Staff Blog

A person smiling while a monarch butterfly rests on their finger

More Milkweed for the Monarchs

I remember how excited I would get as a child before entering the local butterfly enclosure. My friends, family, and others there were always on the lookout for one of the most iconic pollinators in the Americas – the monarch butterfly. Decades later, while partnering with a monarch conservation group, I was thrilled to see the awe remain in the eyes of today’s children during their yearly monarch release. Crossing borders and biomes, monarch butterflies are still a source of wonder and an inspiring symbol of summer in the Chesapeake Bay.

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Chesapeake Tales: A Seven-part Fishing Adventure Series

In June of 2022, my brother and I teamed up with Fly Fishers International to create a seven-part video series highlighting the watershed’s different fisheries. Traveling in an old camper van, we spent seven days traveling over a thousand miles throughout the watershed. Our first stop led us to a familiar guest in the legendary waters of central Pennsylvania.

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A large map of Richmond, Virginia with post-it notes describing what people like about certain locations

Making Space for Active Listening in Environmental Education

Surveys, listening sessions, interviews and focus groups, Oh my! What do all these tools have in common? They are all recognized as best practices for successful engagement by the North American Association of Environmental Education. Through discussions with, and active listening to Richmond families, friends, local stakeholders and leaders, the project team aims to answer the question, “What does environmental literacy mean for our community?”

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A Bald Eagle sitting on a tree branch.

Winter Birding – It’s for the Birds!

The coo of a Mourning Dove outside your window. The fluted sound of a Wood Thrush accompanying you on a hike. Birds add richness to our lives if we are simply open to it – and they are just beautiful to look at!

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Local governments plan for resilient communities

Annual Local Government Forum convened local decision-makers and climate experts to discuss resiliency planning.

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Two people preparing a tree before planting

Maintaining a Conservation Garden at John B. Cary

This fall, on a chilly October morning, Alliance staff members on the Virginia Green Infrastructure team met with employees from Dominion Energy and community members at John B. Cary Elementary School (Cary) to plant native trees and shrubs in the school’s conservation garden. The garden is formerly a grassy lawn converted to a landscaped area that provides multiple environmental benefits and serves as an outdoor classroom and recreation space for the school and surrounding neighborhood.

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Delaware’s state and local leaders tour green infrastructure in Seaford

On Friday, October 7th, Delaware elected officials gathered in downtown Seaford to explore the city’s innovative green infrastructure practices as part of the Alliance’s first Wandering Delaware’s Waterways walking tour.

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Champion Trees of Harford County

This past May, the Alliance hosted a free, guided tour of 10 champion trees in Harford County, MD. Learn more about what champion trees are and how you can find a few for yourself in a self-guided tour.

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Two people floating down a river in kayaks, past a bridge.

Stories from the Susquehanna: Paddling from the Headwaters to the Chesapeake Bay – Mile 109 to 225

Follow along as Alliance staff member, Laura Todd, paddles all 444 miles of the Main Branch of the Susquehanna River with her father, Mark. Starting in June 2022 in Cooperstown, New York, the pair began kayaking down the river to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland.

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Two people giving a presentation under a pavilion

Appreciating Our Riparian Rangers Volunteers

We had a great time getting together with some of our existing Riparian Rangers at Lancaster County Central Park! It was a great opportunity to have our volunteers meet in person to discuss the rewards and challenges that come with reforestation efforts and to celebrate their achievements in helping young forests get established.

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