The Shenandoah Under StressEPA On Notice: Clean Up Pollution Now

Our 2008 Annual Report

he Chesapeake Bay is dying, and the leadfederal agency charged by Congress to takeresponsibility is doing nothing about it.

The most basic pollution-reduction strate-gies are being ignored, and an eight-year-old state and federal commitment to reducepollution (the Chesapeake 2000 agree-ment) gathers dust. When governmentagencies consistently fail to meet theirresponsibilities, they must be held account-able. So, on October 29, 2008, CBF and anumber of partners filed a letter of intent tosue EPA. (See article on page 25.)

Scientific research lays out the causes ofthe Bay’s degradation: too much nitrogen,phosphorus, and sediment pollution frommunicipal and industrial wastewater;

nitrous oxide and toxins from powerplants that fall back to land and arewashed into the water; animal waste andfertilizers from agriculture; and a toxicbrew flowing off developed areas when itrains. The solutions are straightforward;

the technology exists. Government mustdo its job by requiring the solutions to beimplemented. When these strategies areput in place, pollution is reduced, thedead zones get smaller, the waterbecomes clearer, and critical underwatergrasses increase.

This summer, the Bay reached a tragicmilestone. EPA officials threw in the towel,admitting that they had zero chance ofmeeting a 2010 water quality deadlinemandated by the 2000 agreement.Following the admission of failure, officialsrecently began to discuss moving the dead-line back 12 years to 2020. Such a delaymay put the Bay and its tributary riversbeyond the point of no return.

Our goal is to have the court require the fed-eral government to impose strict pollutionreduction strategies. If so, the ChesapeakeBay can be saved. If not, we may be remem-bered as the well-meaning but ultimatelytimid generation that lost the Bay.

While it may seem ironic that a not-for-profit organization must petition thecourt to compel government to meet itsresponsibilities, we have no other choice.People are fed up with government’sfailure to reduce the pollution of thisnational treasure.

Pennsylvania Votes for Clean WaterLast month Pennsylvania voters approved a$400 million ballot referendum to fundsewage treatment and drinking water facil-ities upgrades statewide. By a nearly two-to-one margin! This will bringPennsylvania closer in line with the otherBay states, but not, as in the other states,until plant construction is complete.

CBF’s Blueprint for the Next PresidentThis fall, CBF released Restoring CleanWater and the Chesapeake Bay: A Plan forAmerica’s Next President (cbf.org/blueprint).At a press conference in Alexandria,Virginia, each candidate was representedand each endorsed CBF’s plan in general.We congratulate President-elect Obama,and we look forward to working with hisadministration. The restoration of theChesapeake Bay can be a model for watersnationwide.

President’s Message

William C. BakerPresident, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

2 Winter 2008 � cbf.org

Suing EPA

TCBF President Will Baker

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The Obama Administration will workaggressively with the states to bring accountability

to the Chesapeake cleanup program and toimplement [CBF’s blueprint]. We owe it to

our communities and to our children.”“

—J. CHARLES FOX—FOR CANDIDATE SENATOR BARACK OBAMA

SEPTEMBER 25, 2008

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Contents

Winter 2008 Vol. 34 ● No. 4

5 MAILBOXWriters share their reflections injournal entries from the “OpenSpaces Sacred Places” project.

26 BAY BRIEFSCBF activities in the Bay states andthe District of Columbia.

30 LAST LOOKNeighbors along Baltimore’s Stony Runexperience unexpected results froma massive restoration project.

Departments

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PHOTO CREDITS THIS PAGE: UPPER RIGHT, DOUGLAS GRAHAM/WILD LIGHT PHOTOS; LEFT TO RIGHT, DAVE HARP,LOREN BARNETT APPEL/CBF STAFF, CHUCK EPES/CBF STAFF, TOM PELTON/CBF STAFF

6 Destination Chesapeake: Shenandoah RiverFar from the Bay, the mountains of northwestern Virginia riseabove a legendary American valley. But the land’s productivityhas a price: Pollution from agriculture, sewage treatmentplants, and air is taking a toll on the water.

9 2008 Annual ReportWith successes at both state and national levels, CBF deliveredan impressive return on its members’ investments this year.

25 CampaignsCBF and partners notify EPA of their intent to sue over itsfailure to keep an agreement to reduce pollution by 2010.

In Memoriam: Former CBF trustee and long time friend Ernest W. (Ernie) Jennes, 90, of Maryland died in October of this year. Ernie served on CBF’sboard for 15 years (1979-1994), including as Treasurer (1985-1991). He was Chairman of the Audit Committee for many years and an importantmember of the Environmental Defense, Executive, and Legal committees. After retiring from CBF’s board and until his death, he continued to serveas a member of CBF’s President’s Advisory Council. Ernie retired as a partner with the law firm Covington & Burling. His legal expertise and senseof integrity played a major role in the evolution of CBF’s programs and operations. CBF wishes to acknowledge Ernie Jennes for his many years ofsuperb contribution and extends our heartfelt condolences to his daughters, Gail, Margaret (Peg), and Kate, their partners and families.

Complete in this issue,CBF’s 2008 Annual Report:A Year of Significant Victoriesoutlines the past year’s successesin pollution reduction, litigation,education, and restoration.

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4 Winter 2008 ● cbf.org

Environmental Awareness StatementThe Chesapeake Bay Foundation saved the following

resources in the production of this publication:

11 tons Trees

233,086 gallons Wastewater

506 million BTUs Total Energy

29,329 pounds Solid Waste

75,763 pounds Greenhouse Gases

Save the Bay is published quarterly and provided free ofcharge to CBF members by the Chesapeake BayFoundation, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403.

Winter 2008 Volume 34 • Number 4

Carol Denny, EditorLoren Barnett Appel, Director of Creative Services

Jennifer Cassou, Art DirectorTerry Coker Peterson, Graphic Designer

© Chesapeake Bay Foundation 2008E-mail: STBeditor@cbf.org

888/SAVEBAY • cbf.org

Environmental impact estimates were made usingthe Environmental Defense Paper Calculator.www.papercalculator.org

2008 OFFICERSD. Keith Campbell

ChairmanJames E. Rogers

Vice ChairmanSusan S. Phillips

SecretaryArnold I. Richman

TreasurerWilliam C. Baker

President

EX OFFICIO TRUSTEESGovernor Martin O’MalleyGovernor Timothy M. Kaine Governor Edward G. RendellMayor Adrian M. FentyJoanne S. Berkley

Bay Care ChapterHal C. B. Clagett

Clagett TrusteePeter Gnoffo

York Chapter

HONORARY TRUSTEESLouisa C. DuemlingC. A. Porter HopkinsBurks B. LaphamT. Gaylon Layfield, IIIH.F. LenfestM. Lee MarstonCharles McC. MathiasH. Turney McKnightGodfrey A. RockefellerRussell C. ScottEdmund A. Stanley, Jr.Aileen Bowdoin Train

2008 TRUSTEESMyrtha L. AllenDonald F. Boesch, Ph.D.John T. Casteen, IIIRichard L. FranyoG. Waddy GarrettAlan R. GriffithCarolyn GroobeyMichael J. HanleyVirginia R. HoltonJennifer B. HortonRobert A. KinsleyHarry T. Lester

Wayne A. MillsCharles W. Moorman, IVW. Tayloe Murphy, Jr.Marie W. RidderAlexis G. SantTruman T. Semans Simon Sidamon-EristoffJennifer StanleyThomas H. StonerMichael WatsonJohn R. Whitmore Anthony A. Williams Alan L. Wurtzel

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Editor’s NoteTwo steps forward, one step back? Although big victories inWashington in 2008 advanced our Save the Bay efforts(read more in our enclosed Annual Report), there’s a dis-maying corollary. The landmark Chesapeake 2000Agreement, once heralded as the region’s road map torestoration, has failed. Areas like the Shenandoah Valley,featured in this issue, need bold, sustained action to rescuethousands of miles of polluted rivers and streams.

The good news is that more and more residents of the Bayregion are fighting for this national treasure, determined toturn the tide. In the coming year, let’s take inspiration fromour recent momentum to move forward together—with nosteps back.

Carol Denny

Give a Gift ofMembership Today.

This holiday season, give the gift of a Chesapeake Bay Foundationmembership to someone who loves the Bay as much as you do.

Give the gift of a brighter future for the Bay and its rivers and streams.

Call 888/SAVEBAY or visit cbf.org/gift.

The inks used for this publication are based on linseed oil, a renewable vegetable oil derived from flax and known for low toxicity.

5

The “sacred bench” overlookingBlack Walnut Cove at CBF’s Annapolisheadquarters provides a quiet settingto reflect. Here are some excerpts fromthe bench’s built-in journal.

Open Spaces Sacred Places, a project of the TKF Foundation, has helpedcreate public green space in scores of Bay-area locations.

� Get in touch with Save the Bay!Talk to us onlineE-mail the editor at stbeditor@cbf.org.

Write us a letterSave the Bay Editor, Chesapeake Bay Foundation,6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403

Give us a call888/SAVE-BAY or 888/728-3229

DAVE HARP

Words and thoughts only mean somethingif action is then taken.

Love is a verb—So what are you going to doto show your love for the Bay?

Say something. Mean something. Do something.

Me and my dad saw a bald eagle and we saw aheron and we found sea glass.

The water was calm.

Tom Stoner and Carolyn Rapp’s new bookOpen Spaces Sacred Places records the rippleeffect of these benches and labyrinths, whichoffer the healing power of nature and quietamid a busy world. For more information onthe TKF Foundation or to order a copy of thebook, visit www.openspacessacredpaces.org.

Thank you CBF for your continued supportof the Chesapeake Bay. Thank you forhelping generations of people experience the Bay.

Nature is more than just nature.

It is life and paradise.

Blessed are the stewards of the land for theykeep us connected to the beauty of the earth.

This spot is a treasure for today,for the future.

The birds call. The wind blows through barebranches. The ducks float by andI feel peace.

6 Winter 2008 � cbf.org

Story by Carol Denny Photos by Douglas Graham/Wild Light Photos

with tons of excess animal manure thatthreaten regional water quality.

In a process that mimics the fairytale feat ofturning straw into gold, farm owner OrenHeatwole and engineer Foster Agblevor,with support from a group called theVirginia Waste Solutions Forum, havedeveloped a technology that consumespoultry litter and turns it into three valu-able products—combustible gas, bio oil,and fertilizer. The system, called pyrolysis,“takes a liability and turns it into an asset,”Heatwole explains (see page 8).

The forum, which includes theChesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), has adaunting task. With three quarters of thestate’s poultry and egg production farmslocated in the region, the ShenandoahValley is a hot spot for nitrogen pollutionin the Chesapeake region. RockinghamCounty generates more manure than anyother county in the United States—about350,000 tons a year, some of which is usedas fertilizer on croplands. Over-applicationcan lead to runoff during rainstorms,which causes nitrogen and phosphoruspollution in local streams, the ShenandoahRiver, and the Chesapeake Bay.

That’s why both residents and scientists areintrigued by pyrolysis. “Not only is it agood idea, but the community is behindit,” says Kristen Hughes, Virginia StaffScientist for CBF. “We’re really excited

about how this process can help reducenutrient pollution in the Bay and also cre-ate a renewable energy, without sacrificingthe fertilizer value in the poultry litter.”

On the policy side of the issue, Hughes isworking with farmers and regulators torevise new state regulations that governthe handling of poultry litter. Currently,

much of the land application of themanure is not regulated. A new plan,expected to be submitted by the end of theyear, will propose tighter controls.

The Shenandoah, one of the few Americanrivers that flows north, has long been cele-brated for its rural beauty and pioneer her-itage. Its North and South Forks, separated

iverbank Farm is more than two hundred miles from the Chesapeake Bay, butit’s on the front lines in the fight to save it. Here in the Shenandoah Valley,inventors are testing a device that could solve a monumental problem: what to do R

� LENGTH: Approximately 150 miles

� WATERSHED: The Shenandoah drains nearly 3,000 square miles in northwest Virginia.The river flows northeasterlyfrom its headwaters inAugusta County to WestVirginia, where it meets thePotomac River.

� LAND USE: Agriculture

� MAJOR TRIBUTARIES: Northand South Fork ShenandoahRiver, North River, MiddleRiver, South River, andChristians Creek

� RESTORATION GROUPS:Friends of the ShenandoahRiver, ShenandoahRiverkeeper, Friends of theNorth Fork ShenandoahRiver, Pure Water Forum,Valley Conservation Council,Trout Unlimited, Virginia SaveOur Streams

Destination Chesapeake

SHENANDOThe

Shenandoah River At A Glance

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by Massanutten Mountain, carve their waythrough prime agricultural lands, converg-ing at Front Royal and emptying into thePotomac at Harpers Ferry. As the Potomac’slargest tributary, the Shenandoah has amajor impact on downstream residents, aswell as the Bay beyond.

“The valley is breathtakingly scenic,” says JeffKelble, who as Shenandoah River keepermonitors 3,000 square miles along the water.“The problems it has aren’t always evident.”But the area is under siege from increasedpolluted runoff, over-burdened sewage treat-ment plants, and air pollution. More than2,000 miles of its rivers and streams fail tomeet federal clean water standards.

One of the most visible signs of distress hasbeen recurring spring fish kills, which havewiped out thousands of smallmouth bassand other species in both the North andSouth Forks since 2004. Scientists havesearched for explanations, but “it’s difficultto tease out,” says Kelble. “No one causeseems to be responsible.” Intersex fishes(ones exhibiting both male and femalecharacteristics) have also been widelyreported, though no link to the die-offs hasbeen established. “There’s little questionthat poor water quality is stressing this sys-tem,” says CBF Virginia Staff Scientist MikeGerel. “So it would be a mistake to delayaggressive action to reduce pollution untilthe science becomes clear.”

The fish kills have helped to mobilize anglersand other recreational users of the river formore conservation action. Fly fishermen, forexample, have rallied behind a program tokeep the Eastern brook trout, Virginia’s state

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Home to some of the nation’s top agricultural producing counties, the Shenandoah Valley holdsnearly 7,000 farms. Cattle and poultry operations thrive, but animal waste contributes to waterquality woes. At Harpers Ferry, above center, the river joins the Potomac, which flows to the Bay.

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fish, in the Shenandoah’s threatenedcreeks, streams, and small rivers.

Two years ago, a study by Trout Unlimitedshowed that native trout had virtually dis-appeared in the valley, according to theorganization’s Nat Gillespie. The findingsspurred a cooperative project among pri-vate landowners, agencies, and others toaccelerate protection of waterways andfocus on restoration.

“We’ve been using this valley hard for acouple hundred years,” Gillespie reflects.“Now, we have to focus on places wherepollution can be mitigated or prevented:helping landowners find alternate water-ing sources, and fencing livestock fromsprings and cold water sources.”

Shenandoah dairymen and cattle ownershave adopted such practices in recordnumbers in recent years. “Ten years ago,convincing people to do these things was atough sell,” recalls Dale Gardner, Presidentof the Virginia State Dairymen’sAssociation. “That has really changed.Now, most people know there are goodpractices and do what they can, or whatthey can afford, to protect the water.”

“Providing on-the-ground technical assis-tance for farmers is essential,” agrees LibbyNorris, CBF Watershed Restoration Scientist.Her focus is working one-on-one with valleylandowners to install forested stream buffers(to filter runoff naturally) and fencing sys-tems (to keep cows out of streams andhealthy). As she builds relationships, Norrisalso offers opportunities for farmers to learnabout the Chesapeake Bay. “One of ourefforts has been an ongoing exchange pro-gram between valley farmers and Bay water-

men, so that each group can better under-stand the challenges facing the other. Itshows them they’re connected, eventhough they’re hundreds of miles apart.”

Students and teachers have joined thecause, as well. In counties throughoutthe valley, high school chapters of FFA,the nation’s leading association for futureagricultural leaders, are learning abouthow land use affects the health of theChesapeake. Rockingham’s Turner AshbyHigh School, in particular, has a long andlively history of participation in CBF-sponsored projects. A group of its stu-dents paddled with a 2005 CBF canoeexpedition that followed the Shenandoahfrom their home all the way to the Bay.

They discovered—as many in the valleyhave—that the distance between the riverand its final destination isn’t really thatlong a stretch.

Five years ago, Shenandoah Valley poultry expert Oren Heatwole started thinking aboutthe possibility of converting chicken manure from his Riverbank Farm into clean, usablefuel. As he researched waste-to-energy projects, he met Dr. Foster Agblevor, a chemi-cal engineer at Virginia Tech who’d designed a small-scale unit using a process calledpyrolysis. The pair toured Europe to investigate emerging technologies, then returned tothe valley to build their own.

The Virginia Waste Solutions Forum helped Agblevor and Heatwole raise funds for the proj-ect. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Farm Pilot Project Coordination Inc., theBlue Moon Fund, the Virginia Poultry Federation, Virginia Tech, the Shenandoah Resource& Conservation Development Council, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and CBF contributed.

The inventors took delivery on a full-sized prototype in June and began testing the unit. Sofar, the results are remarkably positive. “It’s amazingly efficient. We’re still studying it, refiningit, and making it better, but 80 percent of it is dead on,” Heatwole says. “Over the next sixmonths, we’ll see how much electricity and propane gas it uses and what it will cost to run.”

Two tons of poultry litter a day (from Riverbank and neighboring farms) go into the unit tobe heated to 840 degrees Fahrenheit in a closed system that yields gas, bio oil, and aresidue that can be used as fertilizer. “We take the gas that comes off and use it to pro-duce heat in the unit after we get it running,” Heatwole explains. He’s even converted a sep-arate boiler to utilize the bio oil for heating, normally a big expense for poultry producers.

The inventors have mounted the unit on a six-wheel, three-axle trailer so that it can travel easily from farm to farm—far more energy-efficient thantrucking tons of waste to a central site.

The new technology (“It looks something like a still,” Heatwole laughs) was on display at the Virginia State Fair this fall. It’s attracted plenty offunding, but Heatwole says it’s important to him that the pyrolysis project can stand on its own. “We don’t want something that needs a bunchof subsidies to make it work,” he says. “This project can make money, help the environment, and be a win-win for everyone.”

Turning Chicken Manure Into Energy

Winter 2008 ● cbf.org

Anglers and sportmen’s groups have joined forces toprotect and restore Shenandoah Valley streams.

Inventors Oren Heatwole (left, in red) and Dr. Foster Agblevor(right) accompany Virginia Governor Tim Kaine as Clint

Rohrer demonstrates how their pyrolysis unit is controlled by computer.

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Carol Denny is Editor of Save theBay. She writes for theChesapeake Bay Foun dationand lives near the Severn Riverin Arnold, Maryland.

2 0 0 8 A N N U A L R E P O R T

A Y E A R O F S I G N I F I C A N TV I C T O R I E S

There is no doubt that 2008 pre-sented some extraordinary chal-lenges for both the ChesapeakeBay Foundation and you, ourmembers. Money was tight, inboth the private and public sec-tors. We are pleased to report,however, that CBF saw some ofits greatest successes ever thispast year. This is due to all ofyou, who in spite of tough finan-cial times, contributed anunprecedented level of support.On behalf of all life—fish, crabs,oysters, and humans—in andaround the Chesapeake Bay, wethank you.

The pages of this report docu-ment just some of the accom-plishments CBF was able toachieve in the past year. At boththe state and federal level, publicinvestments have been gainedwhich will pay real dividends inpollution reduction in comingyears. After two years of CBFwork, Congress passed a FarmBill that includes $440 millionover five years of targeted fund-ing for Chesapeake Bay states toreduce pollution from agricul-tural sources. This will be thelargest single federal investmentfor pollution reduction in theChesapeake Bay ever. Althoughthe current administration con-tinues to block the release of thismoney, we are confident that thenext administration will put it towork, providing economic stim-ulus and jobs for rural areaswhile reducing pollution signifi-cantly and improving theregion’s water quality.

Also at the federal level, manyyears of hard work again provedsuccessful when the United StatesHouse of Representatives passedour legislation titled No ChildLeft Inside. It will reform the NoChild Left Behind federal fundingbill to encourage environmentaleducation nationwide. CBF

pulled together a coalitionrepresenting some 840organizations and 45 mil-

lion people to supportthis endeavor. Whilethere was not time toget it through the

Senate this year, we are confidentit will pass both houses in thenext session of Congress.

Important state legislation wasalso passed in Richmond,Annapolis, and Harrisburg. InPennsylvania, CBF organized abroad coalition to supportupgrades to sewage treatmentplants. In November, the votersapproved the referendum. It willprovide $400 million in bondfunding to vastly improve sewagetreatment, reducing pollution tolocal waterways and the Baydownstream.

Throughout the watershed, CBFstaff and volunteers have restoredhundreds of miles of streambanks with forested buffers;removed tons of trash; plantedmillions of oysters on sanctuaryreefs; partnered with scientistsand industry to research, test,and implement innovative pollu-tion reduction technology; edu-cated ten of thousands of stu-dents and teachers; and so muchmore.

Finally, CBF and its team of staffand pro-bono attorneys filed alegal action to force the federalEPA to comply with theterms of the Clean WaterAct and the historicChesapeake Bay agree-ment. Our intent is topetition the federal courtto impose a legallybinding, deadline-driven plan for EPA.

Going forward, we have everyreason to believe that 2009 willbe even more successful than2008. We have you to thank.Each and every day, we reflect onthe fact that none of this wouldbe possible without you.

Our most sincere thanks,

William C. Baker, President

Keith Campbell, Chairmanof the Board

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2008 ANNUAL REPORT

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P R E S I D E N T A N D C H A I R M A N ’ SM E S S A G E

1 INTRODUCTION

2 POLLUTION REDUCTION

6 EDUCATION

10 HABITAT AND FISHERIES

13 CONTRIBUTORS

21 FINANCIALS

BACK COVER LEADERSHIP

T A B L EO F C O N T E N T S

This was a year of keyenvironmental victories by theChesa peake Bay Foundation—ata precarious time.

The Bay continues to be in criti-cal condition. Low-oxygen “deadzones” were rampant this yearand populations of the iconicblue crab hit near historic lows.The most insidious threats to thenation’s largest estuary remainnitrogen and phosphorus pollu-tion, from agriculture, urban andsurburban stormwater runoff,sewage treatment plants, and airpollution. These pollutants fuelalgal blooms that die and rot—sucking oxygen out of the waterand killing much of the life onthe bottom.

This runoff pollution is EnemyNo. 1 for the Bay. And it hasbeen a wily foe because—unlikefactory or sewage plant dis-charges from pipes—it is harderto monitor and control.

For this reason, innovative solu-tions are necessary. And CBFbroke new ground in 2008 inforward-thinking strategies forreducing runoff.

After a year and a half of focusedeffort, CBF and its allies con-vinced Congress to approve leg-islation that secured $440 mil-lion over five years in federalinvestments in agricultural con-servation practices that will helpcontrol runoff pollution into theChesapeake Bay. In Maryland,CBF won a similar battle. Despitetough economic times, CBF con-vinced the state to approve $25million in the first year—andhopefully $50 million in futureyears—for efforts to reducerunoff from farms and urbanareas in the new Chesapeake Bay2010 Trust Fund (formerly calledthe “Green Fund”).

In Pennsylvania, CBF workedclosely with agricultural nutri-tionists to come up with a cre-ative strategy to alter the feed offarm animals. A better diet forcattle cuts the amount of nitro-gen and phosphorus in theirwaste—and therefore means lesspollution being washed by raininto the Bay’s tributaries.

But the progress by the Chesa -peake Bay Foun dation in 2008was not only in agriculture. In

Washington D.C.,CBF worked withmore than a dozenstates and environ-mental groups to file alawsuit thatoverturned the Bushad ministration’s weakcoal-fired power plantmercury pollutioncontrol rules so that more protec-tive standards can be adopted.CBF’s lawyers also overturned aU.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency water pollution permitthat failed to require a schedulefor the largest sewage treatmentplant in the world (Blue Plains inWashington, D.C.) to installnitrogen-reduction equipment.

In Virginia, the Chesapeake BayFoundation planted nearly tenmillion juvenile oysters in under-water sanctuaries. And CBF’sarmy of volunteers hauled about240,000 pounds of trash out ofrivers on the most successful“Clean the Bay Day” in the com-monwealth’s history, held in June.

In the area of environmental edu-cation, the Chesapeake BayFoundation forged an unprece-dented coalition of more than840 organizations representing45 million Americans—fromteachers to scientists—across thecountry to push for the No ChildLeft Inside Act. This landmarklegislation is intended to enableteachers to use the environmentas a tool to achieve better testscores, improved discipline, and

increased enthusiasm and prideamong students. The legislationwill also provide $100 million ayear for high-quality outdoorand ecological studies.

None of these successes—in theareas of pollution reduction,habitat restoration, or education—could have happened withoutthe support of our members anddonors. The achievements weredue in part to CBF’s rapidlygrowing membership, which in2008 broke the 200,000 mark.The expansion of our team givesus more voices speaking up forthe Bay and additional credibilitywith decision makers. CBF reliesheavily on the generous dona-tions of supporters such as theBunting Family, the James G.Robinson Foundation, Inc., andmany other corporations, foun-dations, and individuals whohave made the victories of thelast year possible. The invest-ments made in improving waterquality and expanding outdoorlearning will bring tremendousreturns. Thanks to them, we aretaking real steps forward towardour goal of restoring theChesapeake Bay.

A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT VICTORIESCBF.ORG

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

None of these successes—in the areas of

pollution reduction, habitat restoration,

or education—could have happened

without the support of our members

and donors.

CHESAPEAKE BAYFOUNDATION

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

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P O L L U T I O NR E D U C T I O N

F E D E R A LI N V E S T M E N T S

The battle over investments inagricultural conservation prac-tices in the 2008 U.S. Farm Billwas the most intense everwaged at the federal level bythe Chesapeake BayFoundation. Every five years,the law that authorizes agricul-tural subsidies and conserva-tion practice dollars across thenation must be re-approved byCongress. This legislation isoften controversial—but CBFrecognized it as an opportunityto bring in vast federalresources to improve the healthof the estuary. CBF decided toadvocate not only for more pol-lution-control funding in thebill—but also to try to targetfunds specifically for theChesapeake Bay watershed. Itwas an uphill battle, but onethat ultimately delivered a veryimportant return—the largest-ever federal investment in on-the-ground pollution reductionfor the Bay states. These invest-ments could yield a reductionof up to 40 million additionalpounds of nitrogen annually—more than a third of the region’soverall goal—if funds arereleased and spent strategically.

“Nobody in the Chesapeake Baycommunity had ever taken onanything like this before,” recallsDoug Siglin, Federal AffairsDirector for CBF. “The biggestobstacle we had was answeringthe question: Why should we do

A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT VICTORIESCBF.ORG

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this for you in the Chesapeakeregion and not for everybodyelse in the nation? The answerwas that we have this terriblepollution problem and the Baycan serve as a model for the restof the nation.”

The campaign for the legislationwas extensive, and the cost was aswell. CBF counted on the invest-ments of a number of individualsand organizations, among themthe Philanthropic Collaborativeand Charles and Barbara Rossotti.Together they provided the lion’sshare of support for this pollu-tion-control initiative.

With the teamwork of Bay-arealawmakers, the Farm Bill passedthe House and Senate with $440million in new conservationfunding for Bay farmers over thenext five years. Areas ofinvestment in clude environmen-tally friendly, cost-effective prac-tices, such as building streamsidebuffers and manure sheds thatkeep rain from washing wasteinto streams.

L I T I G A T I O N

In the area of litigation, CBFfought hard for tough limits onnitrogen and phosphorus pollu-tion from sewage treatmentplants. In addition to pushingfor a deadline to install addition-al pollution controls on the BluePlains plant in Washington D.C.,CBF also intervened to try to

stop more than 70 cities inPenn sylvania and West Virginiafrom weakening the permits fortheir sewage treatment plants.And CBF settled a lawsuitagainst Philip Morris with anagreement that will force thecompany to reduce its water pol-lution. The litigation depart-ment’s work is made possible bya generous challenge grant fromthe Lenfest Foundation.

P R E C I S I O NF E E D I N G

In Pennsylvania, CBF spear-headed an industry-changinginitiative for dairy farmers. CBFpartnered with Penn StateCooperative Extension and theUniversity of Pennsylvania on“precision feeding,” the tech-nique of reducing the phospho-rus and nitrogen content in ani-mal feed to the levels requiredto maintain healthy livestock.

Dairy farmers have long supple-mented their cattle’s feed withphosphorus. The exact levelsneeded for milk production andherd health have been unknown.For at least five years, scientistshave been reporting in academicjournals that feeding cattle exces-sive amounts of phosphorus—

while costly—does not improvethe animals’ health.

CBF and its partners workedwith 66 dairy farms across thecommonwealth in trimming theamount of nitrogen and phos-phorus in feed, while monitor-ing the health of their cows, aswell as their manure and milkoutput. “There weren’t any herdhealth problems…and in manycases, there was more milk pro-duction,” said Kelly O’Neill,agricultural policy analyst forCBF. The project partners arealso educating nutritionists, vet-erinarians, and other dairy

FACING PAGE: Bay-areafarmers received much-needed federal supportfor projects that willimprove water quality.

ABOVE: Danger signslike a fish kill onAberdeen Creek in Mary -land raised growing con-cerns about the Bay’shealth. In Washington,D.C., Congress approvednew funding to reduceagricultural pollution inthe Chesapeake region.

BELOW: More preciselycalibrated diets can cutthe amount of nitrogenin animal waste by 30to 50 percent, and theamount of phosphorusby 40 to 60 percent.

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industry professionals about thebenefits of precision feeding.

Improving animal feed is one ofthe most cost-effective ways ofcleaning up local streams andthe Bay. Now CBF is workingwith the U.S. Department ofAgriculture Natural ResourcesConser vation Service (NRCS)to promote these strategies

across Penn sylvania. This effortwas also made possible througha $120,000 Growing Greenergrant from the PennsylvaniaDepartment of EnvironmentalProtection, which allowed CBFto obtain matching funds fromthe Forrest and Frances LattnerFoun dation, the New YorkCom munity Trust, and the RoyA. Hunt Foundation.

S T O R M W A T E RC O N T R O L

In Maryland, CBF successfullyadvocated for a path-breakingnew approach to stormwatermanagement. Stormwater sys-tems collect water that flushesover streets, parking lots, androofs during rainfalls and releaseit into streams and rivers thatlead to the Bay. Under the feder-al Clean Water Act, states mustissue pollution-control permitsfor municipal storm-drain sys-tems just as they must issue per-mits for factories. But a fatalweakness of the stormwaterprogram has been that whilefactory permits have specific,numeric pollution limits,stormwater permits have lackedthese limits. They are vague andtoothless. And that meansunlimited amounts of pollu-tion—gasoline, lawn fertilizer,dog waste, and other toxins—can gurgle down gutters into theBay. This is harmful and point-less, because the states havespent years developing pollu-tion limits for streams andwaterways, called “total maxi-mum daily loads” or TMDLs.But nothing has been done to

connect these pollutionlimits to storm water

permits.

Over the last two years, the Chesapeake

Bay Foundation and its allies have

pushed for stormwater permits with

limits and teeth—accountability and

enforceability.

ABOVE: Debris chokesa section of theAnacostia River inWashington, D.C., de -grading the habitat ofwater fowl, fish, andother Bay creatures.

Now that has changed.Montgomery County’s storm -water permit came up forrenewal before the MarylandDepartment of the Environ -ment (MDE) in 2006. Over thelast two years, the ChesapeakeBay Foundation and its allieshave pushed for stormwaterpermits with limits and teeth—accountability and enforceabili-ty. The new draft permit issuedby the MDE in September 2008for the first time anywheredirectly incorporates the pollu-tion limits (the TMDLs) forreceiving water bodies. Thatmeans Montgomery Countymust en sure that any futuredevelopment doesn’t causerunoff with pollution thatexceeds the limits for nitrogen,phosphorus, sediments, bacte-ria, and other criteria in thestream TMDLs. And the countymust also be more aggressiveabout controlling pollutedrunoff from existing roads and

buildings. “It’s an absolute-ly huge advance in these

kinds of permits,” saidLee Epstein, Director

of CBF’s LandsProgram.

CBF recognized an opportunityto turn this one victory inMontgomery County intoreductions in stormwater pollu-tion across the region. “We wantto convince the EPA that this isthe model to adopt across thewhole Bay watershed.”

This effort was aided by invest-ments in CBF by The Morris &Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundationof Washington, D.C., and theAnnapolis-based Keith CampbellFoundation for the Environment.Because of their generosity, amodel for successful stormwater

management hasbeen developed,and rivers andstreams that flowinto the Bay will

be cleaner.

S T R E A MC L E A N U P

In Virginia this year, CBF organ-ized the largest and most suc-cessful “Clean the Bay Day” inthe event’s 20-year history. InJune, more than 7,000 volun-teers turned out across the com-monwealth to haul 241,384pounds of trash from 434 milesof Bay tributaries, including theJames, York, Elizabeth, Lafayette,and Lynnhaven rivers.

“In the Hampton Roads area, wehad over 100-degree tempera-tures, and we still had one of thebest turnouts ever,” said SharonSmith, Project Coordinator forthe Chesapeake Bay Foundation.“I think it is an indication at thegrass-roots level of how passion-ate people are about healthierwaterways.”

Farm Fresh Supermarkets againwas lead sponsor of the cleanup.In addition to funding the cam-paign, the markets sell reusablegrocery bags to reduce waste—with five cents per bag donated tothe Chesapeake Bay Foun dation.The supermarkets are not onlyencouraging recycling, but alsodirectly contributing to a majoreffort that removes tons of litterfrom the Bay’s tributaries.

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ABOVE AND BELOW:During CBF’s 20thAnnual Clean the BayDay in Virginia, 7,000volunteers set out onfoot and by boat topull more than 120tons of trash from Baytributaries.

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N O C H I L D L E F T I N S I D E

For decades, the ChesapeakeBay Foun dation has run thelargest environmental educa-tional program in America.Every year, almost 40,000 par-ticipants learn about Bay andstream ecology through one ofCBF’s 17 field programs, whichinclude canoe and island expe-ditions, and farm experiences.About three years ago, CBFbegan to notice that schooladministrators were increasinglyreluctant to send their studentson field experiences—or let thekids leave their desks for anyreason. Part of the problem wasfederal legislation passed in2001, the No Child Left BehindAct, which created intense pres-sure on principals and teachersfor good scores on standardizedtests.

Studies show that integratingthe environment in school cur-riculum leads to better perform-ance on standardized tests,reduced classroom disciplineproblems, and more enthusi-asm for learning and pride inaccomplishments from stu-dents. “Principals were tellingus they couldn’t let their stu-dents leave the buildingbecause that would take themout of test preparation—literal-ly learning how to fill in testbubbles,” said Tom Ackerman,Director of Teacher Trainingand Student Leader ship at theChesapeake Bay Foundation.

E D U C A T I O N

“Everyone we talked to wasvery supportive of environmen-tal education, but the time theyhave for everything but thebasics is being squeezed.”

It seemed at first a far-fetchedidea that the Chesapeake BayFoundation could change feder-al education policy. But CBF feltit had no choice but to trybecause federal policy wasundermining its ability to edu-cate young citizens about theinterconnection between theBay’s condition and their ownlives. A key part of CBF’s educa-tional goal is to weave lessonsabout the Chesapeake Baythroughout a school’s curricu-lum, so that students can incor-porate discussions of the envi-ronment into history, biology,government, and other courses.The point is to have a broad edu-cation that is not narrowly

focused on just themath and readingtesting demanded bythe No Child Left Behind Act.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundationfound champions for its cause inCongressman John Sarbanes ofMaryland’s 3rd district andSenator Jack Reed of RhodeIsland. To gether they crafted leg-islation, the No Child Left InsideAct, that would en courage statesto develop environmental litera-cy plans and provide $100 mil-lion a year for environmentaleducation. CBF held press con-ferences, launched a website ande-mail campaign, and rallied abroad team of education, health,business, and outdoors groups.The No Child Left InsideCoalition grew from 13 organi-zations in 2007 to more than

840 today, repre-senting 45 millionAmericans. Amongthe many advo-cates are theNational EducationAssociation, theAmerican Feder -ation of Teachers,the National Wild -life Feder ation, andDucks Unlimited.

This swell of sup-port convinced 64 U.S. repre-sentatives and 14 senators tosign-on as co-sponsors. Andthen the House Committee onEducation and Labor on June 18

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FACING PAGE: Stu -dents experience theBay first-hand as theyplant oysters on areef during a CBF edu-cation program. In2007-08, CBF led anationwide coalitionto strengthen suppor tfor environmental les-sons like these.

THIS PAGE: Learningoutdoors, a tenet ofCBF's mission, is apriority of the No ChildLeft Inside Act. At anoutdoor Congression -al field hearing on thelegislation, studentsshared their discover-ies with Maryland Go -vernor Martin O’Malley(above) and conductedwater quality tests (left).

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voted 38-7 to endorse the legisla-tion to the full U.S. House of

Rep resentatives. By a vote of293 to 109 on September

19, the House approvedthe bill, setting thestage for what CBF isconfident will be avictory in the Senatenext year.

Organizing the coa -lition was madepossible by con-tributions fromthe Pennsylvania-based LenfestF o u n d a t i o n .

“Gerry Lenfest provided leader-ship funding at the very outsetof the campaign,” said WillBaker, President of the Chesa -peake Bay Foundation. “Hisvision was instrumental to thesuccess of the campaign.”

L E A R N I N G O N T H E R I V E R

One of the most successful exam-ples of CBF’s outdoor educationcan be found in downtownWashington, D.C. Over the lastyear, more than 3,000 students

from the District and suburbshave explored the Potomac Riveron the Susquehanna, a 42-footdeadrise workboat. The CBF ves-sel is launched from theGangplank Marina in southwestWashington and carries youngpeople on learning experienceson both the Anacostia andPotomac rivers. Foundationinstructors teach the studentshow to sample the water fornitrogen pollution and dissolvedoxygen. The students see the out-falls of urban storm drains andthe world’s largest sewage treat-ment plant, Blue Plains. Behindthe boat, they drag a net. The stu-dents are often surprised to catchhundreds of gizzard shad, catfish,and bass in a once-dead waterwaythat many assumed was still atoxic waste stream.

“We let them pick up and feelthe fish—and for a lot of thesekids, it’s the first time they’veever put their hands on a fish,”said Eric Marshall, captain of

the Susquehanna. “They make aconnection between the impactof what they’re doing on theland and how that has a directimpact on the river. It helpsthem feel responsible for whatthey’re doing.”

Among those who learned on theSusquehanna this year were mid-dle school students from the SanMiguel School, an education cen-ter for disadvantaged Latinoyouth in Washington, D.C. Theirfloating classroom was support-ed with help from Maria andMichael Jones of McLean,Virginia, donors to theChesapeake Bay Foundationwith a love of both education andthe environment.

CBF leads similar educationalexperiences. On June 30, 2008,the foundation christened a neweducational vessel, the BeaHayman Clark, which takes thou-sands of students out onto theBay. Based in Hampton Roads,Virginia, the 50-foot workboathas a low-emissions diesel engineand was a gift of Dr. Fred Clarkand his wife Dr. Karen Clark ofPhiladelphia. CBF named thevessel after Dr. Fred Clark’s moth-er. On the James River, the CBFworkboat Baywatcher took morethan 1,000 students on learning

ABOVE: In-depth learn-ing about local water-ways and wildlife is ahallmark of CBF fieldexperiences.

It seemed at first a far-fetched idea that

the Chesapeake Bay Foundation could

change federal education policy.

expeditions thanks to theHarrison Family Foundation. Theboat sets off from the docks inHopewell, showing the studentsindustrial plants and then takingthem upstream past historic plan-tations to cleaner waters sur-rounded by forests and farms. Itis an experience that CBF hopeswill help form citizens who willrespect the Bay and its tributariesfor their whole lives.

C H E S A P E A K EC L A S S R O O M S

For more than two decades, CBFhas been running a program, nowcalled “Chesapeake Classrooms,”that trains teachers how tobecome better environmentaleducators. CBF shows teachers

how to incorporate ecologicalsubjects into the core learningareas of reading, math, science,and social studies. The programalso helps educators use school-yards as outdoor classrooms.Chesa peake Classrooms teacherslead students in identifying andremoving invasive plants, aswell as by building nature trails,rain gardens, and other projects.And the teachers learn how toperform surveys of local streamsby dipping nets to scoop upbugs and fish as a measure ofbiodiversity and health. Thecore component of ChesapeakeClassrooms is a five-day sum-mer immersion course, in whichteachers receive education in thefield on CBF vessels to connecttheir community to the Bay.

Each teacher who is educatedhas the potential to teach thou-sands of students about thevalue of the Bay watershed overthe course of their career.

No school district is more activein the program than Mont -gomery County, Maryland. Thecounty has been working close-ly with the foundation for morethan two decades. Last year, 48Mont gomery County teachersparticipated in the environmen-tal training, and CBF took nineprincipals from the district outto Smith Island for a three-dayleadership retreat. About 4,000students a year from Mont -gomery County go on CBF fieldexperiences. This learning issupported by, among others,the National GeographicEducation Foun dation and theHoward Hughes Medical In -stitute, which have both provid-ed leadership and investment inCBF’s teacher training programfor more than a decade.

S T U D E N T L E A D E R S H I PT R A I N I N GOver the last year, CBF has morethan doubled the number of stu-dent leadership training trips thatit offers, from six to 13. One ofthe most successful last year wasin Pennsylvania.

From July 13 to 19, CBF took agroup of middle school students

to Gifford Pinchot State Park,where they used bicycles to visitwildlife settings for study. Theteenaged students examinedhow farmland affects streams,inspected a sewage treatmentplant, and discussed how nitro-gen runoff causes algal bloomsand low-oxygen “dead zones.”The students took water sam-ples and canoed. When theyreturned, they learned how touse CBF’s online Student ActionNetwork, which teaches themhow to become certified as envi-ronmental leaders. These stu-dent programs are supportedthroughout the watershed inpart by a $50,000 gift fromStarbucks Coffee Company.

“These are the decision makersof future years and they are real-ly passionate about the environ-ment,” said Allyson LadleyGibson, Education OutreachCoordinator for CBF. “It’s impor-tant that they have this educa-tional experience, not only fortheir personal development butalso for the good of the entireBay watershed.”

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ABOVE: CBF's StudentLeadership Programgot a boost this yearthanks to a leadershipgift from the NordbergFamily Fund.

BELOW: ChesapeakeClassrooms, a tea chertraining program, showseducators how to incor-porate the Bay’s ecol-ogy into a variety ofsubjects.

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T R E E P L A N T I N G

Over the last year, CBF hashelped to plant about 180,000trees and 90,000 bushes alongstreams in Pennsylvania. It ispart of a campaign that hasbrought 2.2 million new treesto the commonwealth over thelast eight years. Similar effortsto create forested buffer stripsbeside waterways are growingacross the Bay watershed.

The Pittsburgh-based RichardKing Mellon Foundation madegenerous contributions thathave allowed the ChesapeakeBay Foundation to leveragefunds from the U.S.Department of Agriculture’sConservation Re serve Enhance -ment Program (CREP) to plantthese buffer strips inPennsylvania.

The result—a perpetual pollu-tion-reducing investment—allowed 10 workers to teamwith rural landowners to com-plete about 150 miles ofstreamside buffers with about270,000 trees and shrubs.

“The forested buffers are wellknown as wonderful intercep-tors of pollution,” said DaveWise, CBF’s WatershedRestoration Manager in Penn -sylvania. “They keep things outof a stream that have no busi-ness being in there, such asnitrogen pollution, sediment,

H A B I T A T A N DF I S H E R I E S

and farm chemicalslike pesticides andharmful bacteria.”

What is less wellknown is the value of trees forimportant biological processes.Riverbanks with trees are lit-tered with leaves. When rainpercolates through these leaves,the water brews a high-energy,tea-like mix. This flows into thewaterways and feeds bugs andbeneficial bacteria. These crit-ters absorb nitrogen from thestream, and use it as the build-ing blocks for their cell walls,ligaments, and membranes.Thus pollution be comes part ofa mayfly instead of a “deadzone” in the Chesa peake Bay.

“Trees turn streams into hugenitrogen-processing facilities,”Wise said. “Clean water facto-ries is what they become.”

Because of the Mellon Foun -dation and the U.S.Department of Agriculture,scores of clean water factoriesare removing nitrogen pollu-tion that would otherwisesmother the Bay.

O Y S T E RR E S T O R A T I O N

In Virginia, CBF’s oyster pro-gram continues to focus onusing science to try to bringback native oysters. CBF getslarvae of Crassostrea virginicafrom breeding tanks at theVirginia Institute of MarineScience’s Aquaculture Geneticsand Breeding Technology

Center. The larvae are placedin CBF setting tanks on site,where they grow into“spat,” or juvenile oysters.A CBF restoration vessel,Chesa peake Gold, haulsthe oysters into the Bay

and its tributaries for plantingon reef sanctuaries. In theseprotected areas, the oysterscannot be harvested. In 2008,in Virginia’s Piankatank Riveralone, CBF and its volunteersplanted nearly 10 million youngoysters.

This continuing work with oys-ters—as well as CBF’s similarwork in Maryland—is supportedby contributions from RestoreAmerica’s Estuaries, a nonprofitorganization, and the NationalOceanic and AtmosphericAdministration’s Community-based Restoration Program.

“The sanctuaries are importantto protect the oyster so it can doits job, which is to filter algaeand pollutants out of the water,”said Bill Goldsborough, Directorof Fisheries and Oyster Res -toration for CBF. “And the reefsalso provide habitat for theother Bay critters.”

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FACING PAGE: Streamsflanked by trees are200 to 800 percentmore ef fective atremoving nitrogenpollution than water-ways lined withgrasses.

ABOVE LEFT: CBF vol-unteers plant treesto help filter pollutedrunoff naturally.

ABOVE RIGHT: A giftfrom the Rober t G.Cabell III and MaudeMorgan Cabell Foun -dation made in honorof its long-term execu-tive director, J. ReadBranch, Sr., supportsCBF’s oyster restora-tion activities. Inappreciation, TommyLeggett (in blue shir t),was named CBF’s J.Read Branch, Sr.,Virginia Oyster Res -toration and Fish eriesScientist.

BELOW: Dave Fisher,an active member ofthe CBF SpeakersBureau, was namedCBF’s 2008 Memberof the Year.

In 2008, in Virginia’s Piankatank River

alone, CBF and its volunteers planted

nearly 10 million young oysters.

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O P E N S P A C E

CBF’s programs in the waterand on land in Virginiareceived important new aid in2008. CBF will be able to con-tinue its open-space advocacyand smart-growth planningbecause of a donation from theChesterfield Conservancy, whichdisbanded this year. “Thisfunding is absolutely critical toCBF’s efforts in Virginia, and inparticular Chesterfield County,to restore the water quality ofthe Chesapeake Bay and itstributaries through sustainableland use,” said Ann Jen nings,CBF’s Executive Director inVirginia.

P R O T E C T I N GW E T L A N D SA N D W I L D L I F EA R O U N D G O L F C O U R S E S

In Maryland this year, CBForganized its first golf tourna-ment—an event designed todraw attention to environmen-tally responsible course man-agement. About 175 golfersenjoyed the “Akridge Save the

Bay Classic” on May 8 at theQueenstown Harbor course onMaryland’s Eastern Shore. The

course was recently recognizedby Audubon International as a“certified cooperative sanctu-ary.” The owner, the BrickCompanies, which was also thepresenting sponsor of the tour-nament, allowed key portionsof the land—once farm fields—to grow back into a naturalstate, with wide buffer strips oftrees, grasses, and wetlandsflanking the Chester River andother waterways. Rainwater iscaptured in ponds and used forirrigation, helping to conservewater. The ponds are stockedwith species of fish that haveravenous appetites for algae,eliminating the need for chem-ical algae poisons.

The event was possible becauseof the support of many envi-ronmentally minded sponsors,including the title sponsor,

Akridge, a Washington-basedcommercial real estate firm thatfocuses on sustainable design.

“Lessening the human impacton the environment is a must,”said John E. “Chip” Akridge,III, Chairman of Akridge. “Thistournament allowed us to standwith the Chesapeake BayFoundation and the other ‘Savethe Bay Classic’ sponsors whoshare this goal.”

Overall, donors to theChesapeake Bay Foundation in2008 saw substantial returnson their investments. Becauseof their generosity, less nitrogenpollution will harm the Bay,urban stormwater will be betterfiltered, tens of thousands oftrees will be planted, streamswill run clearer, and childrenwill know why all this matters.And all these steps point to abrighter future for theChesapeake Bay.

ABOVE: Instead ofchemical fer tilizer,recycled and pel-letized chicken man -ure is spread atQueenstown Harbor tohelp keep the coursegreen. Less pesticideis sprayed than on anaverage golf course.

CBF donors in 2008 saw substantial

returns on their investments.

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F I N A N C I A LO V E R V I E W

CBF’s management practices ensure that operating funds raised in the cur rent year as well as the capital campaign funds pledged inprevious years are effectively put to use to suppor t programs to save the Bay.

F I N A N C I A L S U M M A R Y F O R T H E F I S C A L Y E A R E N D I N G O N J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 0 8

E X P E N S E S

2 0 0 8

54%Grants and Gifts

79%Program Services

7%General &

Administrative

14%Fundraising

24%Membership

Contributions

12 %Investment

Income

6%Education Contracts

and Tuition

S U P P O R T A N D R E V E N U E

2 0 0 8

Membership Contributions 5,130,217

Grants and Gifts 11,341,562

Education Contracts & Tuition 1,160,718

Investment Income 2,435,992

Other 943,599

Funds raised in prior years to support FY08 expenses 2,298,984

Total Support and Revenue $23,311,072

4%Other

P R O G R A M S E R V I C E S

Environmental Education 6,323,551Environmental Protection & Restoration 8,853,805Communications 3,175,809

Total program services 18,353,165

S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

General & Administrative 1,742,560Fundraising 3,215,347

Total support services 4,957,907

Total Expenses $23,311,072

A B O U T T H E C O V E RCBF successes in federal legislation, environmental education, and habitatand fishery restoration during 2008 advanced the foundation’s primarygoal: to save the Bay and its rivers and streams. Photo: Ian Plant

P H O T O C R E D I T S : inside

front cover: Kelly McMahon Willettepage 1: Ron Nichols/NRCS page 2: Tim McCabe/NRCSpage 3: from left to right: John Surrick/CBF Staff, Jennifer Cassou/CBF Staff;

bottom: Nikki Davispage 4: Nikki Davispage 5: top left to right: Charlene Ihrig/CBF Staff, Becky Hollandpage 6: Beth LeFebvre page 7: top to bottom: Bill Portlock/CBF Staff, Alex MacLennan,

Alex MacLennanpage 8: top to bottom: Tom Zolper/CBF Staff; CBF staffpage 9: top to bottom: CBF Staff, Tom Ackerman/CBF Staff

page 10: Bill Portlock/CBF Staffpage 11: from left to right: Kim Patten/CBF Staff, CBF Staff, CBF Staff;

bottom: CBF Staffpage 12: The Brick Companypage 13: Hal S. Korberpage 17: photo courtesy of John Levinsonpage 19: photo courtesy of the Patterson familypage 20: Dave Hartcorn

CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED

The Chesapeake Bay’s 64,000-square-milewatershed covers parts of six states and ishome to more than 17 million people.

O f f i c e r sD. Keith Campbell, ChairmanJames E. Rogers, Vice ChairmanSusan S. Phillips, SecretaryArnold I. Richman, TreasurerWilliam C. Baker, President

T r u s t e e sMyrtha L. AllenDonald F. Boesch, Ph.D.John T. Casteen, IIIRichard L. FranyoG. Waddy GarrettAlan R. GriffithCarolyn GroobeyMichael J. HanleyVirginia R. HoltonJennifer B. HortonRobert A. KinsleyHarry T. LesterWayne A. MillsCharles W. Moorman, IVW. Tayloe Murphy, Jr.Marie W. RidderAlexis G. SantTruman T. Semans Simon Sidamon-EristoffJennifer StanleyThomas H. StonerMichael WatsonJohn R. Whitmore Anthony A. Williams Alan L. Wurtzel

H o n o r a r y T r u s t e e sLouisa C. DuemlingC. A. Porter HopkinsBurks B. LaphamT. Gaylon Layfield, IIIH.F. LenfestM. Lee MarstonCharles McC. MathiasH. Turney McKnightGodfrey A. RockefellerRussell C. ScottEdmund A. Stanley, Jr.Aileen Bowdoin Train

E x - O f f i c i oT r u s t e e sGovernor Martin O’MalleyGovernor Timothy M. Kaine Governor Edward G. RendellMayor Adrian M. FentyJoanne S. Berkley Bay Care

ChapterHal C. B. Clagett Clagett Trustee Peter Gnoffo York Chapter

S e n i o r S t a f fWilliam C. Baker,

PresidentEdward T. Allenby

Vice President for DevelopmentDon R. Baugh

Vice President for EnvironmentalEducation, Doherty Chair forEnvironmental Education

Elizabeth T. BuckmanVice President forCommunications

Charles D. Foster, Jr.Chief of Staff

Roy A. HoaglandVice President for EnvironmentalProtection & Restoration

Fay R. NanceChief Financial Officer

Mary Tod WinchesterVice President for Administration

Kim L. CobleExecutive Director, Maryland

Matthew J. EhrhartExecutive Director, Pennsylvania

Ann F. JenningsExecutive Director, Virginia

Debbie L. BoydDirector of Human Resources

Jon A. MuellerLitigation Director

Printed on recycled, recyclable paper. 11/08.

L E A D E R S H I P

MarylandPhilip Merrill Environmental Center6 Herndon AvenueAnnapolis, MD 21403410/268-8816

PennsylvaniaThe Old Water Works Building614 North Front Street, Suite GHarrisburg, PA 17101717/234-5550

VirginiaCapitol Place1108 East Main Street, Suite 1600Richmond, VA 23219804/780-1392

District of Columbia725 8th Street, SEWashington, DC 20003202/544-2232

Website: cbf.orgE-mail: chesapeake@cbf.orgMembership information: 888/SAVEBAY (728-3229)

25

Campaigns

In an effort to force the nation’s leadingenvironmental agency to keep its promiseto clean up a national treasure, a group

including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation(CBF), watermen, environmentalists, andformer elected officials has notified theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)that it intends to file a federal suit to forceEPA to require pollution reduction in theChesapeake Bay.

The notice letter to enforce the Clean WaterAct, issued on October 29, is required forany citizen lawsuit against EPA.

Joining CBF in the action were the VirginiaState Waterman’s Association, theMaryland Watermen’s Association, theMaryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s

Association, former Maryland GovernorHarry Hughes, retired Maryland SenatorBernie Fowler, former Virginia legislatorand Natural Resources Secretary TayloeMurphy, and former Washington D.C.Mayor Anthony Williams.

“People are outraged with the lack ofprogress,” said CBF President William C.Baker at a press conference announcing theaction. “Over the last 25 years, Chesa peakeBay restoration efforts have been litteredwith promises broken and commitmentsunfulfilled. It is time that EPA either step upto the plate, or be held legally accountablefor its failure to comply with the law andfulfill the commitment to reduce pollutionsufficiently to have the Bay removed fromthe federal ‘impaired waters’ list by 2010.”

Eight years ago, the administrator ofEPA, a representative of the ChesapeakeBay Commission, three governors, andthe mayor of the District of Columbiasigned a regional pact known as theChesapeake 2000 agreement. In theagreement, they promised to take thenecessary steps to curb pollutiondegrading the nation’s largest estuary by2010. But EPA recently admitted thatwith the current programs and policies,that goal might not be achieved until2020 or later.

CBF and its allies have called on the EPAadministrator to establish a deadline of2010 to have programs and funding inplace to achieve the pollution reductiongoal. The group wants EPA to meet 80percent of the goal by 2012, and com-plete the task by 2015. The signers callfor serious consequences for missingthose deadlines.

“If the signatories to the numerousChesapeake Bay agreements, especially the2000 agreement, are not held accountablefor the commitments made in those agree-ments, the Bay will never be saved,” TayloeMurphy said. “Contracts are made to beperformed, not ignored.”

The legal action targets EPA because it isthe lead agency in enforcement of theClean Water Act. EPA has 60 days torespond to the notice of intent to sue letter.

This past July, the Bay suffered itsfourth worst “dead zone” since 1985.Pollution is also a major factor in thedecline of the Chesapeake’s blue crabpopulation, which is near historiclows. As a result, Maryland andVirginia have severely limited the com-mercial crab harvest, putting manywatermen out of work.

“We are doing this because we’re backed intoa corner. We’ve all been preaching to cleanthe Bay up, with no results,” said LarrySimns, president of the MarylandWatermen’s Association. “We’re at a crucialpoint here, and unless we do something nowwe’re going to lose the Bay completely.”

CBF and Allies Begin LegalAction Against the EPA

CBF President Will Baker, left, former Maryland Senator Bernie Fowler, former Maryland Governor Harry Hughes, CBF Litigation Director Jon Mueller, and Maryland Watermen’s Association

President Larry Simns discuss the notice of intent to sue letter sent to EPA for its failure to honor its agreement to clean up the Bay.

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26 Winter 2008 ● cbf.org

Bay Briefs

Policy Priorities ’09: BuffersRecent research has provided more evidencefor a fundamental conservation principle:Forested buffer areas along rivers and creekshelp keep pollutants out of waterways.

Findings show that wooded sections ofstreams remove two to eight times morenitrogen pollution, and have five timesmore total life, than grass-buffered sectionsalong the same waterways.

The research, by CBF partner StroudWater Research Center, provides addition-al support for a new state environmentalinitiative. Buffers 100 seeks to broaden theuse of forested buffers through regulatorychanges that would require 100-footbuffers along streams for all new develop-ment. CBF and many state partners backthe plan.

Since 1999, the Stroud Center, thePennsylvania Department of Conservationand Natural Resources (DCNR), and CBFhave hosted sessions on stream ecology forconservation professionals. They recentlyhosted decision-makers from across thestate to discuss the Buffers 100 initiative.

�Learn more about Buffers 100 atwww.pacleanwatercampaign.org.

Citizens Endorse Bond for ImprovedWater Quality Pennsylvanians voted overwhelmingly forclean water on November 4th, approvingan important statewide water and sewerinfrastructure bond referendum. The ballotquestion asked voters to support an alloca-tion of $400 million to help communitiesthroughout the commonwealth fund nec-essary upgrades to wastewater and drink-ing water facilities.

Eligible projects include ones that willcover the repair, construction, or expan-sion of existing systems—all needed tomeet the needs of growing populations andreduce water pollution in Pennsylvaniawaterways. In many cases, the upgradesare required to fulfill federal and state cleanwater mandates.

“Without state funding, including the $400million bond referendum, the cost toupgrade these vital services would bepassed along to Pennsylvania ratepayers,”said Matt Ehrhart, CBF PennsylvaniaExecutive Director. “These new statefunds will help our communi-ties begin to address waterand sewer upgrade needs.”

Manure-to-Compost ProjectShows CommercialSuccess

With the help of agrant from the NationalFish and WildlifeFoundation, CBF has launcheda promising project to convertvarious types of manure, amajor source of pollution inLancaster County, into com-post for landscaping projects.

The production of compost from manure,which might otherwise be applied to theland untreated, would help limit nitrogenand phosphorus pollution that runs offLancaster farmland and into the nearbyConestoga River, the Susquehanna, andthe Bay.

In Lancaster this summer, about 4,000cubic yards of the manure-based com-post were sold at market value for localathletic fields and golf courses.Additionally, CBF coordinated the deliv-ery of nearly 2,000 tons to an abandonedmine land reclamation project inClearfield County. The compost is beingused as a soil amendment, which will aidthe regrowth of vegetation on the site.

CBF plans to continue to explore addition-al markets for the compost, such as plantnurseries, road maintenance, and urbanstormwater management projects in south-central Pennsylvania.

�For more information on how CBF is work-ing to protect Pennsylvania waters, visitcbf.org/Pennsylvania.

Voters support a bond issueto modernize watertreatment systems.

PENNSYLVANIA

CBF STAFF

A CBF project that transforms manure intocompost for landscaping has proven

commercially successful in south-central Pennsylvania.

Forested buffers along streams remove up toeight times more nitrogen pollution than grass,

new findings show.

WWW.HAWXHURST.COM

Bay Briefs

heart of Mattawoman Creek—“the best”spawning and nursery tributary formigratory fish in the entire ChesapeakeBay, according to state biologists.Opponents say the road will create sig-nificant sprawl in a critical environmen-tal area.

�For the latest updates on the project, visitwww.cbf.org/smartergrowth.

Oysters Gain Ground in SevernMillions of young oysters got an improvedshot at survival this fall, taking up resi-dence on a Severn River reef built fromrecycled concrete from the Bay Bridge. Theoysters, which are natural filters for pollu-tants in the water, were planted nearAsquith Creek by CBF and the MarylandDepartment of Natural Resources.

The reef project was made possible by animpressive alliance of public and privategroups, with funding from the MarylandLegislative Sportsmen’s Foundation and theMaryland Transportation Authority.

Concrete for the reef was taken from thewestbound re-decking of the Bay Bridge.Engineers did extensive testing to ensure

the reef allowed a minimum of 10 feet ofclearance for boats.

The Asquith reef is off-limits to harvests.Traditionally, old oyster shells serve as foun-dation for new growth, but the current oys-ter population is so depleted that few shellsexist, threatening restoration of the species.

�Learn more about CBF’s oyster restorationefforts at cbf.org/oysters

Keith Campbell Honored

Keith Campbell, theChairman of CBF’sBoard of Trustees,has received theMaryland Chapterof the Associationof Fundraising Pro-fessionals’ 2008Outstanding Philan-thropist of the YearAward. Nominated by CBF and chosen bya jury of past recipients, Campbell was rec-ognized for his generous support of 64Maryland nonprofits, including CBF. Hisfoundation, The Keith CampbellFoundation for the Environment, meetswith Bay leaders to determine where envi-ronmental grants will be most effective, col-laborating with scientists, permit writers,and other foundations to find new solu-tions to old problems.

�For more information on how CBF isworking to protect Maryland waters, visitcbf.org/Maryland or call 410/268-8816.

Managing Growth to Prevent Pollution

During the 2009 session of the Marylandlegislature, CBF will partner with otherconservation organizations on passage of abill to reform the state’s approach to growthmanagement.

Currently, Maryland law offers incentives toencourage smart growth, but the programs donot work well and developers often find itcheaper to build in outlying areas instead ofnear existing roads, sewer connections, and

other infrastructure. Allthis adds further pres-sure to the environ-ment.

The proposed reformslook to expandMaryland’s existingsmart growth programto better address theproblem of sprawl.

“Growth management reform is needednow. As our state prepares for unprece-dented population expansion in the com-ing years, rural development trends mustbe reversed to stop farm and forest landlosses, reduce pressure on roads and otherpublic services, and stem the decline in thehealth of the Bay,” said Kim Coble, CBF’sMaryland Executive Director.

State Delays Decision on WetlandsDestructionOfficials with the Maryland Department ofthe Environment (MDE) have postponed adecision on whether to allow CharlesCounty to destroy seven acres of wetlandsto build the proposed Cross CountyConnector highway. The announcementcame after more than 1,500 CBF membersfrom Maryland urged Governor MartinO’Malley to intervene in the case.

Charles County’s government wants toroute the four-lane highway through the

As the state prepares forunprecedented population

growth, CBF calls for a betterpolicy to control sprawl.

MARYLAND

The rapid development of farms and open spacesputs further pressure on the Bay’s water quality.CBF supports a new policy to contain sprawl.

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CBF’s Patricia Campbell was used to plant millions of young oysters on a protectedreef in the Severn River. The boat was named for the wife of CBF Board Chairman

Keith Campbell, who funded the construction of the vessel.

28 Winter 2008 ● cbf.org

Bay Briefs

Study Evaluates Asian Oyster;CBF Recommends Restoration ofNative Species The federal government, Maryland, andVirginia have released a long-awaited DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement (DEIS)evaluating options to restore theChesapeake Bay’s oyster population,including a proposal to introduce a non-native oyster species from Asia.

The study, made public on October 14,neither recommends nor opposes theintroduction. But after following theresearch conducted for the DEIS, partici-pating in its scientific review, and examin-ing its conclusions, officials from CBF andThe Nature Conservancy said that restor-ing the native Chesapeake oyster holds thebest promise—for citizens, the oysterindustry, and the Bay itself.

“Given the available information, the com-bination of native oyster aquaculture andenhanced native restoration clearly pro-vides the best potential for progress withthe least amount of risk,” said CBFPresident William C. Baker.

The report says that the introduction ofnon-native oysters would be irreversible,and that Asian oysters would likely spread

to other waters outside the ChesapeakeBay, with unknown ecological conse-quences.

CBF Senior Scientist Bill Goldsboroughsaid that the report presents serious

potential risks to the Chesapeake oys-ter, the Bay, and the Atlantic coast

from the introduction of the Asianoyster. Furthermore, it does not

indicate that the expectedbenefits of the Asian oysterwould outweigh the risks.“We need to be sure that theintroduction will not result

in significant problems,” saidGoldsborough. “Our review of

the DEIS indicates that this bur-den of proof has not been met.”

Instead, cultivation of native oys-ters on sanctuary reefs and in commer-

cial aquaculture operations should besupported, Goldsborough said. “The sci-entific community is generally positiveabout the prospects for native oysterrestoration,” he said, citing successfulprojects in Virginia and Maryland. But theBay’s degraded habitat, poor water quality,and sedimentation are key limitations forChesapeake oysters, he said. They willcontinue to hamper restoration if they arenot addressed. The same factors are alsolikely to hinder a successful introductionof Asian oysters.

�Submit comments on the draft study, availableonline at www.nao.usace.army.mil/OysterEIS,to Mark.T.Mansfield@usace.army.mil or c/oDepartment of the Army, Norfolk District,Corps of Engineers, Attn: Mr. Mark Mansfield,Planning and Policy Branch, Fort Norfolk, 803Front Street, Norfolk, VA 23510.

�To learn more about the introduction of theAsian oyster, visit cbf.org/oysterstudy.

Federal Disaster Aid for BayWatermen

This fall, national commercial fisheries disas-ter asssistance funds were included in anappropriations bill passed by Congress andsigned into law, thanks in large part to thework of Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski.The measure will provide aid for Chesapeakewatermen, whose livelihood is threatened bythe steep declines in the blue crab catch.

In response Secretary of Commerce CarlosGutierrez granted an emergency disasterdeclaration for the severely diminishedChesapeake Bay peeler and soft crab industries, and NOAA’s Fisheries Serviceannounced that up to $20 million of thefederal appropration may be used by Virginiaand Maryland to provide disaster relief toaffected communities. The two states aredeveloping plans to be submitted to theFisheries Service to use the available funds.

�For more information on how CBF is work-ing at the federal level to protect and restorethe Bay and its tributaries, visit cbf.org/dc orcall 202/544-2232.

A new report saysintroduction of Asian oysters

in the Bay would be“irreversible.”

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

As the harvest of blue crabs continued itsdecline, Congress approved federal assistance

for those affected by fisheries disasters.

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With serious questions surrounding the impact of an Asianoyster introduction, CBFscientists say restoration ofthe native species is a better option.

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Support for Farm Stewardship SoughtCBF and a diverse coalition will seek econom-ic stimulus investments in Governor Kaine’sand the General Assembly’s 2010 budget.

Governor Kaine recently reported that agri-culture contributes more than $55 billionannually to Virginia’s economy, employingan estimated 357,000 people. Whileacknowledging the state’s budget con-straints, the partners contend that agricul-ture is a critically important economic andenvironmental sector that requires publicand private investment.

In 2008, state legislators established theVirginia Natural Resources CommitmentFund to provide greater state support forconservation programs that help farmersimprove water quality. The Fund is an idealvehicle for investments in jobs and cleanwater; therefore, adequate and consistentfunding of it is essential for sustaining thecommonwealth’s economy.

Without addressing runoff, Virginia’s cleanwater goals will not be met. Farm runoffcontributes a third or more of the nitrogenplaguing Virginia waterways. Agriculturalconservation practicesoffer the most cost-effec-tive tools for reducing thatpollution and in Virginiacan remove as much as 12million pounds of nitro-gen from the ChesapeakeBay. Combined with pol-lution reductions fromsewage treatment plants,such farm practices wouldachieve 90 percent ofVirginia’s Chesapeake Baypollution clean-up goals.

Failure to achieve the Bay clean-up goalswill devastate Virginia’s commercial andrecreational fishing industries.

Conservation practices can be costly forfarmers, who typically pay half of the out-of-pocket costs. Last year, one of everythree farmers seeking state cost-share assis-tance was turned away due to lack of fund-ing. That leaves farmers frustrated, statewaterways polluted, and the common-wealth’s economy weakened.

“Investments in farm stewardship practicescan serve to stimulate the economy andimprove water quality,” CBF VirginiaExecutive Director Ann Jennings said.

CBF Urges Stricter Stormwater RulesCBF and partners including the JamesRiver Association are pushing for stricterregulations governing the stormwater thatruns off Virginia streets, parking lots, andconstruction sites.

Recent studies have shown that stormwa-ter, which accounts for a quarter of theBay’s nitrogen, phosphorus, and sedimentpollution, is on the rise. As pollution fromsewage treatment and agriculture havedeclined, contaminants from urban areas

have increased, under-mining past cleanupprogress. CBF and itspartners have called fornew requirements—numeric limits and con-ditions—designed to pro-tect water quality in theface of Virginia’s growingurban and suburbanlandscape.

“Our existing stormwaterregulations are not work-

ing,” CBF Virginia Staff Scientist MikeGerel told Virginia Department ofConservation and Recreation (DCR) offi-cials at a September hearing. “Twenty yearsafter our first stormwater regulations, weare simply allowing too much pollutionfrom construction sites, neighborhoods,and cities to reach our waterways.

“The costs to improve management ofstorm-water now will pale in comparisonto the costs of inaction that communitieswill pay later in the form of lost fishing,tourism, and property values and provid-ing clean drinking water. We must moveforward with new regulations that allowVirginia to accommodate both futuregrowth and healthy waters.”

Despite considerable opposition, Virginiaadvanced strengthened regulations to pub-lic comment, likely to begin in spring 2009.

�For more information on stormwater regu-lations, contact Mike Gerel at mgerel@cbf.org.

Rally for Clean WaterJoin hundreds of clean water supporters inRichmond’s Capitol Square on January 26,2009, at the Rally for Clean Water. Yourpresence will remind legislators that resi-dents across the commonwealth supportthe protection of our rivers, streams, andthe Chesapeake Bay.

�Sign up today at cbf.org/CleanWaterRally.To learn more about how CBF is working toprotect Virginia waters, visit cbf.org/Virginiaor call 804/780-1392.

Bay Briefs

To achieve Bay cleanup goals,CBF urges state support

for conservation practicesby farmers.

VIRGINIA

CBF Fisheries Specialist TommyLeggett, left, shared his oysterexpertise with celebrity chef EmerilLagasse during an hour-longThanksgiving special on the PlanetGreen network.

Providing support to farmers in order to improvewater quality is a CBF priority in the 2009

General Assembly.

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Supporters rallied for clean water during agathering in Richmond’s Capitol Square in 2006.

CBF will repeat the event on January 26, 2009.

n Baltimore, a city of row houses, a streamcalled the Stony Run nourishes a cathedral

of trees. The creek runs near my frontporch and is the heart of my neighbor-hood. The gnarled roots of sycamores dan-gle into the waters like the fingers of oldmen. My daughters run down to the streamafter school to mold cats from the clay.Acres of lush parkland fringethe waterway—creating anoasis of peace amid the rack-et and violence of urban life.

The river is a gatheringplace for families, many ofwhom decided to raise theirchildren here because of thepark. So when Baltimorelaunched a massive projectto rebuild the Stony Run three years ago,many neighbors were outraged. Why fixwhat is good? The project required cut-ting down more than 150 trees and bull-dozing the creek to flatten its banks andarmor the shores with lines of boulders.The goal was to reduce erosion and cutdown on the amount of sediment flow-ing downstream into Baltimore Harbor.

In late 2006, the rebuilding was done—and the stream looked awful. But thensomething miraculous happened. Thepools of water formed by the new damsbecame breeding grounds for thousands ofgreen frogs, bull frogs, and Americantoads. Their singing grew to a boisterousbayou chorus. My daughters forgot about

their lost clay mines in their scramble tocatch frogs on the riverbanks. Hardy littlefish called black-nosed dace dartedbetween the rocks. Before the project, thestream was pretty but dead. Today, thestream remains attractive, as the contrac-tors spared many of the grand oldsycamores. And now the creek swarms

with crayfish the size of small lobsters. AsI walk among the newly planted treesalong the resurrected creek, I can see cray-fish shoot like volleys of arrows beneaththe glassy water.

The rebuilding of streams like this has beenhappening increasingly across theChesapeake Bay region over the last twodecades—and this is only one kind ofrestoration project. Environmental restora-tion efforts also include planting strips oftrees along creeks on farms, as well asbuilding oyster beds and wetlands. Theseprojects have the potential not only to mul-tiply wildlife—which I witnessed—butalso to improve water quality and createjobs during a time of recession.

The construction can look messy, at first—and often these programs don’t haveenough money to go as far as they should.For example, the Stony Run project didn’tdo anything to stop polluted runoff that,during rainfalls, gushes into the streamfrom nearby parking lots. These lots couldalso be rebuilt, so they absorb rain instead

of funneling it into the creek.

But even when restorationprojects are limited, theycan spark the unexpectedand magical. For example,at 5 a.m. one morning, Iawoke in a cold sweat tohear what sounded likeinsane monkeys shriekingfrom the treetops outside

my bedroom window. As it turned out,the bizarre sounds came from barredowls. The predators normally live in thedeep forest, but they had moved to thecity to prey on the crayfish in the rebuiltStony Run. My wife was on the hammockon our porch when a large barred owlswooped down, perched on a branch andstared at her like a character from a HarryPotter movie. We’ve adopted the owl asour familiar, and as a symbol of ourstream’s rebirth.

Last Look

30 Winter 2008 � cbf.org

Tom Pelton is Senior Writer forthe Chesapeake Bay Foundation.He lives in the Evergreen neigh-borhood of Baltimore with hiswife and two daughters.

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A StreamRebornBy Tom Pelton

These projects have the potentialnot only to multiply wildlife, but alsoto improve water quality and create

jobs during a time of recession.”“

Typically deep-woods creatures, barred owls were attracted to the new crayfish populationin Baltimore’s rebuilt Stony Run.

Show your supportwith a gift from

CBF’s online store.

To see thecomplete selection,

visitcbf.org/store.

Remember the Baythis Holiday!

CARRY YOUR MESSAGE IN STYLEThis high-quality canvas totecomes with your choice ofimprints: a blue crab or“Save the Bay” life ring.

WARM UP YOUR WINTERThis fitted fleece jacket,embroidered with the CBF logo,is available in colors and stylesfor everyone on your list.

GET A FREE GIFT WITH YOUR PURCHASECBF’s 2009 wall calendar features prize-winning photographs frommembers across the Bay region. Get one free with your purchase of$50 or more.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

2009 MEMBER CALENDAR

START A TRADITIONThis first-in-a-series, collectible ornament fromSalisbury Pewter Company is engraved on theback to commemorate the year and your supportof the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

REMEMBER FRIENDS AND FAMILYDesigned exclusively for CBF,these elegant holiday cardsare printed on 100 percentrecycled stock.

Save the BayLet’s leave a legacy of clean water for our children.

Find out how you can help at cbf.org.

Do it for Matthew.

Chesapeake Bay FoundationPhilip Merrill Environmental Center

6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403410/268-8816

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDSouthern, MD

Permit No. 305

On the cover: Ice floes grind against giant boulders in the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna is the Chesapeake Bay's largest tributary,delivering half of its fresh water as well as a heavy load of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Photo by Ian Plant