Chesapeake Bay Program

It's been 30 years since Marjorie Mayfield Jackson took the helm of the Elizabeth River Project and helped turn it into one of the most influential conservation groups in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Join us in honoring Marjorie's achievements as she steps down as the organization's Executive Director. #ChesapeakeBay #CleanWater #Norfolk

New webinar announcement for foresters and tree planters! 🌳 On January 22 from 12-1 PM, the Chesapeake Bay Program will host Jehane Samaha from the USDA Forest Service and Dr. Andrew Koeser from the University of Florida to discuss tactics and strategies for meeting the demand for trees. Learn more and register with the link below. ➡️ bit.ly/4gi6HZh #ChesapeakeBay #Trees #TreePlanting #Forestry #CleanWater (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

This past year we documented rare and endangered species, researchers working to understand them, and people acting to make life better for communities and wildlife. 🌳 Our picks for favorite photos of 2024 is an even mix of science, wonder, and stewardship. #ChesapeakeBay #NewYear #WildlifePhotography

New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Virginia are all working together to improve the health of the Bay. Learn more about some of their biggest accomplishments from 2024!

Native to the tidal marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, the saltmarsh sparrow is one of the region's iconic birds. Over the past several years, a range of organizations have been working to protect the sparrow's sensitive habitat, which is threatened by development and sea level rise. Find out where their efforts stand today and what it will take to keep this species from going extinct. #ChesapeakeBay #Birds #Wetlands

All across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, communities are working to meet ambitious tree planting goals made possible by historic amounts of state and federal funding. But in many places there is a lack of high quality native tree to meet the demand. As we work to reforest the Chesapeake many organizations are focused on ramping up tree production and using volunteers to collect seeds and acorns. #ChesapeakeBay #Trees #Forestry

Governors and state and federal representatives from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed came together yesterday to discuss the future of Bay restoration. Leaders at this year’s Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting announced plans to revise the current Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which has a number of goals that have a deadline of 2025. The Executive Council also signed a directive forming a new committee that will advise the partnership on how to support farmers on pollution reduction. Glenn Youngkin, Gov. Wes Moore, Josh Shapiro, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Chesapeake Bay Commission, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), NYS Department of Environmental Conservation) #ChesapeakeBay #CleanWater

Want to learn more about the future of Bay restoration? Tune in to tomorrow's Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting from 11:20-12:30 PM. This is an annual meeting where representatives of the six watershed states, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency come together to set the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. Register here: bit.ly/4gpK1WK (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) #ChesapeakeBay #CleanWater

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Vincent Leggett, founder and president of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation. For more than 40 years, the historian, author and advocate studied the Bay and its people, focusing on Black watermen, and shining a light on their under-told stories. In a 2019 interview, we asked Leggett what he was most proud of. His reply began: "The fact that my wife, Aldena Pinkney Leggett, and our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren love the Chesapeake Bay. We all are dedicated to continually telling the story of Blacks of the Chesapeake for generations yet unborn." Leggett was critical in opening up Elktonia-Carr's Beach in Annapolis, Maryland in 2022. This public park was once the location of a beach that African Americans could use during segregation. World-famous Black musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Little Richard and Stevie Wonder all played there. Learn more about Leggett and his legacy with our interview from 2019. #ChesapeakeBay #BlackHistory

The abundance of juvenile striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay has been below average for several years. Scientists point to the decline in near-shore habitat that the young fish rely on. The rise in average water temperature also takes a toll since juvenile striped bass are sensitive to warmer water. #ChesapeakeBay #Fishing #StripedBass