBCLT and many others cited the need for specific, measurable strategies that would effectively transition the city away from incineration at BRESCO.

However, DPW’s waste plan, which went into effect in early 2024, fails to chart a clear path away from the incinerator. 

The Title VI complaint addresses the unequal risks experienced in the neighborhoods of Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, Curtis Bay, Lakeland, Westport, and Mt. Winans. Each of these communities is categorized as disadvantaged by the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, indicating they’re above the 90th percentile for environmental burdens. 

The Title VI complaint is intended to halt federal funding for entities engaged in discriminatory practices—in this case, Baltimore DPW. EPA’s External Civil Rights Compliance Office may choose to either reject or accept the complaint for further investigation.

CBF was one of two organizations representing SBCLT in the complaint. 

“Baltimore’s 10-year solid waste management plan completely disregards the pervasive environmental injustices suffered by the people of South Baltimore. EPA must investigate,” said Taylor Lilley, CBF Environmental Justice Staff Attorney. “South Baltimore’s environmental justice status reflects the high concentration of harmful activities in the area—not only BRESCO’s waste incineration, but landfill operations, wastewater treatment, coal transfer activities, and more.”

EIP is also representing SBCLT.

“Trash incinerators and landfills produce unacceptable levels of toxic and climate-harming pollution and they are often sited in marginalized communities,” said Leah Kelly, a Senior Attorney with EIP. “We cannot continue relying on these facilities as our primary waste disposal options, as Baltimore City has in this plan. We must plan a transition to better alternatives; that is part of what South Baltimore residents are seeking in this complaint.”  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Highlights Need for Protection

The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population showed some signs of improvement from a previous 33-year low in survey results released today, but concerns remain about their overall decline.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Maryland Department of Natural Resources released results from the annual blue crab winter dredge survey, an estimate of the population of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.  

The 2024 survey estimated total crab abundance at 317 million blue crabs. This is a slight reduction from the last year’s survey, which estimated the population at 323 million blue crabs. This year’s numbers were still above the 2022 record low estimate of 227 million crabs. 

In 2024, the adult female crab population decreased to 133 million compared with 152 million last year. This figure falls far below the target of 215 million adult female crabs needed for a healthy population and sustainable harvest in the Chesapeake Bay.  

Juvenile crab numbers improved slightly when compared to 2022, but the juvenile population remained below average for the fourth year in a row.  Male crab numbers decreased from 55 million in 2023 to 46 million in 2024 despite male harvest limits instituted last year.

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources conduct this annual survey of the population of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Watch a video of how the survey is conducted. 

Covering more than 1,500 locations, the winter dredge survey is one of the most comprehensive studies of any species in the Bay, dating back to 1990. It is conducted jointly by Maryland and Virginia from December through March.  

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued this statement:

“The results of this year’s survey are less than hoped for  given the importance of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay region. The continued low numbers of adult females and males underscores the need to protect these segments of the population. 

“Given the lackluster results of this year’s survey, states should proceed with caution when considering regulatory changes for the upcoming seasons and avoid changes that would increase harvest.

“While juvenile population estimates can vary greatly from year to year, it is encouraging to see a slight increase in this segment of the population. However, given the population estimates from this year’s survey, there remains a significant need to continue to protect adult females and critical nursery habitats, like underwater grasses, in order help ensure better numbers in the future.  

“CBF looks forward to the March 2026 results of the ongoing blue crab stock assessment, which we hope will identify the key ecosystem factors influencing blue crab recruitment and survival so that they can be mitigated to secure a healthy blue crab population.”

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Supports Virginia’s Return to Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

In a press conference Tuesday, Virginia Democratic leaders underscored environmental accomplishments from the 2024 General Assembly session and expressed support for returning Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). 

The state’s two-year budget includes support for flood protection, conserving the state’s disappearing trees, continued investments in beloved species like oysters, and reducing pollution to critical waterways. 

In addition, thanks to new legislation from this year’s General Assembly session, Virginians will be protected from toxic pavement sealants, local leaders can conserve more trees, and homes and businesses will enjoy more state coordination to safeguard against flooding and sea level rise. 

The budget agreement did not include a provision to reinstate Virginia’s into the carbon emission reduction program known as RGGI, which ended in 2023 after two years of Virginia’s participation. Lawmakers said Tuesday that they were committed to return Virginia to RGGI.

These decisions come at a pivotal time for the Chesapeake Bay and the communities that live and depend on the watershed. The General Assembly session comes to a close as Virginia and other states are expected to miss many of the 2025 deadlines for Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. 

Highlights of this year’s General Assembly session included: 

Pollution Reduction  

• Toxic Pavement Sealant Ban
  • In a significant victory for water quality protection and Virginians’ health, Virginia will ban a harmful toxic sealant commonly used to coat driveways.  House Bill 985, patroned by Delegate Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, prohibits any pavement sealant with a PAH concentration greater than one percent by weight. These products contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that can harm people, birds, amphibians, fish, mammals, and plants.  
• Building off last year’s historic investment in farmers, the budget slates $231 million for Virginia’s agricultural cost-share program. The program supports practices like fencing cattle out of streams, and planting streamside trees, among the most cost-effective steps Virginia can take to restore the Chesapeake Bay and improve water quality.  
• A $20 million investment for a pilot Pay for Outcomes Program, where pollution reduction projects with verified, successful results are compensated.   
• Legislators recommended $400 million in bond funding for upgrades at wastewater treatment plants, which are essential to continuing progress in reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution.   

Tree Conservation   

• With the state losing tree canopy at an alarming rate, the budget includes $1.16 million in funding to study the Commonwealth’s loss of trees and ways to expand tree canopy. In addition, approved bills (HB 459, SB 121, HB 309, SB 461) give localities the ability to preserve trees before they’re cut down, or restore them after they’ve been lost to construction. 

Climate Resiliency    

• The budget maintains the $100 million that the Governor proposed for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). Communities from Southwest Virginia to Fairfax to the Eastern Shore have used the CFPF for projects that protect homes and businesses from flooding.    
• The budget also includes $1 million over the biennium to create the Office of Commonwealth Resilience, which will help coordinate climate adaptation efforts across Virginia government as we build towards a Climate Ready Commonwealth.   

Tackling Invasive Species & Rebuilding Keystone Species   

• The budget proposes $11 million over the biennium for oyster restoration and replenishment activities. This funding is vital to thriving waterways and local economies that until recently had long suffered from overharvesting, pollution, and disease.    
• Strengthening the blue catfish industry also received support from lawmakers. The final budget for this initiative includes $500,000 over the biennium. A robust commercial fishery for blue catfish will help reduce their predatory pressure on other commercial and recreationally important fishery species.    

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford issued the following statement:    

“The victories for the environment were many in this year’s General Assembly session. Expanding and protecting tree canopy, continuing the progress of wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and supporting practices in farms and wastewater treatment plants that reduce harmful pollution flowing into our waterways are all key steps to healthier and more sustainable Virginia communities.” 

“While we are deeply disappointed that Virginia’s budget excluded a mandate to return the state to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, we are heartened by legislators’ commitment to Virginia’s future RGGI participation. Sea level rise and flooding isn’t going anywhere. The program not only reduced carbon emissions, but helped shift Virginia to becoming a Commonwealth resilient to the realities of climate change. Getting Virginia back into RGGI will complement the critical climate resiliency investments in this year’s budget.”

There is still time for Maryland residents seeking local, healthy produce this summer to sign up for Clagett Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

CSA members can secure seasonal produce between May and November at convenient pick-up locations in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Seasonal harvests can include salad greens, green beans, peppers, tomatoes, and other varieties.

“Eating locally grown food is one of the most effective ways people can support local farmers and minimize their carbon footprint,” said Jared Planz, program manager at Clagett Farm. “It is also delicious and healthier than what you’ll find at the grocery store.”

Clagett Farm, owned and operated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, is a sustainable, regenerative farm that uses best management practices to improve soil health and water quality. The farm grows produce year-round and harvests 100 percent certified organic vegetables.

Through its CSA program, Clagett Farm offers local Maryland residents a chance to pre-purchase shares of their seasonal harvest each week. CSA sales are now open for the main season.

“We’ve really enjoyed being a part of the CSA,” said Shelby Johnson, shareholder since 2019. “It makes nourishing our family with seasonal produce super easy, but also we know and can trust where our food is coming from.”

CSA members can choose from three pick-up locations where they’ll retrieve their bounties each week. Locations include Clagett Farm in Upper Marlboro, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Center headquarters in Annapolis, and the Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville. An exciting addition to this year’s program is the ability for shareholders to pre-order and pick up Clagett’s grass-fed beef and lamb, in addition to their weekly produce.

Prices vary based on pick-up location and duration, but range from $415 for 13 weeks to $825 for the full 26 weeks. Roughly 70 percent of Clagett Farm’s harvest will go to CSA shareholders, and the other 30 percent is donated to local food banks and pantries.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is the largest nonprofit dedicated solely to saving the Chesapeake Bay. Part of that mission includes working with farmers and demonstrating regenerative agriculture practices, which are key to addressing climate change and reducing pollution by minimizing nutrient runoff, reducing greenhouse gases, and mitigating flooding caused by more intense storms.

Participants Are Invited to Raise Baby Oysters for Clean Water

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is calling all interested oyster foster parents to join more than 700 other oyster gardeners across the state in raising oysters that help clean and restore tidal waterways. 

Registration for new oyster gardeners opened this month, with workshops scheduled throughout coastal Virginia this summer.  CBF’s volunteer oyster gardeners support the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance goal of adding 10 billion new oysters to the Bay by 2025. 

“Dogs may be man’s best friend, but oysters are some of the most rewarding pets you’ll ever own. Oyster gardening is a hands-on experience and allows you to interact with the Bay environment in such a positive way,” said CBF Virginia Oyster Restoration Specialist Jessica Lutzow.

CBF’s oyster gardeners, as shown in this video, raise oysters in cages suspended from a dock. But oyster gardening isn’t limited to a private dock. For those who don’t live on the water, CBF can place gardeners at public growing spaces such as nearby marinas or parks that partner with our program. 

The oyster parent journey begins with one of nine oyster gardening workshops hosted by CBF this summer.  These workshops provide everything oyster gardeners will need to grow oysters for eventual planting on sanctuary oyster reefs. The events will take place across Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore, the Middle Peninsula, and the Northern Neck.  

Over the course of a year, gardeners tend to these oysters, which filter water and provide habitat for aquatic life. After a year, the gardeners return full-grown oysters to CBF, which places them on one of many local sanctuary reefs. CBF’s more than 700 oyster gardeners raise hundreds of thousands of oysters each year at locations across Virginia’s tidal waterways. 

“Our gardeners often develop a connection with their baby oysters as they watch them grow into adults, filtering water and attracting underwater life as they mature,” said CBF Virginia Oyster Restoration Specialist Jessica Lutzow. “Sending them off to a sanctuary reef after their year of care is a fulfilling experience for our oyster parents of all ages because they know they’ve contributed to a healthier Chesapeake Bay.”  

CBF will hold seminars for the following locations and dates this summer:   

• Virginia Beach Oyster Gardening Seminar I
  • Saturday, June 8, 2024, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Norfolk Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Thursday, June 13, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• VA Eastern Shore Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Hampton Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Thursday, June 20, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Irvington Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Saturday, June 22, 2024, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Newport News Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Gloucester Point Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Thursday, July 25, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Portsmouth Oyster Gardening Seminar
  • Thursday, August 1, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Virginia Beach Oyster Gardening Seminar II
  • Saturday, August 3, 2024, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Registration is required, and a $35 fee helps offset the cost of the program. Participants can register online at www.cbf.org/vaoystergardening or call 757-644-4125 or e-mail OysterGardener@cbf.org.  

ODU-ICAR Forum Bridged Knowledge Gaps in Innovative Solutions to Sea Level Rise

As Virginia confronts increasing climate change risks, Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience (ODU-ICAR), in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, convened experts from diverse backgrounds May 7 to help shape the future of nature-based resilience design solutions.

Engineers, landscape architects, stormwater officials, resilience officers, planners, and consultants fostered a rich dialogue on nature-based design solutions implemented beyond Virginia’s borders, bridging the gap between science and practice. The forum drew more than 175 participants. 

“Nature-based solutions are an essential tool to build community resilience in the face of  rising seas while reducing pollution and enhancing natural resources. ODU-ICAR’s forum helped inspire how we will construct the sustainable cities of tomorrow here in the Commonwealth, enabling us to build on our successes and become more proactive in the face of climate change,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Policy Advisor Jay Ford said.  

The effects of climate change are evident in the Chesapeake Bay region, with repeated flooding in coastal areas contributing to septic system failures, battered businesses and infrastructure, as well as increased pollution washing into local waterways. 

Hampton Roads has among the highest rate of sea level rise on the East Coast, experiencing a foot and a half of relative sea level rise over the last century. Rates are projected to more than double in the years to come.

Rather than relying on materials such as concrete or asphalt, nature-based solutions depend on natural elements to prevent erosion. Large scale shoreline protection techniques such as living shorelines, which use native plants and grasses, or living breakwaters and oyster reefs, all stabilize the waterfront against the force of waves and storms. These solutions provide benefits beyond flood control, such as creating public recreational spaces, critical habitat for wildlife, and reducing pollution. 

Smaller scale techniques, like rain gardens, tree boxes, vegetated swales, permeable pavers, rain barrels, and downspout disconnections, hold and filter rainwater into the ground rather than letting it wash off hard streets and buildings and into creeks and rivers. This relieves pressure on overwhelmed city systems that struggle with the regular deluge of polluted runoff.

“As Virginia’s communities develop their visions to adapt to climate change, nature-based designs are a key instrument in the tool box,” said Jessica Whitehead, the Executive Director of ICAR. “Today’s symposium brought together leading research in nature-based design from across the United States, and allowed us to discuss the opportunities and dual benefits of working with nature in coastal Virginia.”

ODU’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience (ODU-ICAR) advances the practice of coastal resilience and adaptation by engaging with communities, organizations and businesses to develop and deploy solutions based on integrated, innovative and applied research. The institute operates in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).