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June 21, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

Ecosystem Eco Notes

Summer Pollinator Play Trail Debuts at Pickering June 17

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Pickering Creek Audubon Center will debut its Summer Pollinator Play Trail, sponsored by The Easton Group at Morgan Stanley, on Thursday June 17 to coincide with the end of the school year.  This new trail begins near the Pickering Creek Welcome Center and loops through the nearby meadow and shallow water wetlands, including a stop at one of the Center’s viewing platforms overlooking 24 acres of marsh. The trail features fourteen stops that encourage kids and families to explore nature together through short fun activities. The trail is self-guided, and in both English and Spanish. At each stop, learn about nests by following interactive signs with prompts like, “Nocturnal pollinators like moths and bats prefer white flowers that reflect moonlight and are easier to see in the dark. Look for three different white flowers before the next sign!”  Each location asks kids and families to engage a different sense as they explore nature around them.

“The Pollinator Play Trail is a great way to mark the end of the school year with a family adventure outdoors on the trails of Pickering Creek,” says trail designer Sammi Ocher. “With flowers blooming, colorful butterflies fluttering everywhere, and frogs and toads singing up a storm, it is a wonderful time to be outside.”  The trail will be in place from Thursday June 17 through Monday July 5 and coincides with the long fourth of July weekend as well as the end of school.  Keep an eye on the weather and remember both ticks and mosquitoes share the outdoors with us.

After enjoying the Summer Pollinator Play Trail, further explorations lie beyond! With over four miles of trails and several beautiful vistas over Pickering Creek and the Center’s expansive wetlands, Pickering Creek has miles of trails for exploration and enjoyment.

Pickering Creek’s trails are open daily from 7am to 8pm during this summer.  There is no admission fee.  Guests are asked to carry masks and wear them when passing each other on trails; restrooms facilities are limited at this time, so plan accordingly.  For all our guidelines please check:

https://pickering.audubon.org/visit/planning-visit

ShoreRivers Luminaries Recognized with State and Regional Environmental Awards

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W. R. “Nick” Carter, III

Two powerful voices in the environmental movement received acclaim in May.

On May 7, W. R. “Nick” Carter, III became the second recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship during the organization’s State of the Rivers presentation. The award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment.

On May 11, Jeff Horstman, a Wye River resident and former executive director of ShoreRivers, was named an Ambassador of the Chesapeake Bay by Governor Hogan. Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles presented the award.

Ann Swanson, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission for the last 33 years, was tapped to speak on both occasions. Swanson was the first recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship and considers it “one of the greatest recognitions of my life.” She went on to say that it was a special honor for her to present the award to her friend Nick and to sing his praises. “Nick is brilliant. He is a synthesizer—a complex thinker. His friends and colleagues liken him to E.O. Wilson; some even refer to him as the David Attenborough of the Chesapeake.”

Jeff Horstman

After 35 years of service to Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Carter retired in 2000, but it can hardly be said his work came to an end. From his beloved “natural wonderland” on the Choptank River or his peerless jonboat, Swanson says, “Nick can take disparate pieces of information—biology, ecology, hydrology, sociology, history, and even politics—and weave them together into an understanding that becomes new knowledge, not just regurgitated facts.” In his distinctive Norfolk, Virginia drawl, “Nick can talk to anyone—including any age, education level, or political persuasion. He believes that everyone has an entry point [to environmentalism], you just need to find it.”

Jeff Horstman’s entry point to Eastern Shore conservation work at a professional level appeared nearly a decade ago when Tim Junkin invited him to join the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy’s board. Horstman went on to serve as the organization’s Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, deputy director, and eventually succeeded Junkin as executive director. His vision expanded beyond the Wye River he had cherished since youth. Swanson remembers first working with Horstman around 2014 and seeing how well he “understood that each river of the Eastern Shore had its own cultural and ecological identity that should never be erased or ignored.”

When ShoreRivers was formed in 2017 by merging Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, Chester River Association, and Sassafras River Association, it was Horstman’s leadership as executive director that established the organization as a strong, united voice for the region’s rivers. “He simply was the right person at the right time,” Swanson reiterates. “He had the right disposition; he never commanded, he just listened.  And his deep connection to place—both the people and the resource—was apparent.”

In a surprise ceremony via Zoom, Horstman was presented the title Ambassador of the Chesapeake by Secretaries Haddaway-Riccio and Grumbles on behalf of Governor Larry Hogan and the State of Maryland. His award recognized “leadership within many environmental organizations including ShoreRivers, mentorship of the next generation of stewards, and inspiration to others to further the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.”

ShoreRivers is extremely grateful for the leadership and vision of these two local champions. To watch the presentation of Carter’s award and to learn more about the mission of ShoreRivers, visit www.shorerivers.org/2021-sotr-qa.

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

shorerivers.org

ShoreRivers Reduces Vessel Discharge in Eastern Shore Waterways

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The ShoreRivers pumpout boat will be up and running for the 2021 season on May 21.

ShoreRivers works to identify and address all pollution sources, including discharge from boats with marine sanitation devices. Boat discharge, especially in marinas, high boat traffic areas, and sheltered coves, can lead to nutrient or bacteria pollution hotspots that pose serious health risks to humans and animals. The newly-designated Chester River No Discharge Zone and the Miles and Wye pumpout boat help to eliminate the chance of boat discharge entering the waterways.

As the result of a multi-year effort by ShoreRivers, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) designated the Chester River as the second No Discharge Zone in Maryland’s Chesapeake watershed. According to the DNR website, a No Discharge Zone “is an area of water where the discharge of all boat sewage is prohibited. This includes raw sewage . . . as well as sewage treated by Type I or II marine sanitation devices.”

In rivers without No Discharge Zones, it is legal to discharge treated sewage into the waters. While treated sewage (from a properly maintained and functioning marine sanitation device) does not contain bacteria pollution, it does contribute nutrient pollution. The Chester River NDZ will be marked with DNR buoys. Once inside the boundaries of the Chester River No Discharge Zone, all boats with marine heads must pump their waste at a discharge station (a list of pumpout locations can be found at shorerivers.org/programs/no-discharge-zone). Violators can face fines up to $1,000.

River-friendly boaters in other ShoreRivers waterways can help to eliminate this pollution source by always utilizing pumpout services. On the Miles and WyeRivers, the ShoreRivers pumpout boat will begin its 2021 season May 21. Boaters are encouraged to take advantage of this free service and do their part to keep our waterways clean and healthy. Pumpout boat Captain Jim Freeman states, “Both transient and local boaters rave about the convenience of using the pumpout boat. We can serve any boater on the Miles and Wye rivers, and can carry up to 300 gallons of waste.”

Now in its fifth year, the pumpout boat program is funded by DNR and ShoreRivers in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The vessel has disposed of more than 74,000 gallons of waste from 1,270 vessels, giving boaters a more convenient way to keep this pollution from potentially entering the Miles and Wye rivers.

Pumpout boat service is available Friday evenings and weekends (including holidays) during the summer and early fall. To arrange service, boaters can contact the pumpout boat by calling 410-829-4352 or on VHF channel 9. To contact Captain Jim with specific questions or to schedule a regular pump out, email POBCaptJim@gmail.com. Please adhere to social distancing guidelines when interacting with the pumpout boat. Visit shorerivers.org for more information on the pumpout boat and the Chester River No Discharge Zone.

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

ESLC Hires new Policy Manager

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Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Sara Ramotnik as their new Policy Manager.  Sara replaces Josh Hastings who has gone on to become Program and Policy Director for Forever Maryland.

Sara comes to ESLC from the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership where she worked on policy development and stakeholder input on key conservation legislation. Sara graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy.  Sara also served as an agricultural nonpoint source pollution intern at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office.  

According to ESLC President Rob Etgen, “we are thrilled to have Sara join our team.  She has terrific experience with partners and legislation that are key parts of our future, and brings the energy and enthusiasm needed to take on big challenges like our Delmarva Oasis – an effort to protect half of the peninsula by 2030.”

New Chronolog Photo Station Encourages Citizen Science at Blackwater NWR

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The Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) have partnered with the Chronolog Citizen Science Project (https://beta.chronolog.io/about), an environmental monitoring website, to install a Chronolog photo station at the Observation Platform along the refuge Wildlife Drive.

Visitors can place their smartphone in the photo station to capture an image of the marsh and then email it to the Chronolog website, which stitches the photos together to create a crowdsourced, time-lapsed video illustrating changes to the marsh over time. The Blackwater NWR video can be viewed at https://beta.chronolog.io/site/BWR101.

Photo: Photo station with mounted bracket helps visitors position their smartphone to capture consistent photos of the marsh over time. (Credit: Friends of Blackwater)

The station is near the confluence of the Little Blackwater River and the Blackwater River, tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. This location provides views of tidal marshes, forests, and shallow open water. The refuge is impacted by sea level rise, which can drown tidal marshes and convert them to open water, as well as flood adjacent forests, kill trees, and create new tidal marshes. The Chronolog station engages visitors by allowing them to contribute their photos and witness how the ecosystem is changing over time.

For more information about the Chronolog project, contact Rick Abend, 443-521-2201, rdabend@yahoo.com.

The Friends of Blackwater is a nonprofit citizens’ support group founded in 1987, assisting staff at Blackwater NWR in Cambridge, Maryland, in carrying out their educational, interpretive, and public use missions. Visit the Friends at https://www.friendsofblackwater.org

ShoreRivers Announces 2021 Photo Contest

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The 2019 Photo Contest Winner for the Miles, Wye, and Eastern Bay watershed was taken by Crystal Dorothy.

Do you have a passion for photography or just like to capture special moments with your phone? Do you love your local waterways and want to promote and preserve them? ShoreRivers is pleased to announce its 2021 Photo Contest from May through October, so snap a picture and send it our way! Shore rivers are your rivers, and we want to see how you engage with the natural resources that we all strive to conserve. ShoreRivers is especially interested in photos that reflect the organization’s mission of protecting and restoring our waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education.

Contest winners will be announced December 1 by email, social media, and the photo contest webpage. Categories include Wildlife, Waterways, Human Interaction with Nature, and Agriculture/Restoration (e.g. farm fields, restored streams, wetlands, shorelines, rain gardens, river-friendly yards). ShoreRivers will use winning photos in publications and outreach, such as:

  • community presentations and events, which reach over 500 people annually
  • emails and social media accounts, which have thousands of followers
  • Semiannual Advocate newsletter and River Report Card, which are mailed to over 3,000 people.

Photographers will be credited for their photos and may submit up to four images for consideration. Images must be taken within the four watersheds that comprise ShoreRivers’ geographic area: Chester, Choptank, Miles-Wye, and Sassafras. To learn more about the contest rules and how to submit photos, please visit shorerivers.org/photo-contest.

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

shorerivers.org

Phased Re-opening of the Lodge at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge

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In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in coordination with the Governor and local public health authorities, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is re-opening the Lodge at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Rock Hall on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm.

The refuge is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and is using a phased approach to safely increase access to Eastern Neck NWR lands and facilities. The refuge’s roads, trails, and hunts have been open throughout the pandemic.

Beginning May 1, 2021, Eastern Neck NWR will reopen public access to the Lodge (Visitor Contact Station) on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm.  In addition, refuge lands that are regularly open to the public continue to be open and available daily from sunrise to sunset.  Those entering the Lodge will be required to wear a mask in accordance with the USFWS mask mandate as well as follow CDC guidelines, which include social distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home if sick.

As we continue to review access, services, and programs, a return to full operations at Eastern Neck NWR will be phased in according to protocols set by the federal government, the Governor and local public health officials. These decisions will be informed by the most current guidance and information from the Department of the Interior, CDC, Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of Health to ensure the health and safety of those visiting and working at Eastern Neck NWR are protected. We will continue to closely monitor conditions and adjust our operations accordingly.

Updates about the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s response to coronavirus are posted at https://www.fws.gov/home/public-health-update.html.

Please check our website for current updates and status: www.fws.gov/refuge/eastern_neck. 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. 

For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq. 

Embark on a ShoreRivers Solstice Expedition

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Beginning on the Summer Solstice (Sunday, June 20) until June 26, ShoreRivers will host a new kind of Solstice Celebration that offers something for everyone. Instead of one evening under the tent, the week-long celebration will include small-group expeditions, an online auction, and a free livestream concert with Philip Dutton and the Alligators. ShoreRivers is grateful for support from local partners and the Raymond James Charitable Foundation. Become a sponsor, reserve your ticket, and find more information at shorerivers.org/event/solstice.

Solstice Celebration Expeditions are extraordinary experiences with local experts that give participants a closer look at how science, advocacy, restoration, and education combine for cleaner water and a safer future for all. Edible plant foraging with Permaculture Educator Shane Brill, a dive into dragonflies with Biologist John Gillespie, and a chance to harken through a storied history at The Hermitage property are just a few examples of more than a dozen opportunities available. From paddling to pollinators, aquaculture to agriculture, environmental justice to ecopoetry, don’t miss the chance to register for these meaningful, informative, and interactive opportunities! Tickets are limited to ensure safety, as well as to give participants an insider’s experience.

Another way supporters near and far can contribute to ShoreRivers’ work is through an online auction, which will offer a custom oil painting by Chestertown’s own Marcy Dunn Ramsey, a secret adventure sail with Captain Andrew McCown, a vacation in Hilton Head, a cottage in the Berkshires, bourbon, books, bracelets, a hot air balloon ride, and a boatload of other exciting items. Bidding will open online June 14.

The celebration will culminate with a FREE livestream concert from ShoreRivers board member Bob Ingersoll’s Silver Barn studio, featuring local favorites Philip Dutton & the Alligators. All funds raised during this event directly support healthy, accessible waterways.

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

shorerivers.org

TNC/Opti Development Partners Announce Completion of Stormwater Pilot Project

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TNC/Opti Development Partners LLC, a joint venture of The Nature Conservancy and smart stormwater management provider Opti, today announced it had completed the pilot phase of a project to retrofit stormwater retention ponds with new technology to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality.

TNC/Opti Development Partners LLC was joined in making the announcement by state partners including the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and the Maryland Environmental Service (MES). The three ponds included in the pilot are located in Hagerstown, Fruitland, and Aberdeen; all of them on properties owned by Walmart.

“The success of this pilot project would not have been possible without the establishment of unique public-private partnerships, and for that we have to thank the leadership and support of the State of Maryland and Walmart,” said Craig Holland, CEO of TNC/Opti Development Partners LLC. “We hope the model of public-private and interagency cooperation established here can be replicated throughout the rest of the Bay watershed and across the country to meet the growing demand for cost-effective infrastructure upgrades like these.”

“We are thrilled with the successful completion of the HP3 project, made possible by partnering with The Nature Conservancy, Walmart, MES and MDOT, who have all embraced an innovative approach to water quality enabled by Opti’s innovative solution. The economic and environmental benefits are a major win-win for the citizens of Maryland, the local Walmart communities and the Chesapeake Bay as a whole. We look forward to expanding this program within the Bay and to a multitude of agencies and communities across the United States,” said Opti Strategic Partnerships Manager, Matt Rea.

Combined, these three ponds will treat runoff from more than 80 acres of impervious surface, including nearby parking lots. The “smart pond” technology will allow water to be held for longer periods of time, thereby preventing approximately 77% of sediment, 60% of phosphorous, and 39% of nitrogen from entering local streams and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Opti provides a cloud-based platform with products that enable Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC) of stormwater storage assets. These products consist of a set of field-deployed equipment including sensors, actuated valves, a cellular web gateway, and a cloud-based operations engine. The fully automated control product leverages weather forecasts to predictively move water in advance of inclement weather.

“This innovative project is a great example of the power of public-private partnerships and collaboration,” said MDOT Secretary Greg Slater. “Together with our partners, we are helping better the environment and setting an example for others to follow across the country.”

“We’re setting an example for the nation on how to combine creative forces for cleaner water and safer communities in the face of climate change and local flooding,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “We all win when environmental and transportation agencies work together with business and conservation leaders to deliver innovative solutions.”

“As part of the community, Walmart is honored to be part of the solution to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality through this partnership,” said Toni McCrory, Senior Director, Environmental, Health, and Safety Compliance, Walmart Inc. “The completion of these projects reinforces our goal of becoming a regenerative company by helping to protect and restore nature. Enhancing our existing stormwater assets under this program allows us to work smarter by helping to remove pollution, restore natural hydrology, and reduce flooding in a cost effective and sustainable manner. We appreciate our partners who helped make this possible.”

TNC/Opti Development Partners LLC is now in conversations with additional landowners and corporations in all 50 states and mapping new stormwater pond retrofit opportunities across hundreds of thousands of additional acres. Click here to learn more about Opti or here to learn more about TNC’s stormwater work in Maryland and DC.

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s press release on the pond completion can be found here.

Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage adds Nesting Structures to Centreville’s Millstream Park

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In late March, Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage (CWH) partnered with the Centreville Parks Advisory Board in Centreville, Md., to install three bluebird houses along the town’s Millstream Trail at Millstream Park, as well as four nesting boxes for wood ducks in the Mill Stream Branch that runs alongside the trail. The structures will provide critical nesting sites for these species. Andi Pupke, CWH’s education and outreach director, spearheaded the initiative along with Parks Advisory Board member Cilla Mileski.

Audreanna Hudgens and 3 ½-year-old Jackson Curry tamp down the soil around a bluebird house installed by Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage at Centreville’s Millstream Park.

Bluebirds and wood ducks are cavity-nesting birds, which means that a hollowed-out cavity in a tree is their natural choice for nesting in the wild. Development, aggressive species that outcompete for nesting sites, and landscaping methods that remove trees rather than leaving them as wildlife habitat have contributed to a shortage of nesting sites for both birds. Nesting structures provide artificial cavities where bluebirds and wood ducks can lay their eggs and raise their offspring until they are old enough to fledge the nest. Cone-shaped predator guards installed on the Millstream nesting boxes will protect the inhabitants from snakes, raccoons and other creatures that prey on bluebirds and/or wood ducks. CWH has overseen a robust nesting structure program for more than 35 years.

CWH is dedicated to designing, restoring and managing wildlife habitat and establishing a more sustainable agriculture. In addition to stewarding 1,150 acres in Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties that it owns and manages as wildlife sanctuary, CWH works daily with private and public landowners to help ensure the future of the region’s wildlife and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Since the organization’s founding in 1980, CWH staff has restored nearly 2,000 acres of wetlands, planted more than 1,000 acres of woodlands and created 6,000 acres of warm season grass meadows. For more information, visit cheswildlife.org.