March 19, 2020

Dear Partners and Friends,

In the blink of an eye it feels like the world around us has totally changed – spring is here and the nation is facing a pandemic crisis. Here at the Alliance, we are staying on top of the facts, and we are taking precautions to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the world.

To that point, we have carefully chosen to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance to re-schedule impacted events and partnership meetings for later in the year, to encourage physical distancing and respect all the communities that we serve. The challenge of physical distancing will mean that Spring plantings will be postponed to Fall plantings. In addition, we will be re-scheduling our annual Project Clean Stream (PCS) event to coincide with the National Day of Service on September 11, 2020. We have equipped our entire staff to work remotely for an extended period of time, doing our part to limit the spread of COVID-19.

As we settle into this new pattern, we wanted to remind you of the many ways you can remain connected to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and your local community during this unprecedented time. The Alliance will continue to provide educational resources and information with ways you can connect and learn about improving our lands and waters. Here are just a handful of things you can do to remain engaged during your own social distancing:

  • Join the Alliance’s Chesapeake Network for updates regarding actions you can take while keeping a social distance over the next few weeks – from webinars to job postings to other resources, the Chesapeake Network is your place to stay connected. We also encourage you and your organization to share your own resources and story on the Network.
  • Plan a fall community cleanup-event with our Project Clean Stream, which kicks off to coincide with the National Day of Service on September 11th, 2020. Sign-up on the Chesapeake Network to receive regular updates and information regarding this important community event.
  • Learn with us on Facebook and Instagram. We will continue to share content like our “Tree Talk” videos, useful links and resources, and a plethora of other educational information for you to use.
  • Spring is a great time to learn how to attract more pollinators to your garden, and you can find free resources at our Native Plant Center. This interactive website will help you find native plants that best fit your backyard or community.

For the last 49 years, the Alliance has remained committed to bringing together communities, companies, and conservationists to improve the lands and waters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We believe in utilizing upstream solutions to provide a benefit to all of those downstream. We remain committed to this mission and hope you will also join our Alliance in helping to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Chesapeake Bay region.

I am grateful for the support of all of our partners and friends, and appreciate your understanding during these challenging times. I encourage us all to remember to be kind, to be together, and to be for community in this moment. When we’re all able to be together again, I look forward to seeing you.

Gratefully,


Executive Director
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay