As area residents and visitors begin seeing the first glimmers of Spring, the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) has announced plans for Summer Camp 2024. Located near Grasonville on 500+ acres of woods, fields and wetlands, including miles of waterfront, the camp offers a unique blend of education, exploration, and camaraderie, creating an ideal outdoor experience for children entering first through sixth grades in the fall of 2024.

CBEC’s instructors and camp counselors guide campers in interactive sessions that unveil the secrets of the Bay’s ecosystem. From marine life to plant species, campers observe and participate in “hands-on, feet-wet” experiments that make learning an engaging adventure. This unique approach ensures that every child leaves with a new appreciation of their role in preserving our planet.

CBEC’s Summer sessions meet Mondays through Fridays. Visit CBEC’s website for more specific details about each camp session:

Session 1, June 24-28 – “Wetland Investigations” for grades 5 & 6
Session 2, July 8-12 – “Down by the Bay” for grades 1 – 3
Session 3, July 22-26 – “Weird & Wacky Science in Nature” for grades 3 – 5
Session 4, August 5-9 – “Art in Nature” for grades 1 – 3
Session 5, August 12-18 – “Nature Tykes” for grades 4 & 5

Registration for CBEC Summer Camps is now open, with most filling up well in advance. Visit CBEC’s website for Parents and guardians may register their children by visiting the CBEC website, bayrestoration.org or by contacting Ashley Peris at [email protected] or 410-827-6694

The answer to last week’s mystery is polyphemus moth cocoon, Antheraea polyphemus.

The polyphemus is named after the giant one-eyed monster, Cyclops, of Homer’s Odyssey, for the big false eyespot on each hindwing. Their big, fake eyes make them appear larger to predators and when threatened they will flip forward their front wings to expose the large eyespots as a deterrent.

Adult polyphemus moths are large and butterfly-like, with an adult wingspan of 4-6 inches. Their color varies greatly. Some specimens are brown or tan, others are bright reddish-brown.

The polyphemus is a common, hairy-bodied moth that bears two broods a year in Maryland. Larvae are bright translucent green, with convex segments. Inside of each cocoon is a dark brown pupa which the adult moth will emerge from.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

The Sierra Club, Lower Eastern Shore Group, and ShoreRivers will be sponsoring a virtual summit meeting next week.

Please remember to save the dates for our next environmental legislative summit, Saturday and Sunday, January 6th and 7th from 2:00 until 4:30 on both days. This is our fifth year of previewing the most impactful and exciting proposed legislation affecting climate and the environment in Maryland. You will hear both Senators and Delegates from the Maryland General Assembly talk about their legislation alongside the advocates who are supporting them. This is a great way to get engaged and help pass this important legislation.

During the two sessions, legislators will introduce the climate and environmental legislation that they are sponsoring during the 2024 MGA session.

Some highlights will be improvements to the EMPOWER program (Emily Scarr, of Maryland PIRG). In addition, Jennifer Kunze of Clean Water Action will provide a thorough explanation of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS); Delegate Vaughn Stewart will discuss the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (RREA) which will ensure that we take dirty energy out of the RPS.

Senator Brooks will cover an all-electric new construction bill called the Better Buildings Act of 2024 as well as the Beverage Container.

A number of climate bills will be presented including the Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act, Network Geothermal, rooftop solar incentives and more.  Chair Korman will discuss transportation issues in light of the recent budget cuts. 

Environmental champions such as Senator Elfreth will cover the Whole Watershed Bill. Other environmental legislation will include a number of zero waste bills and water related bills.  

Please join us for this informative event that will prepare all of us to lobby for the bills we care about the most. This is a free online event.  Here is the Eventbrite link you will need to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/769320537437?aff=oddtdtcreator

A coalition of partners that includes the public sector, private sector, and members of the local community has emerged over the past year in Crisfield to tackle the immediate issue of flooding as well as long-term planning for the city’s future as it considers a range of environmental impacts. Representatives from these partners presented on their respective projects at an October community meeting, which can be viewed on the City of Crisfield’s Facebook page.

The city of Crisfield sits on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland at the edge of the Chesapeake Bay and is locally celebrated as the “Crab Capital of the World” thanks to its thriving oyster and crabbing industries that helped put the city on the map in the 19^th century.  Crisfield’s seafood industry remains a critical part of Crisfield’s economy as does its growing tourism economy.

Unfortunately, Crisfield’s low elevation and proximity to the Bay have made it especially vulnerable to increasing flooding over the years, which is actively impacting the community and hampering economic growth.  Tides have become more extreme, leading to more frequent nuisance flooding on roads that impedes access to important parts of the community.  Even smaller storms are having a more severe impact, often forcing schools and businesses to close and leaving property owners with expensive damage and losses.  As in many small coastal communities, the severity of these impacts has been disproportionate to resources available to address them.

“Crisfield is the gateway to the Chesapeake.  It lies at the crossroads of American history and God’s beautiful wonders,” said longtime resident John Ward. “From its old-time charm and natural beauty, to its intoxicating and resilient community, it stands as a true treasure for both the local area and beyond that needs to be preserved.”

A variety of partners have begun working with the City of Crisfield and members of its community to address these challenges, with the Eastern Shore Long-Term Recovery Committee being one of the first.  More recently, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), University of Maryland’s (UMD) Environmental Finance Center (EFC), George Mason University (GMU), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance (DTA), United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Office of Water-Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative, and Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake have joined them.  This coalition has helped to build local capacity and improve access to resources and technical assistance.

“You achieve what you focus on, and having so many resilience partners focus on Crisfield’s flooding challenges has been phenomenal,” said Crisfield Mayor Darlene Taylor.  “Bringing together the community and local government and providing capacity for research and analysis that a small town like ours would never have been able to accomplish with our limited resources.”

The Nature Conservancy identified Crisfield as a place where they could help improve community resilience to flooding. Starting in 2022, TNC collaborated with UMD EFC and GMU to begin a NOAA-funded project to assess the benefits of potential new flood adaptation strategies to support the City’s planning efforts. The team hosted a series of workshops with a Community Advisory Committee to ensure Crisfield’s social and economic goals were an integral part of Crisfield’s flood planning initiatives, which were supported by funding from Lockheed Martin.

Another important goal of the project was to create new collaborations between Crisfield’s community leaders, residents, and outside partners to increase local capacity and help move forward flood adaptation projects that benefit a range of community needs and goals. This collaborative model could be replicated in other communities facing similar challenges to better help them take charge of their futures with the support of a robust coalition of partners. A NOAA-funded report is expected in the next few months from UMD EFC, GMU, and TNC that will provide modeled flooding and adaptation scenarios and cost-benefit analysis of the potential strategies.

”Crisfield is a community with a lot of determination and big ambitions for their future, despite the flooding challenges they face,” said Dr. Elizabeth Van Dolah, Environmental Anthropologist with the Maryland and DC chapter of The Nature Conservancy. “We hope the efforts we’re supporting in Crisfield can be a model for empowering other communities in the region to self-define what community resilience looks like for them and integrating those goals into planning for a future with a changing climate and more water.”

Other resilience-improvement projects that are currently underway include the City’s creation of an early flood warning system and an effort to map all of Crisfield’s drainage infrastructure. The Eastern Shore Long-Term Recovery Committee have built new, affordable, flood-safe homes in Crisfield for a number of years and is currently elevating additional homes.

“Crisfield has been working with FEMA as part of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Direct Technical Assistance (BRIC-DTA) program since October of 2022,” said FEMA Region 3 Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “As part of BRIC-DTA, Crisfield has developed a mitigation strategy and is seeking FEMA BRIC funding to advance mitigation projects that will reduce flood risk across the city. Additionally, DTA has supported community partnerships and engagement with Crisfield stakeholders and residents alongside important partners, such as TNC, EPA, UMD EFC, GMU, and local organizations focused on resilience. FEMA will continue to support Crisfield in advancing resilience through BRIC-DTA until 2025.”

The FEMA BRIC DTA’s partnership with  local government has been integral to coordinating across multiple resilience  initiatives, including TNC’s, to develop a competitive proposal of implementable mitigation projects that include tide gates, berms, bioretention ponds, and elevated roads.

The EPA ORD is working with Crisfield to explore how nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure and marsh restoration can support the community’s long-term resilience.  Earlier this year, the EPA CRWU conducted an assessment of the current tidal ditch drainage system to help support the City’s efforts to make their drainage infrastructure more climate resilient. Building upon these efforts, UMD EFC through the Region 3 Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) program will be working with Crisfield in the coming years to address funding and financing for water and wastewater infrastructure resilience. EPA ORD and Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake will also be providing local leadership training opportunities for community members. EPA ORD will be offering a six-month “Resilience Academy” open to local residents aged 15 and older who want to be part of these broader resilience planning efforts, while Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake will be providing leadership trainings for developing green infrastructure projects.

“The proposed mitigation strategies and community resilience projects which ensued from the collaboration will be truly transformational for our community,” said Mayor Taylor. “We could not be more grateful to the Nature Conservancy, FEMA BRIC DTA, the EPA, and the numerous other agencies, for the countless hours that have gone into bolstering the sustainability of Crisfield.”

The City of Crisfield is currently seeking matches for grant funding, which TNC will also be supporting while exploring what the next phase of the work may look like.  More details on projects underway in Crisfield can be found at www.crisfieldfloodmitigation.com.

The Mid-Shore Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America invites the community to start the New Year on the right foot with a rejuvenating first day hike at the scenic Bolingbroke Park. This family-friendly event offers an opportunity for individuals and families to celebrate the New Year outdoors, exploring the natural beauty of the area.

Participants are encouraged to gather at Bolingbroke Park at 9:00 AM for a guided hike that showcases the park’s unique landscapes and wildlife. The hike is suitable for all ages and offers various paths to accommodate different fitness levels.

This event is part of a nationwide initiative by the Izaak Walton League of America to promote outdoor recreation and appreciation of nature. It’s a chance to connect with the community, enjoy the outdoors, and make a positive start to the year.

Attendees are advised to dress appropriately for winter weather and to wear sturdy hiking shoes. Light refreshments will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their water bottles and snacks.

For more information about the event and other activities by the Mid-Shore Chapter, please visit iwla.org/mid-shore.

Join us at Bolingbroke Park for a memorable start to the New Year!

At the Center’s annual donor Pig Roast this autumn Pickering debuted the first trail loop in the new woods they acquired in fall of 2022. Thanks to the generosity of many community members the Center was able to purchase 63 acres of woods adjacent to the Center’s main campus in September of 2022. Over the course of the past year staff and stakeholders have enjoyed free form walks in the new woods as they considered potential trails and highlights along those trails. The first result of that effort is the New Woods Loop. The loop begins at the conclusion of one of the Center’s wetlands boardwalks, following a path along the wooded shoreline overlooking the head of Pickering Creek.

After a short walk you enter the new woods, dominated by mature oaks, tulip poplar, beech and hickory. The first stop along the walk is Barred Owl Circle, a delightful set of benches built by the Center’s volunteer crew that are set up in a natural clearing in the woods that provide a wonderful place to rest and contemplate the quiet around you. Aptly named for the regularity that you hear Barred Owls calling Who cooks for you, who cooks for y’all at this location, summer EcoCamp groups enjoyed this location all summer as one of their starting points for exploration of the new woods. Camp groups began exploring the new woods with their group leaders during the second week of our seven-week camp. It quickly became the most popular place that campers wanted to go. They have adopted their own name for it, Echo Woods Circle, because of the interesting echo of voices that occurs as sound bounce across the creek and back. The circle is slightly short of the halfway point of the walk.

The trail continues and casually meanders amongst big trees and runs alongside a wooded wetland. A small bridge crosses a seasonal stream as the trail curls left beneath towering tulip poplars. From here you enter a grove of American Holly before exiting the woods into the Center’s meadow. The trail links up with the center’s next newest trail, the meadow loop. You can turn right and continue on for further adventure through the meadow and onto the meadow viewing platform or turn right and head towards the farm pond and back to the parking lot.

“I’ve seen something new every time I taken this walk,” says Pickering Board President Tom Sanders. This is the first of several trails that will enable community members to explore the woods over the next few years. Debut of the next section of trail is planned for mid 2024.

The trail is three quarters of a mile long from the parking lot, through the woods and back along the meadow trail to the parking lot. Allow 40 minutes for the walk depending on how much time you want to spend enjoy marveling at the big trees or relaxing along the trail at one of the benches. During the winter months Pickering is open daily from 7AM -5PM. Check the website if you would like to sign up for a guided walk in the new woods, www.pickeringcreek.org

Pickering Creek Audubon Center will debut its Thanksgiving Nature Play Trail on Saturday November 18th.  The trail circles the Pickering Creek pond and features eleven stops that encourage kids and families to explore nature through short fun activities.  The trail is self guided and starts at the Center’s main parking lot. At the stops it asks kids to do interactive activities like: “Hop like a rabbit down the trail, if you see a Hawk or Eagle overhead freeze until it passes.”  Each location asks students to engage a different sense as they explore nature around them.  

“This is a great way to explore the fall season as a family while engaging kids and giving adults a chance to stretch their legs a walk off some of the Thanksgiving Feast,” says Pickering Creek Director Mark Scallion.  The trail will be in place from Saturday November 18th through Sunday December 3rd.  Keep an eye on the weather and remember boots if it has been rainy!

After enjoying the Thanksgiving Nature 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 5pm during the winter months.   

For all our guidelines please check:  https://pickeringcreek.org/visit/planning-a-visit/