December 2020
Maryland Coastal Bays Program Newsletter
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Giving Tuesday
Thank you so much to all that generously gave on Giving Tuesday. We have raised $2,900 so far, but will not know the final total until we receive the proceeds from Carrabbas and Chick-fil-A. These funds will be allocated to our year-long 25th anniversary celebration theme of "Save our coastal bay birds".
We are sad that we were not able to celebrate together with oysters and wine as years past; but, hopefully we will be able to continue the tradition next year.
MCBP with amazing partnerships are working on projects to help protect and preserve the three state endangered birds- the royal tern, the common tern and the black skimmer. Giving Tuesday is the initiation of our celebration and determination to preserve our heritage.
We will keep you posted on programs to engage our community of these initiatives and how we can make a difference.
And remember, it’s never too late to donate.
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Living Local
This fall we were able to safely host two farm visits as a part of the Living Local initiative! Community members visited Bluebird Farms and Assateague Farms, both located in Berlin, to learn about the sustainable tactics these small-scale farmers are using and participate in some hands-on learning. We want to give a HUGE thank you to Nancie Corbett from Bluebird Farms and Lindsey Buckman from Assateague Farm for hosting wonderful tours.
We are also excited to announce that MCBP’s Education Coordinator, Liz Wist, recently applied for and received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s EE Grant Program to continue, and expand, the Living Local program.
The goal of the future Living Local is to provide agricultural environmental education through the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary learning module, student experiences, and community workshops that address environmental and human impacts affecting agriculture, as well as the benefits best farm practices have on the water resources of Maryland’s Coastal Bays.
Please continue to follow along with the program to learn more about inspiring farmers in our watershed and visit our website for updates about the progress of the program!
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Our DYW events offer the unique opportunity to explore a local restoration project AND for people to volunteer and further their knowledge about the Coastal Bays watershed. We always have high caliber volunteers at these events, and the volunteers for our final DYW of the season proved to be nothing short of amazing! The beautiful morning of Saturday, November 7th found 13 volunteers and MCBP staff working hard to remove invasive Japanese wisteria at the Lizard Hill Restoration Site in Bishopville. Volunteers also helped document the macroinvertebrates found at the front of the site.
Despite many cancellations during 2020, we count ourselves very lucky to have been able to host a few safe, outdoor watershed experiences this year. We are in the planning stages for Discover Your Watershed 2021, and will be announcing these dates at the start of the new year. See you there!
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Wetland Monitoring at Greys Creek |
This past November, MCBP worked together with the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Maryland to install ten Surface Elevation Tables (SETs) at the Greys Creek Nature Park. These SETs will allow us to monitor relative elevation change within our wetlands in the Coastal Bays. These elevation changes can have significant impacts on the health of our wetlands and how they will respond to sea level rise. By understanding the rate of elevation change and the mechanisms for change, we can determine if our tidal wetlands will be able to keep pace with local sea level rise. |
November Creature Feature |
Each month, a MCBP staff member writes a relevant article about a fascinating critter found right in our Coastal Bays’ watershed. For November, our CCC member, Maddie, wrote a great piece on the Eastern wild turkey. Check out the latest Creature Feature on oceancity.com!
Photo credit: Robert Burton, USFW
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The temperatures are continuing to drop, and as we instinctively pull out our go-to sweaters and reach for our favorite blankets, we should pause before turning up the knob on our thermostat. Sure, turning on the heat might seem like the easiest way to beat the cold, but have you ever considered what cranking up your thermostat means for the environment? Besides, who even needs to turn on their heat when seeing your heating bill is enough to make your blood boil? Fear not, there are plenty of ways to save your wallet and the planet during these chilly times.
Did you know that in the US 66% of the energy generated for electricity is wasted? This, unsurprisingly, has a significant negative impact on our planet. The generation of electricity releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and contributes to global rates of climate change.
Not only does not running your heater save money, but it’s also environmentally friendly! Consider taking steps to better insulate your home, this will prevent cold air from entering, keeping your heating bill low and maximizing your energy efficiency. You can do this by investing in thermal curtains and door draft stoppers. Both are relatively inexpensive but make a huge difference in the colder months. Don’t forget to take advantage of the best natural heat source available, the sun! Open your blinds during the daylight hours to soak in the best waste free warmth. Although it might seem contradictory, lowering your thermostat by a few degrees will have little impact on your body’s temperature but will still save your home from using a great deal of unnecessary energy. Surely everyone has been told at some point in their lives that they should slip on a sweater when they’re feeling chilly, well whoever told you that was right! Layering is cost effective and environmentally protective. The smallest changes can make the biggest differences, so the next time you’re reaching for the thermostat consider grabbing a sweater instead!
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