On Thursday, July 23, the Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) held its annual meeting to set goals and guidance for the partnership at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. During their afternoon press event, Council members announced the release of twenty-five management strategies outlining the Chesapeake Bay Program's plans for achieving the goals and outcomes of the landmark Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, advancing the restoration, conservation and protection of the Bay, its tributaries and the surrounding lands.
In addition to announcing the strategies, the Executive Council also passed two resolutions. First, it endorsed the recommendations of the State Riparian Forest Buffer Task Force and committing to collaborative efforts that will increase the miles of forests on agricultural lands. Second, a resolution that the Bay Program hold a symposium on financing environmental restoration efforts.
Members also agreed to two joint letters, one supporting programs to keep livestock out of streams and another supporting funding in the President's 2016 budget for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which includes more than $33 million for the Rivers of the Chesapeake collaborative proposal.
The Executive Council also heard from Bay Program Director Nick Dipasquale, who discussed the partnership's work over the last year. As chair of the Executive Council, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe presided over the public meeting, which began with a private luncheon at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The Council then held a public session, followed by a press conference. http://www.chesapeakebay.net/about/ecmeeting/2015_executive_council_meeting
