“People need trees and green space,” says Ann Jurczyk, who is known by her family, co-workers, and community as the Lorax, the Dr. Suess character who speaks for the trees. As trees have disappeared at an alarming rate across Virginia, Jurczyk’s work has become ever more critical in Richmond and other cities, where she leads CBF’s grassroots efforts to protect and restore urban tree canopy to improve water quality. Her story is just one of the features from our spring Save the Bay magazine. You can also discover 11 magical watershed places to explore, shared by our staff of talented educators; dive deeper into the struggles confronting striped bass in nursery areas; and learn how scientists use complex models and water quality monitoring to paint an ever-evolving picture of the watershed’s health. This month also saw the return of the 71-acre Mattanock Town site along the Nansemond River to the Nansemond Indian Nation, the release of the latest blue crab population survey, and the passage of bipartisan federal legislation that will extend important Bay restoration programs.
AJ Metcalf/CBF Staff
Watershed Destinations
What’s one of the best ways to recharge this summer? Exploring some of the most magical places across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In this list of their favorite spots, CBF’s talented educators share the creeks, marshes, forests, and towns that help them connect with nature, friends, and family when they’re off duty—from the Shenandoah Valley to the Eastern Shore.
For 14 years, Ann Jurczyk has been a driving force behind Bay-friendly restoration in Virginia, managing CBF's grassroots staff throughout the Commonwealth and organizing and engaging CBF members and partners on advocacy issues.
Jasmyn Moore/Dementi Studio
Richmond’s Lorax
When she drives down a Richmond, Virginia, parkway, Ann Jurczyk sees what isn’t there yet: trees. For more than a decade, Jurczyk has been leading CBF’s grassroots efforts to restore and protect urban tree canopy in Richmond and other towns and cities across the Commonwealth—including four bills signed into law this year that will help Virginia communities save and restore their trees.
Kenny Fletcher/CBF Staff
An Uncertain Nursery
The Chesapeake Bay is a famed spawning ground for Atlantic striped bass, with upwards of 70 percent of the Atlantic Coast’s population beginning life here. But while the freshwater reaches of tidal rivers can provide an ideal place to grow up, they are not without peril. Changeable—and changing—nursery conditions are likely contributing to the species’ current troubles.
USGS scientists have been regularly collecting and analyzing samples and data at monitoring stations across the Chesapeake Bay watershed for decades.
United States Geological Survey
Portrait of a Watershed
At any given moment, a seemingly endless number of variables—weather, soil, human actions—are interacting across the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s vast landscape. How do they affect the water? Learn how scientists use both complex models and water quality monitoring to paint a picture of the Bay, its rivers and streams, and the progress being made to restore them.
In the News
- Chesapeake blue crab numbers remain low despite signs of improvement: The continued low numbers of adult females and males underscores the need to protect these segments of the population.
- Bay Program’s latest model estimates decrease in pollution entering Chesapeake Bay: Despite the encouraging results, there is concern that on-the-ground outcomes don’t match up.
- Nansemond Indian Nation regains ancestral land: The return of the 71-acre site known as Mattanock Town ends a decades-long effort to regain what is considered the Tribe’s cultural heart along the Nansemond River, where they plan to restore the land and water through conservation and education in partnership with CBF and other organizations.
- As striped bass concerns continue, managers plan next steps: The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission on May 1 took additional steps to address the number of striped bass dying after being caught and released, as well as unsustainable commercial fishing rates.
- EPA Administrator recommits agency to leading federal partners into next phase of Chesapeake Bay cleanup: Administrator Michael Regan said EPA will reconstitute a Federal Leadership Committee to coordinate work.
- Osprey concerns spur renewed discussion of Chesapeake Bay menhaden management: Maryland’s delegation to the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) requested briefings on the latest data on osprey in the Chesapeake Bay, including abundance, nesting success, and other factors. The request was made to ensure menhaden can play their critical role in the Bay’s food chain, including providing vital food to osprey and other iconic Chesapeake species. The presentation is expected to occur at the August ASMFC meeting.
- Senate passes bipartisan bill to extend important Bay restoration programs: The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act extends the life of programs, including the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) grant program, and the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network and grants program, among others.
- Pennsylvania House passes bill to prohibit toxic pavement sealants: The bill would prohibit the supply, sale, and application of coal tar sealants containing high amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can pose risks to the health of humans, pets, and wildlife.
- Virginia budget agreement includes investment in environmental programs: The proposal supports resilience efforts, flood protection, and tree conservation, but does not reinstate participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
- Maryland’s Gov. Moore signs key environmental bills into law: The bills, which will help address water quality challenges, include creating a new pilot program for holistic restoration in five state watersheds; creating stronger regulations for the storage and land application of industrial sludge; and protecting the rights of communities harmed by illegal water pollution.
What You Can Do
- From Clean the Bay Day to Bands in the Sand to a range of educational trips across the watershed for teachers, student leaders, and middle school campers, we’ve got a lot going on this summer! Take a look at our events calendar for all the latest and greatest.
- There are still 13-week shares available from CBF’s Clagett Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program! Sign up today to receive fresh local produce this summer.
- Soak up the sun with new summer merch from the CBF Store, designed to keep up with all your watershed adventures.
- Clean water, clean air, and a safe environment are rights we all share, but often the burdens of an unhealthy Bay are not borne equally. That's why CBF is working alongside community groups and partners to advance equity and environmental justice around the watershed. Sign the pledge to stand with us for environmental justice in the Chesapeake Bay region!
- Now through June 30, your gift to save the Bay will be worth DOUBLE thanks to a generous matching gift from our friends at The Orokawa Foundation!
If you would like to receive these periodic updates directly to your email, sign up for our Save the Bay newsletter!
