The Alliance is excited to welcome two new team members to our staff! Jim Kauffman joins our Forests team as the Forests Projects Coordinator in Pennsylvania. Jim will be working with farmers, producers, and landowners to promote and implement riparian buffers and reforestation projects throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Pennsylvania. Jim has spent a
In September the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and SG Designs planted a native plant garden, also known as a conservation landscape, at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA. This garden not only beautifies the church grounds, it also provides wildlife habitat and protects water quality by reducing polluted stormwater runoff from entering the
Every year, tens of thousands of volunteers come together to pick up trash from local streams, creeks, and neighborhoods as a part of the Alliance’s Project Clean Stream. What started as a single day event over a decade ago, has now turned into a full season of volunteer clean up events throughout the watershed. Thanks
December 3rd is the annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Over 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability (CDC). Whether visible or invisible, these disabilities impact the daily lives of 26% of all US adults. This day serves to celebrate the lives of those with disabilities, while also drawing attention
In mid-November, the Alliance and the University of Maryland’s Municipal Online Stormwater Training (MOST) Center kicked off a series of three virtual stormwater training sessions for local decision makers. “Getting the MOST for Local Leaders in Stormwater Solutions” aims to arm communities in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia with innovative strategies to combat challenges around stormwater
As our ‘Year of the Woman’ series rounds off for 2020, we would be remiss without recognizing a woman who has been pivotal to the Alliance's work. Cindy Dunn, current Secretary of Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is a dedicated and down-to-earth environmentalist. Throughout her impressive career, Secretary Dunn has woven together a
There is increasing general awareness that plastics cause problems. We see them clogging our waterways, swirling around in the ocean, and even entering digestive systems of humans and other animals. We are told to recycle, that recycling eliminates the problem, and once a piece of plastic leaves our hand and falls into the recycling bin,
Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program As we move into the holiday season this year the Alliance is reminded of the diversity of cultures and family traditions that occur throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Much like the natural world, our communities comprise of many different voices, experiences, and are in constant flux. The
As November turns the corner, autumn weather has begun to deepen our world with burnt orange hues, maroon, and umber tones. The leaves have fallen and are turning crisp underfoot. The trees are now returning to dormancy for the remainder of the year. Despite this, our work is not yet over for the season. This
When you meet Krista Weatherford, you can’t help but feel welcomed into her circle of friends. As the Director of Programming and Community Engagement at Maymont, she certainly knows how to use her southern charm, creativity and professionalism to oversee a multitude of activities for people visiting the park. Read more about Krista Weatherford in this month's edition of our Year of the Woman blog series.
One of the most underrated aspects of the Alliance’s work with the RiverSmart Homes program is its potential value for small companies looking to move into green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, rain barrels and permeable pavers. By providing training and ongoing support, we enable contractors to take on new, ecologically responsible projects.
Oh, the horror! Controlling invasive plants can be grisly work, and in the heat of hunting down and hacking away at victims of land management, mistaken identity can result in tragedy. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard landowners say that they’ve committed ghastly acts against trees and shrubs that they thought were invasive
