Take a walk along the Bay with Smithsonian Marine Biologist Denise Breitburg and Chesapeake Bay Foundation Grassroots Restoration Coordinator Marcy Damon

Take a walk in the Woods with Appalachian Trail hiker and naturalist Carolyn Ebel

Join us to explore Bay wildlife, the shoreline, native plants, and forests where Parkers Creek runs into the Bay

August 28, 2010
10 am – noon
Port Republic, MD

*This event is a special thank-you incentive to all new members who join the American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT) between July 20 and August 28, 2010 (and to current members who recruit a new member)

ACLT has preserved 3,000 acres and maintains over 15 miles of trails in Calvert County.

Canoe – explore – hike – volunteer – participate

Annual membership for individuals or families – only $35

For more information
contact Joy
410-414-3400
email: info@acltweb.org

www.acltweb.org

Saturday, June 26th
3pm – 6pm
Join the American Chestnut Land Trust as we depart from Warrior’s Rest Sanctuary and enjoy a scenic tour of Parkers Creek. Tour will launch from Warrior’s Rest in Port Republic, MD. The trip is $10 per person and reservations are required. Please register online at www.acltweb.org or call 410-414-3400. Please note that canoe trips are physically strenuous and experience is recommended. No children under 5 or pets allowed.

As we get closer to elections this year The Maryland League of Conservation Voters is hosting a training with the Alliance for Justice (Lawyers) that will address the questions of what your organization, as a c-3, a c-4 or a PAC can and cannot do around elections and lobbying.

Link to register- It’s Free: http://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/288/personal2.asp?formid=meetlcv&c=3384448

A proposed oyster sanctuary in the upper St. Mary’s River is at the center of one of the hottest debates around the Chesapeake Bay.

The Oyster Recovery and Aquaculture Development Plan was announced last December by Governor Martin O’Malley, and since has been a subject of great debate. Now that the 2010 Maryland General Assembly has ended, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is expected to issue maps of the proposed sanctuaries and rules for the operation and maintenance of the sanctuaries, leaseholds, and aquaculture areas. Watermen are concerned that they will not be able to make a living on any less bottom than they are currently allowed to harvest, and environmentalists believe that the oyster population is at a historically low level and that a network of sanctuaries throughout the Bay is the only hope for their recovery.

“There is no question that the St. Mary’s River is in decline. Nutrient pollution continues to increase every year. Dead zones return every summer to the river’s deeper waters,” said Joe Anderson, president of the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association.

Oysters are filter feeders and can remove the pollutants from the water column and place them into the bottom sediments. Without these excess nutrients, oxygen levels will remain stable and life will return to the deep areas of the river.

“We all know that the oyster is key to the health of the St. Mary’s River. Long ago, oysters filtered all of the river’s water every day. If Captain John Smith visited the St. Mary’s, he would have written in his journal about the clarity of the water and the richness of the resource,” Anderson continued.Is an oyster sanctuary in the upper St. Mary’s River a good idea? Why pick the St. Mary’s? These questions and others will be answered Saturday May 22 by John Griffin, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. His talk will headline the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association’s annual meeting at 4 PM at the Muldoon River Center on the campus of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. This event is free and the public is invited to attend. For more information, go to http://www.SMRWA.org or email info@stmarysriver.org

The Earth Day CLIMATE RALLY – National Mall – Sunday, April 25, 2010

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is quickly approaching, but the United States has failed to enact a comprehensive climate bill.

It is time to stop protecting polluters and enact comprehensive climate legislation that will create American jobs, cap carbon emissions and secure our nation’s future. The first Earth Day was a success because 20 million Americans demonstrated their outrage for the state of the environment. Together, we can make Earth Day 2010 a pivotal moment in the environmental movement.

On Sunday, April 25, Earth Day Network will organize a massive climate rally on The National Mall to demand Congress pass strong legislation. The Climate Rally will include notable speakers Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director, James Cameron, AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka, Olympic gold medalist, Billy Demong, producer, Trudie Styler, author, Margaret Atwood, NFL player and television personality, Dhani Jones, environmental photographer Sebastian Copeland and many more.

The Climate Rally will also feature live music from Sting, John Legend, The Roots, Jimmy Cliff, Passion Pit, Bob Weir, Willie Colón, Joss Stone, Robert Randolph, Patrick Stump, Mavis Staples, Booker T, Honor Society and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger.

Please RSVP on this page – we will send a friendly reminder and notify you when we stream the live event on EarthDay.org.

Free buses to the Climate Rally

Earth Day Network is sponsoring free buses from New York City, Philadephia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Charleston WV, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Baltimore. RSVP today.

Buses to DC will park at RFK Stadium. There will be easy access to the Climate Rally by Metro Rail.

Driving to DC?

Vans, buses, and cars are encouraged to park at the RFK Stadium parking lot. There will be a shuttle service to the rally along with vendors and access to water. Please sign up to register your bus, van, or car ahead of time to park at RFK!

Take Metro to the Climate Rally

The Smithsonian stop on the blue/orange line is the preferred station.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Climate Rally needs volunteers, please email volunteer@earthday.org to sign up.

http://www.earthday.org/climaterally