Nanticokecurrents

Winter | 2018

CONSERVING THE NATUR AL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCES OF THE NANTICOKE RI V E R W ATERSHED River Plants Choosing the Right Tree Oyster Gardening

Learn more about the Being eco-friendly around the Learn how some proud unique ecosystems that holidays isn’t always easy. oyster parents are helping exist within the wetlands of We’ve got some tree picking to clean up the Nanticoke the lower Nanticoke. tips to get you started! River and . See page 8 See page 12 See page 2.

We’ve finally got all our ducks in a row!

We’ve got a plan. After interviewing our stakeholders, we’ve created a prioritized strategic plan that will help guide our growth over the next several years. Learn more on page 17. Oyster Gardening

Oyster Gardening Returns to the Nanticoke

This autumn, oyster spat (baby oysters on shell) settled into the waters of the lower Nanticoke, thanks to the volunteer efforts of ten residents in the Tyaskin-Bivalve- Nanticoke area and the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP). The spat are provided by Horn Point Laboratory. While we normally wouldn’t suggest putting babies in cages, oyster spat will do just fine in their comfy enclosures, hanging a few inches above the river’s bottom this winter. Although oysters can safely freeze in the water, they are sensitive to freezing air temperatures and can die if exposed too long. As the weather warms, the volunteers will tend to the oysters and make observations. In late spring, the ORP will collect the oysters for placement in the Nanticoke sanctuary. Oysters play a major role in the history in the Chesapeake region, including the notorious Oyster Wars. Oysters grown in farms (aquaculture) support a number of businesses in the Chesapeake, and of course, some wild oysters are still harvested in the and in other Bay waterways. In addition to supporting livelihoods and satisfying appetites, oysters serve as nutrient-gulping superweapons, each capable of filtering up to 50 gallons per day! With the Nanticoke’s high nitrogen levels and moderate phosphorus levels in the lower Nanticoke, oysters can play a role in improving water quality by feasting on these nutrients. In addition, volunteers are able to care for these young oysters and learn more about them and other critters in the Nanticoke.

Want to be a proud oyster parent next year and live in an area that supports oysters (lower Nanticoke only)? Contact Beth Wasden for more information. Creekwatchers Concludes Eleventh Season From Bridgeville to Nanticoke, from Federalsburg to (almost) Georgetown, the Nanticoke Creekwatchers program covers a wide geographic range and aims to collect a comprehensive suite of data regarding the health of our local waterways.

Nanticoke

Creekwatchers Our amazing 36 citizen scientists, private landowners, drop-off site owners, partner labs, technical and financial supporters, and staff members are all required to make this program happen each year, and we’re grateful for all of their support!

Volunteers served around 1,100 hours throughout the season, which ran from March through early November. These volunteers collected up to three water samples (nutrients, bacteria, and chlorophyll a), measured dissolved oxygen, salinity (tidal) or conductivity (nontidal), water temperature, total water depth, and water clarity directly in waterways, and made observations about their sites. Creekwatchers collect data on several waterways and on sections of the Nanticoke River that are not otherwise monitored on a regular basis (or any basis!), which allows us to better understand the health of the entire Nanticoke River region and its creeks. The data also helps us develop targeted programs.

We’re currently working with the data that our Creekwatchers collected and will be uploading to both the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (https://cmc.vims.edu/) and to Water Reporter (https://www.waterreporter.org/) in the next few months. The CMC service will feed into the Chesapeake Bay Program database, and as always, we’ll share with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and to the Department of the Environment. The 2018 Nanticoke River Report Card will be released in June.

Thanks to 2018 program partners Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, DNREC, Envirocorp Labs Inc., Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Integration and Application Network.

If you’d like to join the 2019 Nanticoke Creekwatchers team, please contact Beth Wasden. EnvironmentalNanticoke Creekwatchers Education Program Concludes Eleventh Season

Our education department has been busy this fall. We hosted field trips, gave classroom lessons, held a workshop, hosted an art contest, helped coordinate tree plantings, and helped young artists find a home for their recycled sculptures.

The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance hosted field trips at and The Ward Museum for all the seventh grade students in Wicomico County. Kids explored topics in water quality, ecology, and human impacts on the environment. Our staff also visited classrooms to give lessons to the seventh graders about how they can help protect their watershed.

On November 7 and 10, the NWA hosted an educators’ workshop that connected participants with local wildlife. Read more about how we brought together students and teachers through our Aquatic Wild workshop and our “Water You Doing” drawing contest on page 7.

We helped fund a tree planting at the Jefferson School that gave over 70 students the chance to plant more than 200 trees. Some of these same students later created sculptures out of recycled garbage! You can check out this art exhibit at the Laurel Public Library until February when it will be moved to the Nanticoke River Arts Council’s gallery in Seaford. Environmental Education

“Humans produce about 200 billion pounds of plastic each year; about 10% of that ends up in the ocean. Though some of it remains intact, most breaks into ever-smaller pieces, many less than 1/100th of an inch long. In the most pollut- ed areas, trawl seines (nets) have found six times as much plastic as plankton. Many of the particles are swallowed by aquatic creatures, especially filter feeders. As a result, plastics are showing up in the bodies of animals through- out the food chain--including some of the fish we eat. Scientists have even found plastic in table salt derived from sea salt!

‘Cleaning up what is out there is really not feasible, and would likely cause as much harm as good,’ says Kara Law, oceanographer with the Sea Island Association. ‘So what's left is hoping that nature breaks this plastic down over hundreds of years or millennia. Ultimately, we need to prevent adding to what is out there.’”

Bill Nelson, The Jefferson School Educators’ Workshop

The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance hosted a successful educators’ workshop this fall. The workshop was a free, two-day event that provided informal and formal educators with the resources they needed to get their students outside and discovering. Participants received certification to teach the Aquatic Wild curriculum, part of Project Wild’s array of nature-based, experiential learning.

The workshop started on November 7 at Seaford High School with a short presentation by NWA’s Education Coordinator, Evan Deckers. A “critter encounter” program followed that featured reptiles and insects that can be found in our watershed. Ranger Bob Kreiter from Salisbury Zoo helped instructors engage with a large black rat snake, a diamondback terrapin, a fishing spider, and many other cool creepy- crawlies you can find in your own backyard!

On November 10, educators gathered at Trap Pond’s Baldcypress Nature Center for the second session—professional development. Participants started the day with a rather chilly boat ride into the cypress swamp around the pond. The latter part of the day provided guidance for educators who received an Aquatic Wild curriculum guide after the workshop came to a close. Claire Mickletz of Bellevue State Park presented the history of the Project Wild, how to use the guide, and gave participants a chance to present a lesson from the new curriculum to get familiar with the content.

This workshop and the art contest on the following page were both funded, in part, through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency under a Chesapeake Bay Signatory Implementation Grant provided by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Art Contest The “Water You Doing” art contest has come to an end and nine students have been chosen as winners. Grand prize winners will get to see their art turned into street art in the spring! The NWA is placing large stickers, made from the students’ art, near storm drains at Laurel Middle School, Laurel Public Library, and Gallery 107 (Nanticoke River Arts Council).

Congratulations to our winners: Elementary:

Lucas Wise - Honorable Mention Kingston O’Neil - Second Place Cameron Conolley Davidt - Grand Prize Emily Jewell - People’s Choice

Middle School:

Elise Connolly - Honorable Mention Marleigh Curran - Second Place Summer Knupp and Parker Smethurst - Grand Prize Allie Jimmerson - People’s Choice

High School

No Entries

When it rains, litter, motor oil, pet waste, excess fertilizers, and other pollutants get washed down storm drains and dumped into local waterways. Storm drains do not filter out any of these pollutants, so what goes into the storm drain will be dumped into the nearest river. Our actions on land can have big impacts on the health of nearby bodies of water. The contest encouraged students to think about how they can positively impact their local waterways and show this in their art. The street stickers remind us that our storm drains flow right into local streams and rivers and carry away anything left on the street or poured down them.

See you next April for the second “Water You Doing” art contest! Contact Evan Deckers at (410)443-8878 or [email protected] for entry forms and info. The Nanticoke’s “River of Grass”

reeks lined with a sea of grasses, meander through the salt marsh as they reach out for the lower Nanticoke River. A Common Tern hovers over the water, search- Cing for a shrimp while a Red-winged Blackbird looks out from its perch, from the top of a salt marsh grass.

Salt marshes and their mud flats form along the coast at sites sheltered from the

direct forces of the sea. Their soils consist of fine silt, mud, clays, and peat

(decomposing plant matter). Marsh plants protect the coast by buffering the strength of storm waves, and they function like a sponge and absorbing flood waters. Most importantly, tidal marshes are recognized as one the world’s most productive ecosystems.

The ecosystem is divided between low and high marsh, often with a rise in elevation of less than an inch between them. Mud flats border the low marsh. Exposed at low tide, the flats are home for a number of creatures such as the Eastern mud snails

(Ilyanassa obsoleta). It has occasionally been described as a “non-selective vacuum

cleaner.” Using its ability to chemically detect (chemoreception) microscopic algae,

tiny worms, and the remains of fish or crustaceans, the snail explores its habitat for its next meal. The mud flats also function as habitat for marsh periwinkles, small clusters of ribbed mussels partially buried in the mud and scurrying mud fiddler crabs that emerge from their burrows in a receding tide. Two other species of fiddler crab inhabit Chesapeake Bay’s marshes: the sand fiddler and the most common of these Mud snail, Ilyanassa obsolete River of Grass

crustaceans in the Chesapeake, the red- jointed fiddler crab. Male fiddler crabs are equipped with one large claw used to attract a female and a small claw used for feeding. Females have two small claws, making it much easier for them to feed on tiny organisms in the soil. Fiddler crabs serve as prey items for blue crabs, Mud fiddler crabs, Uca pugnax at low tide herons, egrets, and racoons.

Smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) dominates the low marsh, an area that is regularly flooded by sea and brackish water during flood tides. The grass grows three to seven feet in height, producing small white flowers that bloom during mid to late summer. Its complex root system helps prevent erosion by binding the creek’s mud. Snow Geese feed on its roots and rhizomes. Among salt marsh’s residents, the purple marsh crab (Sesarma reticulatum) routinely dines directly on the stems and leaves of cordgrass. It also burrows into the mud to get to the rhizomes, its favorite part of the plant. The marsh periwinkle (Littorina irrorata) grazes on the surface of cordgrass leaves. It serves as an important food source for blue crabs, mummichogs, diamondback terrapins, birds, and small mammals.

The mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) is but one of commercial and recreational fish that spend most of all of their lives in this habitat. Others include killifish, sheephead minnow, stickelbacks, Atlantic silversides, and American eels. Winter flounder, tautog, alewife, menhaden, bluefish, and striped bass use the marsh mainly as a nursery.

Mummichogs are perfectly adapted to life in a salt marsh. They can tolerate temperatures of up to 950F for short periods and salinity amounts higher than that of ocean water. Some in the Chesapeake Bay even Smooth cordgrass, Mud snail, Ilyanassa obsolete live mainly in freshwater. Spartina alternaflora River of Grass

Spawning for mummichogs begins during the height of a spring tide. The mating pair release their eggs and sperm in a shallow area, on marsh plants, directly on the bottom or inside empty mussel shells. As the tide recedes, the eggs develop while exposed to air until the next spring tide, when they hatch.

Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia ) also spawn in the marsh during a spring tide. Gathering in large schools, they approach the marsh about one hour before high tide. Then, with the tides near their peak, the females enter the marsh Salt marsh hay, Spartina patens and deposit their eggs at the base of saltmarsh cordgrass. They are followed by one or more males that release their milt over the eggs. Occasionally, females have been spotted spawning over the opening of abandoned fiddler crab burrows. Depending on the water temperature, the eggs hatch in three to 20 days. Eggs deposited in cooler water tend to hatch out females; those in warmer water hatch males. It is generally assumed that the early development of females allows them to grow larger than males, thus increasing their potential for producing more eggs. The reproductive strategy makes sense when you consider that the silverside’s life span is generally only one year, though it can occasionally live up to two years.

The high marsh is dominated by plants that are less tolerant of salt. Saltmeadow cordgrass, also known as saltmeadow hay (Spartina patens) grows in areas where flooding occurs mainly during the height of spring tides. This cordgrass grows to a height of two to three feet with long, slender rhizomes, producing a purple Eastern marsh snail, Melampus bidentatus River of Grass flower from June and October. When carefully examined, the less than a ½ inch long salt marsh snail (Melampus bidentatus) can be spotted climbing the cordgrass. During the Colonial period, farmers cut and dried saltmeadow hay for use as fodder and bedding for horses and cattle. It was also installed in the walls of homes and ice houses for insulation. By 1835, salt hay was valued at about $3 per ton. Haying continued through the 1950s when it began to decline. Today, it is used mainly for control of erosion at construction sites and as mulch for home gardens.

Other high marsh plants include the small succulent herb, glasswort (or pickleweed) (Salicornia sp), whose jointed, bright green stems turn red in the fall, the sea oxeye (a yellow daisy-like flower), the marsh mallow (a hibiscus-like flower), and the six to 12 feet tall common reed (Phragmites) that grows along the banks and upland border of the marsh.

Author Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ Everglades: River of Grass speaks to one of the world’s largest wetlands. The subtropical habitat serves a vast number of plants and animals, including 13 endangered and 1 threatened species. Similar to Nanticoke’s “River of Grass” and other salt marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, we must make every effort to preserve these valued ecosystems for future generations. They support up to 70 percent of commercial fish for all or part of their lives, they filter sediment runoff, along with nutrients and toxins, and as was stated earlier, they help protect our shoreline from storms. Glasswort, Salicornia (fall color) By Robert Bachand Holiday Trees

The Great Christmas Tree Debate

Legend has it that the first artificial Christmas trees were made by a company that makes toilet bowl scrubbers. We have come a long way since then!

Like so many other choices in life there are pros and cons to an artificial vs. a real Christmas tree. Most environmentalists tend to lean toward a real tree being the most eco-friendly, but read below and see what you think.

Artificial Tree Pros

 Can be reused year after year Real Tree  Don’t require watering Pros  Don’t cause any loss of habitat Cons  Support local farmers  Help preserve local farmland  PVC plastics release dioxins (cancer causing molecules) over time and  Keep our air clean some older trees were known to  Can be recycled, composted, contain lead mulched, or used to create habitat in your yard  Can’t be recycled Cons  Over 85% are shipped from China, creating a large  Need to be watered carbon foot print  Can be flammable and more likely than many newer artificial trees (treated with fire retardants)  More likely to catch on fire to catch fire  Can cause allergic reaction to some family members

The most eco-friendly choice is to buy a balled and burlapped tree with its roots intact so that can be replanted in the spring. Managing Poultry Waste

The Delmarva Land & Litter Challenge (DLLC), a partnership effort between members of the poultry industry, environmental advocates and regulators, recently invited regional stakeholders to discuss beneficial uses of poultry litter and elect new leadership.

This group seeks to develop consensus-driven solutions that support sustainable and profitable agriculture and healthy local waterways. DLLC invited a wide range of representatives to meet with them at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Wachapreague Lab on November 19. The main discussion topic centered around new ideas for the transportation of poultry litter, moving litter from poultry houses to farms that want it.

Poultry manure (also known as “litter”) is an excellent organic fertilizer that includes phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium and other micronutrients and elements that promote plant growth and soil health. Commercial fertilizer is becoming increasingly expensive and does not offer the same long-term benefit to crop production. Although poultry litter is abundantly available in some areas, many crop farmers around the Chesapeake Bay region have a difficult time getting this valuable commodity.

The cost of transporting the litter between farms and existing state regulations around litter storage present challenges to a streamlined and economically feasible transportation program across Delmarva states. Poultry houses often remove litter from chicken houses in the late fall/early winter but farmers typically cannot spread it until the spring. Overwinter storage can sometimes be difficult, due to state regulations which were enacted to prevent litter from entering local waterways.

The DLLC is looking for solutions to transport poultry litter that make effective use of this resource while also protecting local and Bay water quality. The group is discussing the potential for new incentives for litter transport and new methods for litter disposal as efficient ways to reach local nutrient management targets, also referred to as Phase III Watershed Implementation Plans (WIP III).

Farmers have made much progress toward achieving nutrient reduction goals for the Bay; for instance, agriculture has reduced its annual nitrogen contribution by 17 million pounds since 1985. This work will take on added importance as states in the region design and implement their WIP III practices in 2019. Culverts: Gateways into the Nanticoke River

As part of their Salisbury University Capstone senior seminar project, Matthew Moxey and Alex Crupi volunteered with the NWA. To help reduce County costs and obtain criti- cal data on many of the feeder streams, Wicomico County and NWA partnered to work with the students to conduct assessments of the large number of stream crossings throughout the County in the Nanticoke Watershed. Wicomico County is in the process of doing an extensive watershed study on the Nanticoke River.

The Nanticoke River Watershed encompasses 725,000 acres and is vital to the survival of numerous ecosystems (TNC, 2018). The watershed stretches from the southern most part of Nanticoke, Maryland, and maneuvers north through Vienna, Maryland, until it finally ends, its headwaters terminating in Kent County,Delaware. The watershed acts as a filtration system for stormwater runoff that carries water from its smaller tributaries into the Nanticoke River. In order to successfully reach the Nanticoke River, streams and other waterways must pass through multiple culverts that help maintain water’s natural flow into the river. In Maryland, the Nanticoke River Watershed contains over 100 culverts or stream crossings that allow the movement of water and wildlife under bridges, roads, and railroads. A culvert is commonly identified as a tunnel that carries a stream under manmade infrastructure. These tunnels commonly use metal, plastic, and concrete barrels. Culverts can also be identified as small bridges that expand to as much as 200 feet. They vary in shape; however, most culverts express a circular or rectangular shape. A healthy culvert is crucial to the local environment as it helps mitigate flooding and imitates a natural ecosystem with little environmental impact. Culverts are also important for migrating fish that move upstream for spawning. These streams eventually flow into the Nanticoke River; therefore, it is vital to maintain their natural flow and keep them clean. The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance tasked us with surveying culverts around the Nanticoke River watershed in order to catalog their condition and identify their locations. We measured the length and width of both the culvert and its individual barrels. No single culvert was the same. Therefore, paying attention to detail was essential for each. When finalizing the survey, we captured photographs and recommended whether the culvert be repaired. Culverts In total, we surveyed 49 culverts. We were unable to find three. Twenty-one of the culverts we surveyed are restoration candidates. This means that the culvert should be replaced or the local stream should be repaired to return the stream to its original flow. Although more than 21 culverts were in okay or bad condition, all of them did not to be replaced. Conditions such as debris removal only require a person to remove trash or vegetation from around the culvert to fix the flow. All culverts that were cracking, chipping, or corroding did not need to be replaced except for those that were wood and covered with a toxic tar preservative. Although some culverts displayed multiple issues, the most severe issue was selected for the basis of this data. Throughout our surveying, we encountered multiple concerned citizens who were experiencing flooding due to poorly maintained culverts. In this sense, interacting with these community members allowed us to realize how important community engagement is to develop connections and solving problems. The proper maintenance of culverts can ensure their success in navigating water to the Nanticoke River. Written by Alex Crupi and Matthew Moxey

Culvert Condition

New/Good 19

Cracking/Chipping/Corrosion 8

Sediment Deposition 10

Downstream Scour Hole 3

Failing Embankment 3

Debris Removal Needed 3

The data from student’s own empirical research is shown above.

Sources: The Nature Conservancy. (2018). Where we work: Nanticoke River Watershed. Retrieved from https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/maryland-dc/stories-in- maryland-dc/nanticoke-river-watershed/ Reclaim Our Rivers

The Reclaim Our River: Nanticoke partnership completed ten paddles, pick-ups, and presentations during 2018, ending another successful ROR season.

Hundreds of participants learned more about monarch butterflies, wildlife-friendly gardening, water conservation, and the health of our Nanticoke River. Others took direct action, paddling and connecting with Broad Creek, its history, and the critters who live there, constructing recycled cardboard boats and racing against time and water (and other competitors), installing rain barrels on their properties, and picking up trash on and near waterways in Seaford.

“Hundreds of participants learned more about…water conservation”

Whether planting milkweed or picking up plastic before it can pollute the Nanticoke River, these actions help connect us with our precious waterways, empowering us to make changes in our home landscapes that support and protect wildlife and improve the health of our local waterways.

Thanks to the fab partnership who made these ten events happen, including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware Nature Society, Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, Nanticoke River Arts Council, Nanticoke River Sail & Power Squadron, Town of Blades, and City of Seaford.

Did you miss the fun in 2018? No worries! We’ll be releasing a 2019 series guide in the coming months and hope to see you on (or in) the water Strategic Plan

 Reduce pollution  Promote biodiversity  Replenish ground water  Beautify your yard  Provide habitat PublicStrategic Dumping Plan

Bouts of Dumping Plague On June 25, 2018, The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Fish and Wildlife Division issued a call to action for locals in the area between Laurel, DE, and Sharptown, MD, to help identify and stop public dumping and vandalism of the Robert L. Graham Nanticoke Wildlife Area. Fish and Wildlife establish wildlife areas to provide healthy sanctuaries for local wildlife. These preserves have restricted access as well as strict hunting and fishing regulations to minimize the impact that humans have on the habitat. Public dumping can damage landscapes by polluting soil and water and harming wildlife. Toxic chemicals can be stored in dumped waste and can leak out as the trash breaks down. Dumping also poses a hazard to wildlife that ingest or harm themselves on discarded materials. Items that can collect water, such as tires, can also be a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. The Robert L. Graham Wildlife Area has had long-term issues with dumping and vandalism. However, the 4,415-acre wildlife area has seen a recent spike in these illegal activities, especially along an unpaved crossroad that connects Phillips Landing Road to Sharptown Road. Large waste items, such as furniture, tires, and appliances, are some of the items being dumped in this area.

Natural Resources police regularly monitor this area but are asking for community buy- in to help stop the problem plaguing the Robert L. Graham Nanticoke Wildlife Area. If you witness illegal or suspicious activities, contact DE Fish and Wildlife Natural Re- sources Police at (302)739-4580 or 1-800-523 -3336. If you see illegal dumping in the Mar- yland portion of the Nanticoke area call Maryland DNR at1-877-620-8367 Strategic Plan

The Sixth was Annual a great success Toast this year.the NearlyNanticoke 90 people gathered at Layton’s Chance Winery for good food, company, wine, and live music in support the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance (NWA).

Kicking off at 6:30, guests enjoyed themselves with an open wine bar that featured Layton’s Chance wines, oyster tasting courtesy of Hoopers Island Oyster Co., and a silent auction. Speakers that evening included Board President Mike Pretl, Executive Director Lisa Wool, and board member and winery owner Joe Layton, who gave the official “Toast” to the Nanticoke. Throughout the evening, Fog After Midnight performed live music, which bolstered the good mood and helped celebrate one of our region’s last wild rivers and its community.

The Toast was a success and helped the NWA raise nearly $17,000 to support our programs and projects, ranging from designer ditches (p. 7-8) and raingardens (p. 13), to environmental education (p. 12) and our award-winning Creekwatchers water monitoring program (p. 3).

We would like to give a special thanks to everyone that came out to enjoy a relaxing evening and to our sponsors:

Abbotts on Broad Creek John Schneider and Susan Moer- Atlantic Tractor schel Avery Hall Insurance Group KJ Grace LLC Chesapeake Utilities Larry & Janal Walton C. Rodney & Patricia Layton MidAtlantic Farm Credit Dorchester Soil Conservation Mike Pretl & Michele Hughes District The Forestland Group Doug Stephens, Coldwell Banker Tri Gas & Oil Residential Brokerage Wicomico Environmental Trust EA Engineering, Science, and Tech- William Russ nology, Inc. (EA) Hebron Savings Bank StrategicNew Education Plan Coordinator

Evan Deckers

Born in Utah, Evan Deckers moved to Frostburg, Maryland when he was five years old. He spent the remainder of his childhood building tree-forts, mountain biking, and exploring all the natural beauty that Western Maryland have to offer. For College, Evan moved to Salisbury to attend Salisbury University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies as well as Spanish. While at Salisbury University, Evan was a member of the Sailing Team, contributed to the school newspaper ,and studied abroad to both Spain and Ecuador.

Evan has always enjoyed the outdoors, whether it be hiking, biking or swimming. Here on Delmarva, mountain biking opportunities are limited, but Evan has enjoyed the opportunity to start honing his canoeing skills in the twisted trails of this area’s cypress swamps. The Eastern Shore has also provided him with a rich culture and ecosystem in which he can help bring together various groups and organizations to help prioritize the health of our local waterways. The Nanticoke River provides a unique opportunity for Evan, as it is one of the healthiest rivers within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Evan would like to see this river turn into a model of sustainability through community involvement and education on the issues that we all affect with our day-to- day lives.

Filling the position of Education Coordinator, Evan is excited to begin connecting with the public and sharing his passion for the environment. He is looking forward to engaging in lessons and action projects with local schools, as well connecting with the community at events and workshops.

2018 PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION

The Bank of Delmarva NRG The Campbell Foundation Procino Enterprises Chesapeake Bay Foundation Ridge to Reefs Chesapeake Bay Trust Rommel’s Hearth & Outdoor Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Salisbury University Chicone Ruritan Club Trap Pond Partners Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. Trap Pond State Park DNREC University of Maryland, Center for Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth Environmental Science Dorchester County Farm Bureau Weisner Real Estate, Inc.* Dorchester Soil Conservation District William A. Russ, CPA Doug Stephens, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Wicomico County Farm Bureau Agent Wicomico County Board of Education Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Wicomico Environmental Trust Envirocorp Labs Environmental Finance Center The Forestland Group Now, more than ever, your The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue donation is urgently needed. Foundation Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife To donate to the NWA Refuge* please visit Friends of the Nanticoke River www.nanticokeriver.org or George, Miles, and Buhr, LLC go to our Facebook and Hebron Savings Bank click “Donate.” Invista Laurel Redevelopment Corp. Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery The Longwood Foundation Special Thanks to the Nanticoke River Marine Park Nanticoke Rotary Club for Nanticoke Rotary supporting our designer National Fish and Wildlife ditches program Foundation

CONSERVING THE NATUR AL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCES OF THE NANTICOKE RI VER WATERSHED