Autumn is officially here, as temperatures have plummeted this past week. And the Bay and its rivers and streams are reacting to the dramatic shift.
Tune in below to this special Facebook Live edition of This Week in the Watershed to learn what's changing in the Bay and how we can still see the impact of all the rain received this summer.
This Week in the Watershed: Striper Survey, Buffer Benefits, and Threatened Forest
- Good news for rockfish lovers, as the Bay surveys show healthy striped bass numbers. (Daily Press—VA)
- An old-growth forest in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley that has never been cut is threatened by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. (News Leader—VA)
- We couldn't agree more with this editorial discussing the benefits of oysters and advocating for more support for oyster restoration. (Daily Press—VA)
- The Congressional candidates for Virginia's Second Congressional District spoke at CBF's Brock Environmental Center on their positions on several environmental issues. (Virginian Pilot—VA)
- Big thanks to Natty Boh for donating $10,000 to CBF as part of its second-annual Tabs for Crabs program. (Baltimore Sun—MD)
- A buffer garden along the water's edge at a Norfolk, Virginia community is serving dual purposes–protecting the shoreline and deterring geese. (Virginian Pilot—VA)
- The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint making great strides in cleaning up the Bay, but Bay states are still behind schedule in meeting their targeted goals. (Bay Journal)
What's Happening Around the Watershed?
October 20
- Annapolis, MD: Help grow the Bay's beloved bivalve—the mighty oyster! Join us for a new oyster gardener workshop to receive the supplies and training necessary to grow your own oysters to help restore the oyster population. During the two-hour workshop, you will learn about oyster ecology, the importance of oysters to the Chesapeake Bay, and how to care for your oyster garden. You will also construct four oyster gardening cages that you will use to grow your oysters. Register here!
October 21
- Upper Marlboro, MD: Join us for a fun-filled afternoon with friends, live music, craft-brewed beers, and mouth-watering food created by area chefs using local ingredients at CBF's Burgers and Brews for the Bay. A family friendly event, it features live bluegrass music, hay rides, fish printing, and educational stations. Get your tickets!
October 24
- Virginia Beach, VA: CBF is proud to present the Hampton Roads premiere of National Geographic photographer James Balog's documentary The Human Element. From the producers of Chasing Ice, The Cove, and Racing Extinction, this new film highlights the dangers of the elements, including air, earth, fire, water, and the fifth element—human impact. Immediately following the viewing, a community conversation on sea-level rise and climate change will take place with James Balog and CBF President Will Baker. This is a free event, but registration is required. Register here!
November 1
- Easton, MD: Join us for our Chesapeake Book Club, diving into Florence Williams' The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. Williams takes readers on an adventure around the world investigating the restorative benefits of nature. Learn more here!
November 6
- Piney Point, MD: As more local oyster farms are producing oysters, join us to indulge in some this beloved bivalve and learn more about this growing industry from a local oyster farmer. Learn more and register here!
November 13
- Virginia Beach, VA: As more local oyster farms are producing oysters, join us to indulge in some this beloved bivalve and learn more about this growing industry from a local oyster farmer. Learn more and register here!
November 15
- Annapolis, MD: Join us for a very special evening as author Earl Swift joins us with two prominent lifetime Tangier residents and watermen, Cook Cannon and Ooker Eskridge, for a discussion moderated by CBF President Will Baker on Tangier's past, present, and tenuous future. Register here!
November 17
- Hopewell, VA: Join us for a fall tree planting at the newly restored Woodlawn Park. Register here!
November 27
- Alexandria, VA: Join us for our most in-depth adult education program available to our members and the public. VoiCeS, which stands for Volunteers as Chesapeake Stewards, is a program to reach out to local volunteers and their communities to create a deeper understanding of the Bay and the efforts to restore it. The Northern Virginia VoiCeS class is an intensive multi-week course meeting on weekday evenings: Nov 27, 28, and Dec 4, 6, 11, and 12. Learn more and register here!
