In one generation, the climate experienced in many North American cities is projected to change to that of locations hundreds of miles away—or to a new climate unlike any found in North America today. Maryland cities like Baltimore, Salisbury, Frederick and Waldorf are projected to feel more like Mississippi—hotter (by about 9 degrees ) and more humid—by the 21^st century.

A new study and interactive web application from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science aim to help the public understand how climate change may impact the lives of a large portion of the population of the United States, including Marylanders.

“Under current high emissions the average urban dweller is going to have to drive more than 500 miles to the south to find a climate like that expected in their home city by 2080,” said study author Matt Fitzpatrick of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “Not only is climate changing, but climates that don’t presently exist in North America will be prevalent in a lot of urban areas.”

Search the interactive climate map for your city at www.umces.edu/futureurbanclimates 

The study found that by the 2080s, the climate of North American urban areas will feel substantially different, and in many cases completely unlike contemporary climates found anywhere in the western hemisphere north of the equator. If emissions continue unabated throughout the 21st century, the climate of North American urban areas will become, on average, most like the contemporary climate of locations about 500 miles away and mainly to the south.

The climate of cities in the northeast will tend to feel more like the humid subtropical climates typical of parts of the Midwest or southeastern U.S. today—warmer and wetter in all seasons. For instance, Washington, D.C. will feel more like northern Mississippi. The climates of western cities are expected to become more like those of the desert Southwest or southern California—warmer in all seasons, with changes in the amount and seasonal distribution of precipitation. San Francisco’s climate will resemble that of Los Angeles.

“Within the lifetime of children living today, the climate of many regions is projected to change from the familiar to conditions unlike those experienced in the same place by their parents, grandparents, or perhaps any generation in millennia,” he said.

Climate-analog mapping is a statistical technique that matches the expected future climate at one location—your city of residence, for instance—with the current climate of another familiar location to provide a place-based understanding of climate change. Scientists analyzed 540 urban areas, mapping the similarity between that city’s future climate expected by the 2080s and contemporary climate in the western hemisphere north of the equator using 12 measures of climate, including minimum and maximum temperature and precipitation during the four seasons.

The study also mapped climate differences under two emission trajectories: unmitigated emissions, the scenario most in line with what might be expected given current policies and the speed of global action, and mitigated emissions, which assumes policies are put in place to limit emissions, such as the Paris Agreement.

“We can use this technique to translate a future forecast into something we can better conceptualize and link to our own experiences,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s my hope that people have that ‘wow’ moment, and it sinks in for the first time the scale of the changes we’re expecting in a single generation.”

The paper, “Contemporary climatic analogs for 540 North American urban areas in the late 21st century,” by Matt Fitzpatrick of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Robert Dunn of North Carolina State University, is published in Nature Communications on February 12.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound evidence and advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. www.umces.edu

Dr. Patricia Glibert

The Horn Point Laboratory (HPL) invites you to join them for Science Bytes a witty, interactive event where one can learn, sip, and taste. Join us Thursday, March 7 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Piazza Italian Market in Easton.

These gatherings are designed to share science relevant to our communities in a casual, fun setting. Enjoy an enlightening evening with Dr. Patricia Glibert, a Horn Point faculty, and learn about her extensive global research on nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms (HAB). Mike Roman, Lab Director, will interview Pat to explore her research and explain challenges and solutions around the issues of nutrient pollution and resulting harmful algal blooms. Pat will share her research from the Chesapeake Bay, Florida, and sites around-the-world. Questions are encouraged, and thought provoking conversation is sure to ensue.

Learn, sip and taste at Piazza Italian Market in Easton, MD. Savor wine, beer, and antipasto from Italy. Get to know the scientist behind the science important to our environment, and mingle with old friends and new acquaintances in this casual, local setting.

Tickets are $25/ person. To register visit umces.edu/events/science-bytes-march or contact Carin Starr at cstarr@umces.edu, 410-221-8408.

This event is an activity of the University System of Maryland Foundation, Inc. (USM Foundation). Funds earned or contributed will be managed by the USM Foundation for the benefit of the Horn Point Laboratory. Please make your check payable to the University System of Maryland Foundation, Inc.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. www.umces.edu

Today, Chesapeake Conservancy announced that Chief G. Anne Richardson Thad Bench, and John J. Reynolds have been elected to the organization’s Board of Directors. Additionally, five members recently finished their terms—Jane Danowitz, Holly A. Evans, Stephen F. Harper, Turney McKnight, and outgoing Board Chair Douglas. P Wheeler. The Board has elected Anne W. Scott to serve as the new Chair. She previously served as Vice Chair. Treasurer Robert Gensler and Secretary Robert G. Stanton were elected to second terms.

“The Board is pleased to welcome three new members, each of whom brings tremendous experience, as well as deeply rooted connections to the Chesapeake Bay watershed that will strengthen the Chesapeake Conservancy in the pursuit our mission,” said Chair Scott. “On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank outgoing Chair Douglas Wheeler for his excellent leadership. During his time as Chair, Chesapeake Conservancy grew to become a leader in innovation for the Chesapeake watershed and a strong partner for the National Park Service. Our sincere gratitude is also extended to our outgoing members Jane Danowitz, Holly A. Evans, Stephen Harper, and Turney McKnight, for sharing their time and energy to help lead Chesapeake Conservancy through so many achievements,” Scott continued.

“Thanks to Doug’s leadership, our small but mighty nonprofit is changing how conservation and restoration are approached in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We have created groundbreaking technology, conserved thousands of acres of land, enhanced public access, and cultivated the epic collaboration necessary to address the challenges the Chesapeake faces,” said Chesapeake Conservancy President and CEO Joel Dunn.

Welcoming New Members

Chief G. Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Tribe was elected the first woman Chief to lead a tribe in Virginia since the 18th century in 1998. She is a fourth generation chief in her family. Under her tenure as Chief, in 1998, the Tribe purchased 140 acres to establish a land trust, cultural center, and housing development. In 2017, Chief Anne accepted a donation of a 1-acre parcel facilitated by Chesapeake Conservancy to return her tribe to their ancestral lands along Fones Cliffs.

Under her leadership, the Rappahannocks are currently engaged in a number of projects ranging from cultural and educational to social and economic development programs including their Return to the River Project which is a youth leadership program. She has been an engaged partner in Chesapeake Conservancy’s campaign to protect our natural resources from unsustainable development.

In 1989, Chief Anne helped to organize the United Indians of Virginia, which was established as an intertribal organization represented by all Virginia Chiefs. In 1991, Richardson became executive director of Mattaponi-Pamunkey-Monacan, Inc., which provides training and employment services for Virginia Indians. In her work with the Department of Labor, she was appointed by the Secretary to serve on the Native American Advisory Council. She was also elected as Chairman of that Council while working with the Secretary to further the goals of Indian Country through Labor Programs.

Thad Bench serves as the chief executive officer of Benchworks, Inc., a family of companies that specializes in the health care and pharmaceutical industry. Headquartered in Chestertown and Cambridge, MD, it also has offices in Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami. Under his leadership, Benchworks has been named to Inc.’s. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies for the last four years and has grown sixfold since 2014.

Thad has extensive experience in marketing, brand positioning, and product launch management. He was named one of the 2016 ELITE 100 in the entrepreneur category by PM360 magazine, an honor given to the 100 most influential people in the health care industry. He has managed hundreds of large-scale marketing initiatives for Fortune 500 companies with a particular emphasis in the pharmaceutical industry, including 9 product launches.

Thad owns a number of businesses, including manufacturing and distribution operations and commercial real estate holdings. Formerly, he held senior corporate marketing positions with St. Louis-based Huttig Building Products and with Jeld-Wen Inc, one of the country’s largest forest product companies.

John J. Reynolds is also a returning Board member. During his nearly 40-year-career with the National Park Service he served as park planner for Cape Cod, Yosemite and Alaska; park manager at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, CA and North Cascades National Park, WA; manager Denver Service Center, regional director of Mid-Atlantic and Pacific West Regions and deputy director.

He championed international conservation at NPS, advised on park issues in 12 countries, and was U.S. Delegate to the World Heritage Committee.

He has worked for the National Park Foundation as senior fellow and as executive vice president, and at the Student Conservation Association as government relations manager. He served on the boards of nonprofits including the Student Conservation Association, Landscape Architecture Foundation, George Wright Society, Partners for Public Lands, Shenandoah National Park Trust and as a founding member of the Friends of the John Smith Trail/Chesapeake Conservancy, Global Parks and the Friends of Flight 93.

He represented the Secretary of the Interior on the board of the Presidio Trust. He chaired federal advisory groups for Flight 93 National Memorial, John Smith Trail and Fort Hancock 21st Century. He was Virginia Citizens Representative to the Chesapeake Bay Commission and a member of the California State Parks Commission. He currently serves on the board of the Fort Monroe Authority and the steering committee for the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Chesapeake Conservancy’s mission is to conserve and restore the natural and cultural resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. We empower the conservation community with access to the latest data and technology. As principal partner for the National Park Service on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, we helped create 153 new public access sites and permanently protect some of the Bay’s special places like Werowocomoco, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, and Fort Monroe National Monument.

www.chesapeakeconservancy.org

Icicles, dinosaurs, wiggly worms and more! Celebrate the seasons and engage your young child with nature with Adkins Arboretum’s Acorn Academy Nature Preschool programs. The series of 10 classes for three- to five-year-olds is offered in either Tuesday or Wednesday sessions beginning Feb. 26 and 27.

Programs run from 10 to 11:15 a.m. and include nature walks, stories, songs, snacks and an art project to take home. The fee for all 10 classes in the series is $75 for members and $100 for non-members. Thanks to a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, the fee is waived for residents of Caroline County. Advance registration is required, and early registration is recommended. For more information or to register, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

Adkins Arboretum Assistant Director Jenny Houghton (at right) explains to preschool students how animals use hollow trees for nesting.

Programs include:

The Icicle on the Cake
Feb. 26 and 27
How does ice form, and where does it go? Bring your mittens as we conduct an icy experiment, look for ice along the Blockston Branch and make a sparkly icicle craft to take home. A special icicle-inspired snack and the beloved children’s book A Snowy Day will cap off the morning.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Tree!
March 5 and 6
Learn how to tell a tree’s age by examining its annual rings. Tree ring sleuths will make “tree cookie” necklaces, read tree stories and explore the stumps at First Light Village.

Dirt Detectives
March 12 and 13
Let’s get the dirt on soil! Budding scientists will observe soil samples with hand lenses, mix up gooey mud pies and craft glittery “soil” shakers to remind us that there’s more to dirt than meets the eye.

Potato Power
March 19 and 20
What has eyes but can’t see? A potato, of course! Let’s learn about the amazing spud, plant a potato bin in the Funshine Garden and sing the Mashed Potato Anthem. We’ll also use potato stamps to make fun artwork.

Dinosaurs!
March 26 and 27
Did you know that Astrodon is Maryland’s state dinosaur? Travel back in time as we learn about the dinosaurs of North America. On a nature walk, we’ll look for plants that grew during the age of the dinosaurs and investigate a trail of mysterious footprints along the way.

Cloud Magic
April 2 and 3
Do you see pictures in the clouds? We’ll learn to name the clouds, take a cloud walk along the Arboretum’s meadow paths and make fluffy cotton clouds to take home. A fun cloud song and a rainy-day symphony will round out the morning.

Wiggling Worms
April 9 and 10
Welcome to the wiggly world of worms! Did you know that worms are a gardener’s best friend? Enjoy a walk to the Funshine Garden, where we will peek into a composting “worm hotel” and dig for worms in the soil. We’ll also sing a “Wiggle and Waggle” song and snack on garden veggies.

Eggs-ellent Adventure
April 16 and 17
Help crack the mystery of the incredible egg! How are eggs formed? How do they hatch? Which animals lay eggs? Young nature detectives will conduct an eggs-periment, peek inside our bluebird boxes and hunt for eggs in the meadow.

Pollywog Adventure
April 23 and 24
No need to feel stuck in a bog! Spring is in full swing, and so are the Arboretum peepers! We’ll stomp our feet to the “Pollywog Wiggle,” make a frog craft and use nets to scoop up tadpoles and other critters in the wetland.

Stream Splashers
April 30 and May 1
Let’s take a walk to a sparkling stream and see what animals live there! If the weather’s warm enough, we’ll dip our toes in the water and race twigs under the bridge.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

State legislation could ban the Maryland Department of Natural Resources from dredging the Chesapeake Bay’s Man O’ War Shoal for shells destined to become homes for new baby oysters elsewhere.

In recent years, the harvest of native oysters in the Chesapeake Bay has fallen to 1 percent of what it was during the 19th century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since 2004, the state’s Department of Natural Resources has established sanctuary areas of the bay where the harvest of wild oysters is prohibited in order to protect the remaining population.

The proposed legislation—one set that would take effect upon passage and another bill that would commence in June—would prevent the Department of Natural Resources from extracting oyster shells from the historic reef, located in Baltimore County near the mouth of the Patapsco River.

While the Department of Natural Resources and watermen wish to disperse the recovered shell to replenish oyster beds elsewhere in the bay, some lawmakers and opponents of the bill have argued that alternative substances may be a more viable option for restoring their habitat.

Proposed in 2009, the dredging project would use the estimated 5 million bushels of shell that would be recovered from the Man O’ War reef—about 5-5.5 percent of the reef—to create or restore oyster habitat in up to 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

When water temperature reaches a certain level, usually between June and September, oysters will begin to spawn.

The oyster larvae drifting through the water need a solid foundation to attach to in order to grow.

While they usually cling to beds of old oyster shells like those at Man O’ War, in recent years, materials like granite have been tested as an alternative resource, according to Department of Natural Resources Assistant Secretary Bill Anderson.

Though the long-term effects of putting these substances in the bay have been researched, scientists hold conflicting opinions about their harmfulness, Anderson said.

The Department of Natural Resources is opposed to all of the proposed legislation and plans to proceed with their dredging proposal, according to Anderson.

Lawmakers, however, have disagreed on the best course of action for oyster bed restoration.

“The science is getting better and better, and research is getting more clear,” that usage of alternative substrate—material other than oyster shells—could be the solution to restoring the oyster population of the bay, said Delegate Stephen Lafferty, D-Baltimore County, the primary sponsor of the emergency bill.

Delegate Robin L. Grammer Jr., R-Baltimore County, said he is optimistic that the legislation will pass despite the failure of a similar bill last session. The non-emergency version, which Grammer is sponsoring, would go into effect June 1; lawmakers heard testimony on that bill late last month.

Grammer said he doesn’t believe the shell-removal project would be beneficial to the long-term health of the bay. He said the proposed dredging would be “destroying a natural resource as a short-term solution.”

One emergency bill — part of a paired set of twinned legislation — was heard by the Maryland Senate Thursday.

The Department of Natural Resources received a provisional permit May 17 from the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The permit is pending for final approval from the Maryland Board of Public Works and the Maryland Department of the Environment Tidal Wetlands Division, Lafferty said.

But watermen are hopeful the state will scrape shell from the Man ‘O War Shoal and spread it elsewhere in order to eventually boost the state’s historically declining oyster population , according to Robert T. Brown, president of the Maryland Watermen’s Association.

“We need shells now to enhance our oyster bars and our tributaries,” Brown said.

Brown noted that in Virginia, it takes about 90 days to receive a dredging permit, while this project has taken nearly 10 years to get underway.

Since its inception, the Department of Natural Resources’ Man O’ War Shoal Dredging Project has narrowed the portion of the reef intended to be dredged.

The eastern boundary of the proposed dredging region was tapered in April in order to remove the portion located within the Man O’ War/Gales Lump Sanctuary from the dredging area, Anderson said.

The western third of the reef has also been excluded from the dredging region to avoid disturbing the spat on shell, or freshly attached oyster larvae, that had been placed there in 1995, 2000, 2006 and 2013, according to the project proposal.

By Charlie Youngmann

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce that Rebekah Hock has joined the organization as director of development. Hock will lead the ShoreRivers development team in community engagement and advancing the organization’s mission through dynamic communications, exciting events, and strategic fundraising.

A 2005 graduate of Washington College, Hock has grown roots on the Eastern Shore. Serving Washington College’s Advancement Department in leadership roles from 2006-2016, she succeeded in raising annual fund donations for her alma mater and engaging the alumni community through volunteerism and events. Most recently, she supported adults with diverse abilities as Administration & Development lead at the Kent Center.

“I am both honored and excited to join the amazing team at ShoreRivers,” Hock expressed.“As a supporter and volunteer for the Chester River Association, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that smart advocacy and mission-driven projects can have on our community. By creating stronger connections throughout the Eastern Shore, I’m eager to help build on the grassroots foundation that created ShoreRivers.”

“All of us here at ShoreRivers are excited to have someone of Rebekah’s professional experience and passion for our rivers joining our team,” Jeff Horstman, executive director of ShoreRivers, stated. “This addition gives us even more capacity to meet our mission of ‘Healthy waterways across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.’”

Hock resides in Chestertown, Maryland, with her husband, Adam. When they aren’t boating together, you may hear her performing with the musical group, Harp & Soul.

For more information about ShoreRivers, visit shorerivers.org. Contact Rebekah Hock at rhock@shorerivers.org or 443.385.0511 ext 206.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. We work collaboratively with our community yet maintain an uncompromising and independent voice for clean rivers and the living resources they support.

shorerivers.org