Tuesday May 28 through Saturday, June 1 Talbot County residents are invited to get out on the water and experience tributaries of the Choptank River! Bring yourself, bathing suit and energy to join in the fun. Paddles will begin at various locations around the county including Easton Point Marina (Easton), Coveys Landing Road (Cordova), Bellevue Park (Bellevue), Phillips Wharf (Tilghman Island), Oxford’s Community Center (Oxford) and Environmental Concern (St. Michaels). There are a limited number of kayaks available so be sure to register in advance to reserve a kayak! That shouldn’t stop those who have kayaks. Bring your own and join in the paddle!
River Appreciation Week was organized by the Choptank River Tributary Team and sponsored by local organizations to bring people together and to foster an appreciation for the beautiful and valuable natural resources that are all around us. Sponsors include Easton & St Michaels YMCA, Environmental Concern, Midshore RIVERKEEPER® Conservancy, Talbot County Master Gardeners, and Phillips Wharf Environmental Center.
Kayakers on a tributary of the Choptank River. Photo credit. Diane Miller Paddling opportunities begin Tuesday evening with a paddle on the Tred Avon river sponsored by the Easton YMCA; Midshore RIVERKEEPER® Conservancy paddle down the Tuckahoe River with special guest, retired DNR fisheries biologist, Nick Carter, and Choptank Riverkeeper Drew Koslow on Wednesday; Thursday’s paddle with St. Michaels YMCA begins at Bellevue Park and crosses the Tred Avon River to Oxford, includes a stop at the Scottish Highland Creamery for ice cream;and Kayaking 101 held at The Strand in Oxford as well as a Tilghman Island Sunset Paddle, both occurring on Friday.
Non-paddling events include a Lawn Fertilizer Management Workshop on Tuesday, May 28 at Chesapeake College’s Todd Performing Arts Center, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Dr. Gary Felton from the University of Maryland, College Park and Dr. J. Court Stevenson of Horn Point Environmental Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, will be speaking on the new lawn fertilizer law and fertilization practices. The new law’s phased-in restrictions affect all lawn fertilizer products sold and distributed in Maryland, as well as lawn care professionals applying fertilizer in Maryland. The changes are aimed at helping lawn care professionals and homeowners maintain healthy lawns without applying unnecessary amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. This workshop is free and there is plenty of space for all interested.
Activities also include a rain barrel demonstration at 4:00 pm Friday afternoon in Oxford. Come to the Oxford Community Center where Talbot County Master Gardeners will show you how to install a rain barrel, followed by a tour of the rain garden at the Oxford Community Center. This rain garden was installed last year by many volunteers from the Oxford Community and grant funding from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension.
The Scottish Highland Creamery is suporting River Appreciation Week with a special offer for all kayakers on Thursday and Friday, and participants at the Oxford Community Center Friday demonstrations!
All details are posted to www.choptanktribteam.org. Under “Get Involved: River Appreciation Week”, download the PDF flyer which contain locations, times, registrations contact information, and cost, if any.
Final Celebration: Get your feet wet on Saturday with the Trib Team at Environmental Concern in St. Michaels as we wade into the San Domingo Creek to measure water clarity! We meet at 10:30 am and are often joined by local elected officials. Following the Wade In everyone is invited to stay for a Pot Luck picnic and paddling on the beautiful San Domingo Creek. This will be an exciting culmination of the week celebrating our beautiful tributaries and rivers.
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Lisa Marie Ghezzi says
Thank you so much for running this! We very much appreciate your support and quality news coverage. Best regards, Lisa
Clarence "Doc" Kuntz says
Great informational article. We, in Talbot County, are lucky to have such good organizations to expose us to and teach us about our natural environment.