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ShoreRivers Announces Teacher Training “Academy”

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ShoreRivers is now accepting teacher applications for its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Academy. The yearlong MWEE Academy supports teachers of all disciplines to integrate Chesapeake Bay­–focused investigations into existing curricula. These studies will follow the MWEE framework: outdoor learning that empowers students to ask questions, discover answers, and create solutions to local environmental issues.

ShoreRivers is an environmental nonprofit that restores and protects Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education, including providing programming to public and private schools.

ShoreRivers and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Horn Point Laboratory co-host the MWEE Academy, which will begin in summer 2020 and continue through the 2020-2021 school year. Teachers will receive paid professional development, a free-of-cost field trip to Horn Point Laboratory for their students, and funds to support student-led action projects at their school.

Students investigate current Bay–related issues through a Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) at UMCES Horn Point Laboratory.

Public and private school teachers of grades 3 through 12 in any discipline are encouraged to apply. “Environmental literacy intersects with almost every aspect of school,” explains ShoreRivers Director of Education Suzanne Sulivan. “Students can be learning about the properties of water in chemistry class, graphing water quality data in math class, reading Rachel Carson’s essays in English class, or learning about the Clean Water Act in government class. Opening the MWEE Academy to all disciplines strengthens environmental literacy and interdisciplinary learning across the educational spectrum and better prepares the next generation of environmental stewards.”

Successful completion of the MWEE Academy helps students meet Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards (a graduation requirement)and supports schools in obtaining Maryland Green School Certification.

Additional information and applications are available at shorerivers.org/newsfeed. Applications must be submitted by Friday, May 1 to Suzanne Sullivan at ssullivan@shorerivers.org or mailed to ShoreRivers at 114 S. Washington St., Suite 301, Easton, MD 21601.

PLEASE NOTE:

ShoreRivers and UMCES Horn Point Laboratory acknowledge the uncertainty in planning for the future amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We are announcing this unique opportunity because we are eager to continue our support of Eastern Shore school systems when it is safe to do so. ShoreRivers and UMCES Horn Point Laboratory are exploring all options for adapting the program to future federal, state, and local health guidelines, including hosting an in-person summer workshop, converting to an online webinar series, or adjusting the timeline. We will communicate and update applications with changes as they arise. In the meantime, we gratefully reflect on the enormous efforts made by schools at this time to keep their communities safe and enriched. We look forward to the time when we can see you on water, in your classrooms, and visiting our labs again.

ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

shorerivers.org

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Coronavirus Closes Bay Region Beaches, Some Park Facilities

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The coronavirus pandemic that’s keeping many people inside across the Chesapeake Bay watershed is also limiting some outdoor recreational opportunities — closing campgrounds, playgrounds, public beaches and some parks. In Maryland, it’s also putting a crimp in boating.

Authorities issued stay-at-home orders in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, the District of Columbia, New York and West Virginia. In Pennsylvania, a growing number of counties joined their ranks. But such decrees still allow ample opportunities for getting outside to hike, bike, jog, fish or hunt — or just take in a little fresh air and nature. Following is a state-by-state rundown.

Maryland

The stay-at-home order issued March 30 by Gov. Larry Hogan specifically permits “outdoor exercise activities, such as walking, hiking, running, or biking,” as long as people maintain a 6-foot separation from each other.

But recreational boating is not permitted. That’s a bitter pill in a state with more than 200,000 registered power- and sailboats. Boaters took to social media to complain, and at least one started an online petition asking Hogan to lift the ban. One signer argued that boating is “good for mental health,” while others maintained it fit the spirit of “social distancing.”

Amid a flurry of questions, the state Department of Natural Resources issued new guidelines on Tuesday that say “limited” hunting and recreational fishing are permitted, including by boat, if pursued to obtain food. That prompted at least one boater to suggest he’d be sure to have a fishing rod aboard.

The DNR also specified that kayaking and paddle boarding are acceptable forms of outdoor exercise, if practiced with proper separation. Though not specifically mentioned in DNR guidance, canoeing is also permitted, according to DNR spokesman Gregg Bortz, providing that whoever else is in the canoe is someone you’re living with.

Delaware

Delaware’s state parks remain open with their fees waived, but its state-operated beaches are closed for all but exercise and surf-fishing under Gov. Jim Carney’s stay-at-home orders.

Those parks were all but shuttered to out-of-state visitors. A week after Carney ordered anyone coming into Delaware to self-quarantine for 14 days, he extended the policy March 30 to apply to those heading into the state to fish, hunt or visit a park.

Playgrounds have been closed in parks throughout the region to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Photo by Jeremy Cox/Bay Journal News Service

Surf-fishing, an activity known for packing beaches during warm weather, is limited to people fishing from vehicles with a cap of two people from the same household. Vehicles must be parked at least 20 yards apart, according to the Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Control.

“This change is designed to allow a source of food and a bit of safely distant recreation, but it is not intended to allow the normal type of surf-fishing we see with groups of people engaged in non-fishing activities. The beaches are still not a place for numbers of people engaged in social activities,” DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin said.

All state parks playgrounds, campsites and park offices are closed. Any visitors must practice social distancing. Upstate trout season remains open in seven designated streams.

Pennsylvania

Thirty-three counties are under stay-at-home orders, but residents are still permitted to engage in outdoor activities such as walking, hiking or running, as long as they keep their distance from others.

State parks and state forests remain open but all facilities, such as rest rooms, pavilions, and campgrounds, are closed. For details and updates, go here.

The Fish and Boat Commission did delay the early start of trout season in Southeastern Pennsylvania to coincide with an April 18 opening day in the rest of the state. Stream stocking was accelerated, without the assistance of volunteers. For more info, go here.

Virginia

Gov. Ralph Northam ordered all Virginians to stay home but included “engaging in outdoor activities, including for exercise,” among the exceptions. He didn’t address boating, but said generally that individuals using outdoor spaces, “whether on land or on water,” must stay at least 6 feet away from each other, unless the others are family or household members or caretakers.

Virginia state parks have closed visitor centers, cabins, campgrounds and restrooms, but trails and outdoor spaces are still open for day use. For details, see here.

Northam also declared a moratorium on most private campground reservations and closed all public beaches except for exercising and fishing. For more info, go here.

District of Columbia

As in neighboring states, District residents have been ordered to stay home, unless they have some “essential” purpose. They may venture out to engage in “certain authorized recreational activities.” The list includes: “walking, hiking, running, dog-walking, biking, rollerblading, scootering, skateboarding, playing tennis, golfing, gardening, and other activities where all participants comply with social distancing requirements and there is no person-to-person contact.” It’s unclear whether fishing or any type of boating is acceptable.

New York

With a statewide stay-at-home order, New York park officials encouraged people to get outdoors but to #RecreateLocal.

The Department of Environmental Conservation created the hashtag in a campaign urging people to keep visits short and not travel too far from home. “To keep these places safe and healthy for everyone, we need to adjust the ways we enjoy our parks,” State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said.

Like other states, New York has waived fees at state parks but closed playgrounds, canceled all public programs and shuttered nature centers and other facilities. All state-operated campgrounds are closed through at least April 30; anyone with a reservation in the meantime is being given refunds. For more info, go here.

The state urged people to keep their distance from each other while outdoors and avoid group activities, such as basketball and football. If crowds are forming at a park, people should go somewhere else, officials said. Fishing and boating were allowed, but officials urged boaters to stay at least six feet from each other.

West Virginia

As in other states, Gov. Jim Justice’s stay-at-home order specifically allows walking, hiking, biking, jogging and just being “in nature for exercise,” with proper separation from others.

All state campgrounds are closed through April 30. All restrooms are closed, and all events canceled.

Day-use areas, such as hiking trails and fishing lakes, continue to be open for public use. The state has waived fishing license fees through April 24 for state residents. Under Justice’s order, no outdoor gatherings could exceed 10 people and they must stay at least 6 feet apart. Justice also closed private campgrounds to out-of-state travelers.

National parks

National parks remain mostly open, but they are coming under increasing pressure to close after reporting that seven employees have confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

The Park Service has closed popular parks such as Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, plus dozens of other sites to reduce risks of spreading illness. But many more remain open, and the government has waived entrance fees.

The chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Phil Francis, wrote Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Tuesday urging him to close the parks to protect employees and help slow the spread of COVID-19.

With 54 sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the National Park Service says it is modifying operations on a park-by-park basis during the pandemic. It is basing those decision on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health authorities, officials said.

Among the sites closed in the Bay watershed are Fort McHenry in Baltimore, the Washington Monument in the District of Columbia and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

At other sites, parks have suspended visitor services, with exceptions for law enforcement and trash removal.

Among the changes announced in the Bay region’s national parks:

• The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia canceled its Illumination of the Fredericksburg National Cemetery scheduled over Memorial Day weekend. The event typically draws 4,000-9,000 visitors a year. The parks also curtailed services to only those considered essential.

• National parks in the greater Washington area remain open but most indoors facilities, roads, playgrounds and other facilities are closed. In the District’s popular Rock Creek Park, four iconic park fountains are closed.

• At the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, all non-life sustaining operations are shut down, including restrooms, museum and observation towers.

• The Shenandoah National Park in Virginia remains open but has closed several popular trails and parking lots because they were attracting large crowds. The annual openings of its lodges had been delayed until May 21.

Appalachian Trail

Trailhead facilities and other access points to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail have been shut down in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia to prevent groups from congregating.

After multiple sections of the popular footpath from Maine to Georgia drew large crowds in late March, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy issued an appeal to hikers to stay away until the risks of spreading COVID-19 to others has reduced significantly.

National forests

National forests remain open, but many campgrounds and facilities are closed. The George Washington and Jefferson Forests in Virginia are still open for “dispersed camping and other activities that support social distancing and small groups,” according to a Forest Service release. For details on what’s open where, go here.

By Timothy B. Wheeler, Jeremy Cox, and Ad Crable.

ShoreRivers Announces Cancellations, Postponements

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ShoreRivers is recommending staff work from home and postpone all non-essential meetings. Staff will be available by email, as usual.

Volunteers are asked to refrain from visiting the organization’s offices until further notice.

In accordance with CDC guidelines, please see event schedule below:

• Sassafras Sips (March 20 and April 17) CANCELED

• Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit (March 26) CANCELED

• Project Clean Stream (April 4) POSTPONED

• Creekwatchers and SAV trainings POSTPONED

• State of the Rivers is moving to a virtual platform.

ShoreRivers will post more information on Facebook, Instagram, and shorerivers.org as it becomes available.

Climate Study Predicts Heavier Rains, Deeper Floodwaters on Eastern Shore

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Climate change will fuel heavier downpours and deeper floodwaters on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, according to one of the first detailed looks at changing rainfall patterns at the local level in the mid-Atlantic.

The new report, a collaboration between the University of Maryland and Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, estimates rainfall totals and intensity for five towns on the Mid and Upper shores. It predicts that by the 2040s, a 100-year storm will dump an additional 0.5-inch to 1.5-inches of rainfall over 24 hours, depending on the location.

That might not sound like much of a difference. But when it comes to planning for new roads, drainage ditches and other types of infrastructure, it is, said Jim Bass, manager of the conservancy’s coastal resilience program.

Jim Bass, of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy’s coastal resilience program, stands in the rain at the conservancy’s office in Easton, MD. He said that the rural towns represented in a new Eastern Shore study face a bigger challenge, than most because their public works staffs and budgets are smaller than most of their counterparts. Photo by Dave Harp/Bay Journal News Service

“This was a great opportunity to bring some specificity to this phenomenon that everyone agrees is going on,” he said. “You can’t plan for what you don’t know.”

Many coastal communities across the country are struggling to get ready for rising seas, greater storm frequency and other climate-related impacts. The rural towns represented in the Eastern Shore study face a bigger challenge, Bass said, because their public works staffs and budgets are smaller than most of their counterparts.

In anticipation, his organization formed the Eastern Shore Climate Adaptation Partnership in 2016. The network’s six participating counties and three municipalities work to share costs and resources as they plan for climate change. Their goal, according to the partnership’s website, is to create “America’s Most Resilient Region.”

The rainfall study, funded by a $60,000 grant from the New York-based Rauch Foundation, brings a level of scientific understanding to those communities that many larger cities still don’t have, its backers say.

Climate scientists typically use broad brush strokes when predicting rainfall patterns decades into the future, said Kaye Brubaker, a University of Maryland researcher who co-authored the report. Even with the aid of supercomputers, they can only pin down results to square-shaped blobs with boundary lines stretching more than 30 miles apart.

Brubaker and her team took just such information from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program and used a statistical process called “downscaling” to make forecasts at a more-precise scale.

“It’s almost like zooming in onto an image,” she said. “As you zoom out, you see very coarse pixels, and when you zoom in the pixels get finer and finer.”

The study forecasts rainfall for the period between 2041 and 2070, assuming a scenario in which relatively little is done to combat global greenhouse gas emissions. For a 100-year storm — the sort with a 1% chance of occurring during any given year — the study foresees the following rainfall totals over a 24-hour period:

• Elkton: 9.3 inches (1.6 inches greater than the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration currently charts for such storms in that community)
• Denton: 9.9 inches (1.2 inches greater)
• Cambridge: 10.1 inches (1 inch greater)
• Easton: 10 inches (1 inch greater)
• Centreville: 9.2 inches (0.5-inch greater)

Brubaker said the labels used to describe storms can be misleading. A 100-year storm can strike more than once every 100 years; to say it only has a 1% chance of arising per year is better, but it’s still possible for such ferocious storms to pop up once every few years or even within days of each other.

“It’s like you’re rolling a 100-sided die. Your probability of coming up with a 1 is one in 100. But there is a possibility that you could roll it two times in a row and a 1 would come up,” Brubaker said.

Those labels, though, are critical for engineers trying to decide how high to build bridges and how wide to dig stormwater ponds. If the calculations for a newly constructed highway don’t account for the shifting definition of a 100-year storm, it may be in danger of flooding more often in the future, Brubaker said.

“If the rain falls slowly, it can trickle off somewhere,” she said. But “if the rain falls intensely very fast, where’s it going to go? It’s going to pile up in your pipes and on your street.”

Another symptom of climate change — rising seas — could complicate things for local planners, Brubaker said. If coastal areas become inundated by higher tides, it will be more difficult for rainfall-driven flooding to drain away.

Brian Lightner, the zoning administrator for Cecil County in the state’s northeast corner, said the new rainfall totals will help his department develop even more localized computer models, which he hopes to use to plan stormwater projects.

“Local governments are always thinking about where we can do stormwater retrofits,” he said. “With our flood vulnerabilities being predicted, [we’ll be] looking where we can try to do some restoration to reduce some of that impact.”

Climate scientists generally agree that rainfall will continue increasing in the Chesapeake Bay region, but projections at the local level have only begun to trickle in. The Maryland Commission on Climate Change said in a 2008 report, for example, that winter rainfall amounts could increase up to 12% by 2090, but that information applied statewide.

A 2015 analysis compiled for the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment looked at a variety of storm scenarios, finding greater intensity and frequency with each. For instance, it showed that the number of days per year with 1 inch of rainfall would increase from an average of 10 to 13 by the 2080s.

In Virginia Beach, a 2018 study suggested that 100-year storms would typically produce 13.3 inches of rainfall over the span of 24 hours by 2075, up from the historical average of 9.4 inches. Such results prompted the report’s author, the Dewberry consulting firm, to recommend that the city increase rainfall intensities by 20% in its design calculations.

In its report, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy lays out several policy recommendations of its own, emphasizing the use of “green infrastructure,” such as rain gardens and wetlands, to absorb additional water.

It is the second climate change report produced by the organization in as many years. Its sea-level rise study last year estimated a 6-foot increase on the Shore, a swell that would put nearly 6,000 buildings at risk of becoming flooded.

Brubaker said that her use of a higher-emissions scenario was a feature of the study, not a fault. It is better to plan for a worse scenario and wind up with dry roads than to hope for the best and end up under water, she said.

“I think we all need to pay attention to what we’re doing to the planet,” she added. “This [analysis] is a hint of what global-scale change might be bringing to our neighborhood.”

By Jeremy Cox

ShoreRivers Gears up for Spring with River-Friendly Yards

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A River-Friendly Yard mimics the natural environment to benefit water quality. Even if you are not on the waterfront, every drop of water from properties within the watershed is carried to our waterways. The entire state of Maryland plus parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia comprise the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Stitching together small habitats to create conservation corridors makes an essential difference for all species—including our own—to thrive. Though the Bay and local river watersheds are vast, creating a River-Friendly yard of any size can make a real impact. Enjoy beautiful native plantings; create bird and pollinator habitat; improve soggy lawns and basements; and join ShoreRivers in achieving a vision of healthy waterways across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

A Red Admiral Butterfly, one of many potential pollinators to visit a River-Friendly Yard. (Photo Credit: Dan Small)

Interested in creating your own River-Friendly space but aren’t sure where to start? Check out ShoreRivers’ easy 10-step guide. Not sure of what plants to choose? Get started with the guide’s list of ten native meadow species that provide three-season color along with habitat for birds, bees, and butterflies. Be inspired by sample concept plans to see what other homeowners have done. Visit shorerivers.org/river-friendly-yards for strategies, native plant lists, available workshops, community consultations, and more. For more specific questions, contact Ethan LaLumia at elalumia@shorerivers.org or call 443-385-0511 x253. 

Be sure to watch for more River-Friendly news, including Fertilizer Awareness Week (April 5-11, 2020).

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Meet the Scientists Behind the Science at Horn Point Laboratory’s Science Bytes

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The Horn Point Laboratory (HPL) returns with two opportunities to attend its Science Bytes programming in March and April. The gatherings, held at Piazza Italian Market in downtown Easton, MD, offer an up-close opportunity to listen and ask questions about the types of research and environmental science happening at the Cambridge, MD-based lab.

Associate Professor Jamie Pierson

Associate Professor Jamie Pierson will present “The Role of Plankton in understanding climate change” on March 26 from 6 – 7:30pm. Assistant Professor Matt Gray will present “The historic role of oysters and new approaches to leverage their benefits to the Bay” on April 14 from 6 – 7:30pm.

These gatherings are designed to share science relevant to our communities in a casual (and delicious!) setting. HPL Lab Director Mike Roman will interview both professors regarding their respective research while attendees enjoy Italian treats from Piazza Italian Market’s wide selection of wine, beer, and antipasto.

Assistant Professor Matt Gray

Tickets are $35/ person. To register visit https://www.umces.edu/events or contact Carin Starr at cstarr@umces.edu, 410-221-8408.

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

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Shore Ecosystem: A Chat on Eco-Resilience with QAC’s Amy Moredock

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The word “resilience” has many meanings in today’s contemporary society but it is particularly useful when defining an Eastern Shore county’s preparation for the sometimes catastrophic impacts of 100-year-old storms and sea surges.

Amy Moredock would know. With only two years of experience as Kent County’s planning officer when Hurricane Isabel hit Rock Hall in 2003, Amy saw first hand the devastating results of these events, but also how important is for local governments to anticipate their impact on the most basic of services and commerce.

Now the principal planner for Queen Anne’s County Planning and Zoning, Amy talks about that experience and the importance of a coordinated strategy, including her work with the Eastern Shore Climate Adaptation Partnership, to, as a dictionary would define it, as increasing our region’s ecosystem “capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.”

This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For more information about the Eastern Shore Climate Adaptation Partnership please go here, and for Queen Anne’s County Planning and Zoning please go here.

Learn to Grow Your Own Oysters This March 21

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Phillips Wharf Environmental Center on Tilghman Island, Md. is offering a course on growing oysters from your own dock on Sat., Mar. 21 from 10 to 3 p.m., with oyster farmer Lawrence Rudner of St. Michaels, Md. leading the course. The event includes a shuck-your-own lunch of a dozen oysters, with participation limited, and advance registration needed.

Phillips Wharf Environmental Center on Tilghman Island, Md. is offering a course on growing oysters from your own dock on Sat., Mar. 21 from 10 to 3 p.m., with oyster farmer Lawrence Rudner of St. Michaels, Md. Participants will learn about all the steps of oyster growing and harvesting off your private dock, while taking advantage of a Maryland tax credit for growing your own oysters. Participation is limited, with advanced registration needed.

“You can grow healthy, delicious oysters for your own use off your dock with minimal effort, all while helping to clean the Chesapeake Bay,” said PWEC Executive Director Kelley Cox. “The state of Maryland is offering a tax credit of up to $500 per person for the purchase of new floating oyster cages. This course will help folks to use that credit, while teaching the practical aspects of oyster gardening.”

The oyster gardening workshop will cover information on oyster history, biology, and regulations; gardening and equipment options and sources; seed types; processing and harvesting techniques; ways to safely shuck an oyster; and more.

PWEC’s oyster gardening workshop takes place on Sat., Mar. 21, and will cover information on seed types, like these shown here, along with oyster history, biology, and regulations; gardening and equipment options and sources; processing and harvesting techniques; ways to safely shuck an oyster; and more.

Lawrence Rudner has been growing oysters dockside for more than 10 years, and has recently applied for two aquaculture leases to raise and commercially sell oysters under the Oyster Girl Oysters brand.

The cost of the workshop is $99 and includes lunch. To reserve, please send a check made out to ‘PWEC,’ along with your phone number, email address, and postal address to: PWEC Oyster Gardening Class, 6129 Tilghman Island Rd, Tilghman, MD 21671.

PWEC’s Mar. 21 oyster gardening workshop includes a shuck-your-own lunch of a dozen oysters, in addition to detailed instruction on how to grow oysters from your private dock. The program takes place in PWEC’s classroom from 10 to 3 p.m. with participation limited, and advance registration needed.

Phillips Wharf Environmental Center’s mission is to encourage, educate, and engage Chesapeake Bay stewards of all ages through interactive experiences highlighting the Bay’s ecosystem and its inhabitants.

For more information, visit phillipswharf.org.

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Frogs, Forts, Friends, and Outdoor Fun at Pickering Creek EcoCamp!

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Meander through mud, wallow in the wetland, and frolic in the forest at our summer EcoCamp! Our exciting, unique, and hands-on activities allow campers to engage with nature at their own pace, by providing a welcoming and safe environment to explore. Campers learn about nature and gain outdoor skills through hiking, swimming, playing games, fishing, and creating crafts. Small groups of campers will discover the wetlands, forests, creek, and pond along with an experienced counselor and EcoCamp alumni (our enthusiastic Junior Naturalists). Test your skills at spotting wildlife, playing camouflage, catching frogs, building forts, and canoeing.

Pickering Creek Audubon Center’s EcoCamp has a philosophy that campers will have rich learning experiences in a fun and safe outdoor environment. EcoCamp’s small groups and low student to instructor ratio provide for an exceptional outdoor summer camp experience. Camp Director Sammi Ocher has been teaching outdoor education for six years, most recently at Pickering Creek, and has her MS in Marine Biology from Northeastern University. She will be joined an assistant director and by three summer counselors who will lead campers on fun, exciting, safe, and educational outdoor adventures. Pickering Creek offers exceptionally well-trained and experienced instructors and leaders for all of its programs.

Each camp lasts one week and focuses on a unique nature-inspired theme. Pickering Creek offers camps for three age groups: Fledglings (students entering K-1st next fall), Larks (students entering 2nd-4th), and Shrikes (students entering 5th-7th). All camps last from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, with an option for Fledglings to be picked up at 2:00 pm.

Fledglings will get a gentle introduction to the outdoors through hikes and activities especially tailored for their abilities. Walks are short in length and activities vary throughout the program to keep them interested and active.  Fledglings spend some quiet time indoors after lunch napping or reading, and have an optional snack time in the afternoon. Fledgling camps are available for every week this summer except Outdoor Survivor on July 20-24.

The Larks EcoCamps engage campers with hikes, free explorations, and lessons on identifying the many animals that call Maryland home. Campers hike and play throughout the Center’s 400 acres, and seine for aquatic wildlife in Pickering Creek.  Larks can choose from all seven weeks of camp this summer.

Shrike campers will be introduced to the same themes as younger groups, but the challenges are greater. These older campers will hone their survival skills with shelter building, orienteering, longer canoe trips, water hikes, tracking, and camouflage games. Shrikes camps are available for every week this summer except Tall Tails on July 6-10.

Week 1, June 22 – 26: Wet&Wild  submerges campers in the many waters of Pickering Creek. Catch frogs in our freshwater wetlands, search through meandering creeks for raccoon tracks, and seine in our creek for mummichogs and grass shrimp. Be prepared to get muddy and wet as we wade through these habitats collecting and watching wildlife, creating damns and new pools, and learning how water is the center for all habitats – big and small!

Week 2, June 29 – July 2: ImagiNature helps campers learn how to use their creative side to show the world their love of nature! Nature is full of crazy designs and colors; campers will explore Pickering Creek for examples and help fill our trails with leaf mosaics, mud creatures, toad and fairy homes, and sand and clay sculptures. We’ll use the materials we find throughout our forest, wetlands, and creek to leave little pieces of artwork for Pickering visitors to discover and enjoy.

Week 3, July 6 – 10: Tall Tails will introduce campers to the magic of storytelling! Whether a story about amazing animals and crazy creatures, nature myths or legends – make the story of your summer a captivating one! Gather stories of frogs in the wetland, imagine a butterfly’s journey in the fields, and decide the tale of a fish’s fate in the creek. We’ll hear tales of animal heroes and folklore, and create new ones of our own to share!

Week 4, July 13 – 17: Puzzle Masters asks “What grows when it eats, but dies when it drinks? What breaks but never falls, and what falls but never breaks?” We’ll answer nature riddles, use our team-building skills to complete challenges, and find clues to follow a scavenger hunt through the forests, wetlands, and shores of Pickering Creek!

Week 5, July 20 – 24:Outdoor Survivor will prepare campers to survive outdoors! Learn how to predict the weather, what to watch out for and what can help in an emergency, and how to build shelters and keep warm. Find out more about the tricks that animals (and even some plants) use to survive in difficult conditions, and test your skills!

Week 6, July 27 – 31: Habitat Heroes will help campers become protectors of wildlife and the places the need! We’ll learn about some of the difficulties local wildlife face and ways to help them. Go seining and test the water to find out how healthy Pickering Creek is, and plant some native flowers for birds and butterflies. Join us as we look for plants and animals, build some habitats, and create fun projects to improve life for animals on the Eastern Shore!

Week 7, August 3-7: Adventureland will be EcoCamp 2020’s final adventure! From water games to fort building, nature art to seining, wetland traversing to log flipping – choose your own adventure at EcoCamp’s final hurrah!

Online registration will begin on Monday, March 9th, at 10:00 am. Find information on transportation, registration, and scholarships at www.pickering.audubon.org. Contact Sammi Ocher, EcoCamp Director, for questions at samara.ocher@audubon.org or 410-822-4903. Spaces will fill fast so don’t wait!

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Bird Lecture: Helping Birds Adapt to a Changing World

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On Thursday March 12, Samantha Pitts and Mary Helen Gillin will give a talk about 

About two thirds of the birds in North America are at risk due to the impacts of climate change on their habitats. Speakers Samantha Pitts and Mary Helen Gillin will first highlight the results of the recently published Audubon’s Survival by Degrees report. The report is a compilation of millions of bird observations. By using the latest model of climate change, the reports projects how climate change and other human impacts might alter the habitats of birds across the continent. During the latter part of the talk, the speakers will show what each of us can do in our own yards to offer healthy habitat for local birds that help them to be more resilient in the face of climate change.

Samantha Pitts is the volunteer coordinator and a teacher naturalist at Pickering Creek Audubon Center. Mary Helen Gillen is the Education Manager.

This talk is part of the 21st Annual Kent Horticulture Lecture Series organized by the University of Maryland Extension in Kent County. The program will be held at 10:00am at the Chestertown Town Hall, 2nd floor, 118 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620. This event is free of charge. For more information, please contact Sabine Harvey, 410-778-1661 or sharvey1@umd.edu

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