Photo courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Program

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Spring Plantings Still Go On!

For many of us, Spring 2020 was packed with dreams of new growth, freshly planted tree seedlings, volunteer events, and plant sales! Despite current world events, a beautiful spring still arrived, along with all of the lovely tulips, lilacs, and for those fungi lovers….morels! Local nurseries, deemed essential businesses, have worked hard to supply us …

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Forest Birds: The Spice of Life!

When you hear the phrase, “forest birds,” what comes to mind? Tall, mature oaks and pines spanning ridge tops? Riverbank guardians of sycamore and willows? Thick, young stands of aspen and birch? Low-lying bottomlands of red maple and black gum? The amazing assortment of plant communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed sets the stage for …

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MLB: Major League Birds

Are you missing professional sports as the nation pulls together to slow the spread of COVID-19? In case watching old games is getting…well…old, we figured that our first ever Forests for the Birds celebration of spring would be the perfect occasion to highlight the avian Major League Baseball mascots and the teams that endear these …

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Native Cocktails: Mountain Mint Julep

With bars and restaurants closed and social distancing measures in place, many people are finding new and creative recipes for food and drinks using the ingredients available in their cupboards. I am one of these people. With limited ingredients on hand and a desire for a cocktail, this is how I discovered the Mountain Mint …

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Historic Bike Ride Through Talbot County

I’ve been isolating myself with my family at my parent’s house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Our house is on Irish Creek, which is off the Choptank River. The town is “Royal Oak”, which is in between St. Michaels and Easton, two more popular towns in the area, all of which are in Talbot …

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April Quarantine Activity: Removing Spotted Lanternfly Eggs Before They Hatch

April showers bring…the Spotted Lanternfly? Unfortunately, yes. The arrival of warmer, Spring weather also means the arrival of Spotted Lanternfly as late April marks the beginning of the species’ egg hatching season. Originally from China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was first found in the United States in 2014 in Berks …

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Ducks in Your Backyard

“This has been sitting in our garage for 7 years and of course it only took us about 30 minutes to build.” – My dad, once we finished putting together the duck box After about 20 years of living on the Eastern Shore, my dad has grown a fondness for the wildlife in the area. …

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A single trout lily plant growing among the leaf litter on a forest flower.

Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers: Fleeting Friends of the Forest Floor

I love being in the woods at all times of the year. I’ll even gladly take the bitter cold of winter or sweltering heat of summer. But forests in the spring are exciting! A good month before most trees leaf out, another cadre of old friends return to our lives: spring ephemeral wildflowers. There is …

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Now Accepting Proposals for 2020 Chesapeake Watershed Forum

The 2020 Chesapeake Watershed Forum Planning Committee is now accepting submissions for both classroom sessions and intensive seminars.  The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will hold the 15th Annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum on October 30 – November 1, 2020 in Shepherdstown, WV. This watershed-wide event reaches over 400 restoration and conservation practitioners annually to inspire and empower local action …

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April “Year of the Woman” Feature: Stacy Levy

This month’s “Year of the Woman,” feature is unique because of the way I found the woman featured, Stacy Levy. Last month I had the plan to check out ecological artist Stacy Levy’s current art exhibit on display at Towson University titled, “Collected Watershed.” Stacy has been planning this art installation for a couple years, …

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