Center for Environment & Society

Chesapeake Semester: Peru slideshow

2011-12-19T11:52:00.001-08:00

At the final presentations of the Fall 2011 Chesapeake Semester, Director of Digital Media Services Brian Palmer presented a slideshow of photos and video he took during the semester.

This is a rough slideshow that was shown during the final presentations of the 2011 Chesapeake Semester at Washington College. It is a glimpse into roughly 21 hours and 5300 photos taken in Peru during the 4th journey of the Chesapeake Semester. Please be on the look out for the full documentary which will premiere on campus at Washington College in late January or early February 2012.

You can also view photos of the presentations here.

Rare Birds at Chino Farms

2011-12-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory banded and released two "rare" Ash-throated Flycatchers during the fall migration period. A husband and wife team of field ecologists (Dan Small and Maren Gimpel) banded one on November 9th and another on November 30th (pictured at left; photo credit Small and Gimpel 2011). These birds are common west of the Rockies, but they rarely show up in the fall on the East Coast. This species has been documented in Maryland less than 20 times and these are the first to be banded in the state. These individuals are only the 3rd and 4th Ash-throated Flycatchers to be banded on the whole Atlantic flyway.

Birds show up in the "wrong" places from time to time, but there is a theory about the unusually high number of Ash-throated Flycatchers being reported in the East this fall. A bird sightings database run by Cornell University (eBird.org) recently reported on the numerous sightings and proposed that the record-setting drought in Texas and the southern Great Plains had driven these birds from their usual habitats and that the strong recent southwesterly winds have propelled them further East than is normal.

Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory, under the direction of Jim Gruber, is located at Chino Farms in Queen Anne's County. The observatory and companion field research station is part of Washington College’s Center for Environment & Society. For more information please visit Chester River Field Research Center or contact JoAnn Fairchild Wood at 410-778-7295.

America's Wildest Refuge

2011-11-28T13:09:00.000-08:00

About the size of S. Carolina, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to caribou herds, polar bears, grizzly bears, muskox, doll sheep, wolves, wolverines, snow geese, peregrine falcons and other migratory birds. Discover this isolated and breathtaking preserve at a special screening of "America's Wildest Refuge" on Tuesday, November 29, at Washington College.

You are invited for cake and refreshments at 6:30 PM in the McLain Atrium, located in the Toll Science Building on Campus Avenue in Chestertown. The film begins at 7:00 PM in Litrenta Lecture Hall. It has a running time of 50 minutes. You may watch the trailer on youtube.com. Colby Hawkinson, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service specialist at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, will be on hand to answer questions and explore connections between the Eastern Neck and Arctic refuges. Events are sponsored by Washington College's Center for Environment & Society, the Friends of Eastern Neck Inc., and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For information contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295.

Elm Article about Recent Cooking Demo

2011-11-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Elm: Schindler, Wiest Lead ‘Wild’ Demo for Locavores

In an effort to promote sustainability and expose the Washington College community to under-utilized portions of wild game, anthropology professor Bill Schindler and visiting lecturer Mark Wiest led a “Wild Charcuterie” cooking demonstration on Saturday Nov. 5.

New Chesapeake Semester photos!

2011-11-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

View all the pictures here: Chesapeake Semester 2011

Ashley Burdette '14 takes a stroll along the beach looking for megaladon shark's teeth.

Rettie Duke '13 uses an iPad to look a little closer at the Calvert Marine Museum.

Dr. Bill Schindler shows students which mushrooms in the forest are edible.

CRA partners with Ducks Unlimited on a wetland project which enhances habitat for waterfowl, provides farmers with income for marginal lands, and increases water filtration.

Hunting Events this Weekend!

2011-10-31T11:49:00.000-07:00

November 4-5, 2011

Hunting: A Matter of Life and Death
November 4, 6:30 PM
Litrenta Lecture Hall
Dr. Marc Boglioli, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Drew University and author of the book A Matter of Life and Death: Hunting in Contemporary Vermont, will give a lecture on how contemporary hunters, women as well as men, understand their relationship to their prey. He shows how hunters' attitudes toward animals flow directly from the rural lifeways they have continued to maintain in the face of encroaching urban sensibilities. The result is a rare glimpse into a culture that experiences wild animals in a way that is at once violent, consumptive, and respectful, and that regards hunting as an enduring link to a vanishing past. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Center for Environment & Society. Please contact tholste2@washcoll.edu or 410-810-7162 for more information.

Wild Charcuterie: Making the Most of Your Quarry
November 5, 2:00 PM
Rose O'Neill Literary House Kitchen
Hunting, butchering, and cooking wild animals is an excellent way of connecting to your local environment and gaining access to high quality and nutritious food. However, many of us keep only a relatively small percentage of the animal and in the process discard some very healthy and delicious portions. This cooking demonstration will teach you how to transform these often discarded parts into great foods that can be stored and enjoyed throughout the year. There will be a $15 fee for the registration. $5 for WC faculty/staff, WC students may attend for free. Advanced registration is recommended as space is limited. Please contact tholste2@washcoll.edu or 410-810-7162 for more information or to register. Sponsored by the Center for Environment & Society.
Recipes to be demonstrated (all recipes are subject to change):

1. Venison sausage
2. Goose confit
3. Venison and goose liver pate
4. Braised deer heart
5. Venison roast braesola (cured and air/dried meat)

The fall program on hunting will be a precursor to the second annual Locavore Lit Fest, March 29-April 1 2012, which will focus on wild foods, from plants to animals to bacteria.

Video: Waterfront Festival

2011-10-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Read the accompanying Elm article here.

Downrigging Weekend Lectures

2011-10-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

October 27, 2011
The Politics of Climate Change- with Dr. Ryan Lizza
5:00 PM
Prince Theater
On Thursday, October 27, veteran magazine writer Ryan Lizza, who covers the 2012 Presidential campaign and national politics as Washington Correspondent for The New Yorker, will share his insights into how and why Congress and the White House failed to reach agreement on breakthrough energy legislation designed to be both business- and consumer-friendly.
The free public lecture, “The Politics of Climate Change,” is based largely on a major feature article Lizza published in the October 2011 issue of The New Yorker. His talk will be held at 5 p.m. in The Prince Theatre of the Garfield Center for the Arts, 210 High Street, Chestertown, MD.

October 28, 2011
Longitude - with New York Times best-selling author Dava Sobel
8:00 PM
The Prince Theatre, 210 High Street, Chestertown - FREE
The true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time. How did one man in the 18th century change the way we envision the vastness and the boundaries of our physical world? What led one self-educated man to solve a problem that Newton and Galileo could not? And how can studying the scientific leaps of the past help us envision our future? In this elegant talk, Dava Sobel weaves a powerful historical narrative to show us how Henry Harrison’s invention of the chronometer changed the way we look at the world and how it continues to shape our concept of distance and place. Sobel is one of the most influential science writers of our time. A former New York Times science reporter, she is the author of Longitude, Galileo’s Daughter -- which spent five weeks as the #1 New York Times non-fiction best-seller -- and The Planets. Co-sponsored by Sultana Projects and the Center for Environment & Society. For more information contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295.

For a full listing of Downrigging events visit http://www.sultanaprojects.org/downrigging/index.htm.

Green Fire Screening

2011-10-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

October 19, 2011
7:00 PM
Litrenta Lecture Hall
The first full-length, high-definition documentary film ever made about legendary environmentalist Aldo Leopold, Green Fire, is coming to Washington College in October. The film traces how the author of A Sand County Almanac shaped and influenced the modern environmental movement, inspiring projects all over the country that connect people and land.
In his seminal 1949 book, Leopold wrote: “We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes—something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”
The impact of his own gunshot from a rimrock in Arizona changed Aldo Leopold’s thinking, leading to the key insight that was the culmination of his life’s work: responsibility for the land.
Green Fire was produced in partnership between the Aldo Leopold Foundation, the Center for Humans and Nature, and the US Forest Service. The film provocatively examines Leopold’s thinking, renewing his idea of a land ethic for a population facing 21st century ecological challenges. Leopold's biographer, conservation biologist Dr. Curt Meine, serves as the film's on-screen guide.
Drawing on photographs, correspondence, manuscripts and other archival documents from the voluminous Aldo Leopold Archives as well as historical film and contemporary full-color footage on location, including landscapes that influenced Leopold, the film challenges viewers to contemplate their own relationship with the land community.
The film also features commentary and insight from some of today’s most recognized and credible scholars and conservation leaders, including: three of Aldo Leopold’s children—Nina, Carl, and Estella, Leopold scholars, noted environmental writers, scientists, humanities experts, public policy leaders, business leaders,; and leaders of non-profit groups inspired by Leopold.
Join the Center for Environment & Society, the Friends of Eastern Neck, and Chester River Field Research Center at Chino Farms for a special screening of Green Fire on Wednesday, October 19th, at 7:00 PM in Litrenta Lecture Hall at Washington College. Contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295 for more information. .

Waterfront Festival Photos

2011-09-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

View pictures of the festival here.

Waterfront Festival this Saturday

2011-09-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

12:00-5:00 PM along the Chester River
Historic Chestertown, Maryland's Eastern Shore

River cruises aboard the 46-foot RV Callinectes, sailing, kayaking, colorful cardboard boats, pony rides, good food, family fun, Scales & Tales, Fishmobile, Touch Tank, prehistoric fishing techniques and artifacts, watershed ecology exhibits, and live bluegrass music all afternoon. River cruises and activities in Wilmer Park are FREE and open to the public. The rain date is October 2nd at 1:00 PM.

* 12:00 - 2:30 PM - Chester River cruises, sailing and kayaking from the College dock
* 1:00 PM - Pony rides
* 2:45 PM - Parade of cardboard boats
* 3:00 PM - Cardboard boat races
* 3:30 PM - Tug o'war tournament
* 4:00 PM - Awards and Prizes

Fifth Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta
3:00 PM
Wilmer Park
Have you ever sailed on schooner Sultana, kayaked around Eastern Neck, raced with the rowing club or toodled up the Chester River on a powerboat? Now it's time to captain your own cardboard vessel.

Register your team, design a boat, follow the rules and guidelines, then paddle your seaworthy craft into maritime history at the 5th annual Cardboard Boat Regatta on September 24th. Take home hundreds of dollars in prizes or just aim for the Titanic or People's Choice award. Any way you sink or float, it's great fun on the Chester River. Hurry, deadline for registration is September 23, 2011. Go to http://ces.washcoll.edu/news/waterfrontfestival/cardboardboattips.php for boat-building tips or email jfairchild2@washcoll.edu to register.

All cardboard boats go on display at 12 noon on race day. Captains and crew meet at 2:30 PM, the popular boat parade begins at 2:45 PM, and the race starts at 3:00 PM sharp along the Pavilion in Chestertown's Wilmer Park. The regatta is open to businesses, schools, youth groups, groups of friends, and non-profit entities desiring to build a boat and team spirit. Participants must be at least 12 years of age and a resident of Kent or Queen Anne's County Maryland. In case of foul weather, the race will be postponed to October 2nd at 1:00 PM.

The cardboard boat race is a signature event of the Chestertown Waterfront Festival that runs from 12:00-5:00 PM on September 24, 2011. Activities include cruises aboard the 46-foot Callinectes, sailing, kayaking and canoeing on the Chester River, good food, family fun, exhibits on watershed ecology, pony rides, songs by Rebecca Pitre and bluegrass by Chester River Runoff in Wilmer Park. Events are organized by the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College, with sponsorship by Chesapeake Bank and Trust and the Van Dyke Family Foundation. The Festival is free and open to the public. In case of foul weather, park activities will be cancelled. For information contact 410-778-7295.

Dr. John Seidel in Chestertown Spy Futures Study

2011-07-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

View the great video of Dr. John Seidel, Director of CES, courtesy of the Chestertown Spy.

Climate Action Coordinator Briggs Cunningham in Kent County News

2011-07-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Support generated for 'aggregate' metering, Seen as a boon for alternative energy programs

By CRAIG O'DONNELL
codonnell@thekentcountynews.com
Published: Thursday, June 30, 2011 4:36 PM CDT
CHESTERTOWN — There could be an aggregate meter in your future.

To be precise, “aggregate” metering is when electrical use by some institution or group, no matter how many physical wires to separate electric meters there are, all goes into one big bucket for billing purposes.

At the moment that can’t be done in Maryland. Briggs Cunningham said last week that aggregate metering is important for solar power on farms, by businesses and by local governments, especially in rural areas.

Businesses and governments and other institutions with multiple locations have many meters. Some buildings use a lot of juice and some use a little.

Cunningham, Climate Action Coordinator at the Washington College Center for Environment & Society, said the current Maryland regulations limit how much solar electrical energy an installation can generate to, roughly, the amount used at a particular electric meter plus a little.

The Maryland Public Service Commission, which controls electric utilities, is taking comments on a decision it plans to make in the near future on whether to allow aggregate metering. The state’s net metering regulations allow generating power for on-site use and selling excess power back to the electric company. But as they stand, they force users to have a separate wind, solar or other alternative energy installation for each meter.

One piece of the puzzle is in place: Gov. Martin O’Malley signed a law in May 2011 which requires power companies to buy back excess power at the retail rate, not the wholesale rate.

With it, for example, one large group of solar panels at the Chestertown wastewater plant could be designed to generate enough power to offset the use by town hall, the water plant, and at the wastewater operation.

Without it, Chestertown would have to install and operate three or more separate systems.

One large set of solar panels somewhere in the county on school property could be designed to offset the electricity consumption of multiple school buildings.

Without it, the school board would have to fund solar panels for every individual school and office building.

It is not limited to solar. Any alternative source is eligible. A farmer could build and operate a system burning switchgrass, providing enough power for multiple buildings. Under the proposal, “One account would incorporate all meters, and any power generated onsite would be credited to the overall account,” Cunningham said.

Chestertown attorney Phil Hoon said he represents Dr. Henry Sears, who wants to install solar power for his agricultural operations. He said Tuesday the places where power is used, such as irrigation pivots, are widely scattered, and aggregate metering “makes or breaks the transaction.”

Hoon sent a letter favoring the policy to the Public Service Commission. “I’m in favor of it, both professionally and very much so personally,” he said Tuesday. “It’s what seems right for our society and culture and communities.”

The college is particularly interested in whether solar generation at 215 Washington Ave. can be designed to supply green power to more than just that one building, Cunningham said.

It allows small entities to achieve some economies of scale. A village, such as Kennedyville, could form a nonprofit coop. The residential meters for all members would be combined in one account. An array of solar panels at a suitable location would provide juice to households, instead of having solar panels set up, house by house.

Cunningham added, “The county is interested. They have facilities spread out all over the place. The schools are interested – their attorney is researching it for the board of ed.”

On the other side are the power companies. “They don’t want other people generating their own power,” said Cunningham. “One of their arguments is that they’re concerned about the stability of the power system, figuring out how much to generate” if there are many small providers of solar power.

Delaware’s PSC is also considering aggregate net metering rules.

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council notes the Delaware regulation includes: “If a customer has multiple meters under the same account or different accounts, regardless of the physical location and rate class, the customer may aggregate meters for the purpose of net metering regardless of which individual meter receives energy from a distributed generation facility, provided the system does not exceed 110% of the customer’s aggregate electrical consumption of the individual meters or accounts that the customer is entitled to aggregate.”

“As a resident of Kent County, I’ll say it would be a good thing,” Cunningham said.

According to college spokeswoman Kay Macintosh, the college has not offered its comments to the PSC and has taken no position yet.

The Public Service Commission is still taking public comments for and against aggregate net metering.

To see the PSC web page with comments which have already been submitted, type the words “Maryland PSC meter aggregation admin docket results” into Google.

Letters should reference “Admin Docket FM41” and should be addressed to Terry Romine, Maryland Public Service Commission, 6 St. Paul St. 16th Floor, Baltimore MD 21202.

New Tree Planting Video!

2011-06-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

MGO Program in Kent County News

2011-06-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

On June 14, Michael Hardesty, Chesapeake Semester Program Coordinator, led an oyster planting on Lankford Creek. With the partnership of DNR's Maryland Grows Oyster (MGO) program, growers on the Chester River raise oysters from spat in cages on their docks, which are then released on protected oyster bars. Read the full article here, and find out more about CES's involvement with MGO on our oyster page.

New Chesapeake Semester Video!

2011-06-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Chesapeake Semester students hit the road for Journey 1, "Discovering a Sense of Place," which included a ten-day 842 mile trip circumnavigating the Bay. Students departed from Chestertown and traveled down the Delmarva and up the Western Shore of Maryland stopping at historic landmarks like Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg, Shirley Plantation, Historic St. Mary's City, our state capital Annapolis, Havre de Grace, and Port Deposit. Nearing the end of the journey Chesapeake Semester students, Washington College faculty and SEA members enjoyed a sunset sail on the skipjack Martha Lewis out on the Susquehanna Flats.

Climate Action Coordinator Briggs Cunningham in the Kent County News

2011-06-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

At their Tuesday evening meeting, Briggs Cunningham of the Center for Environment & Society delivered an audit of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during the period July 2009 to June 2010.
He said Easton's Town Creek Foundation supported it. It follows reports done for Chestertown and Betterton.
He examined electricity use by county government and schools, county fuel use and estimated gas burned by commuting county employees.
The annual electric bill was $1,009,922, and $847,600 was spent on fuel for cars, trucks and heating. He estimated 239 employees used 42,987 gallons of gas going back and forth to work. The report's suggestions focused on conservation: a no-idling vehicle policy; buying only Energy Star products; turning off computers, lights and HVAC when leaving for the day; and a summer four-day work week to cut energy use for summertime cooling.
"How would you feel about a four-day week in the summer?" Rasin asked Planning Director Gail Owings. "I think people would be pretty happy with that," she said. As long as weekenders knew the office would be closed on Friday or Monday so they could plan accordingly, it would seem to be fine, she said.
Choptank Electric bills for the public works complex, community center and park; Worton's schools and wastewater plant sprayfield; Nicholson landfill; and "Galena transfer." Two Worton Park meters have not used electricity in years but Choptank has billed $948 and $228 each in minimum annual charges.
Rasin noted Choptank's rates seem to be much higher. Cunningham said they might be negotiable, or solar power could be installed to serve the parks, community center and schools. Any excess would be sold back to the supplier.
Craig O'Donnell, Kent County News. Used by permission.
June 16 2011

Chesapeake Semester Featured on Nautica Blog "Ocean 2 Ocean"

2011-05-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

In the Fall of 2010 Nautica visited Chestertown to capture the story of local artist and activist Marc Castelli. CES’s Chesapeake Semester had the opportunity to work with Castelli through the premier of his exhibit, "The Art of the Waterman—Simison Collection" in our very own Kohl Gallery. See photos from the event here.

See the video of Chesapeake Semester Students featured on Nautica’s "Ocean 2 Ocean’s" blog.

Clean up at Eastern Neck Island

2011-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Center for Environment & Society partnered with the Friends of Eastern Neck to conduct a shoreline cleanup on April 30, 2011. Members of the community banded together to remove trash from the marshy edges of Eastern Neck Island, creating a better environment for wildlife and improving the appearance of the shoreline. View pictures of the event here.

CES in Rock Hall Wave

2011-04-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Rock Hall Wave: Big Plant Planned by Swan Creek Oyster Growers

Recently, Oyster growers from the Chester, Corsica, and Swan Creek tributaries gathered for a picnic to meet each other and share experiences. The picnic was held Sunday the 10th at the Leila Hynson Pavilion in Wilmer Park, Chestertown, MD and hosted by the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College. Mike Hardesty, CES Program Manager and the Marylanders Grow Oysters Coordinator for the Chester River, organized the event to bring growers together and plan the most favorable placement of oysters on a local sanctuary.

Washington College Announces Its Acquisition Of Chester River Field Research Center

2011-04-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

The research station at Chino Farms in Queen Anne's County will offer hands-on research opportunities in habitat management and sustainability.

CHESTERTOWN, MD, April 22, 2011— Washington College today announced that it has acquired the Chester River Field Research Center (CRFRC), the nonprofit corporation that leads and facilitates scientific research and environmental studies at Chino Farms in Queen Anne's County.

The CRFRC was founded in 1999 by conservationist Henry F. Sears, a retired surgeon and the owner of Chino Farms, a 5,000-acre property on the Chester River. Under an agreement reached with the board of directors of the CRFRC, and with financial support from anonymous donors, the College's Center for Environment & Society will take over all operations of the Research Center, coordinating the study projects underway there. The College acquires no Chino Farms land in the agreement.

The research center's two full-time field biologists, Dan Small and Maren Gimpel, will join the staff of the Center for Environment & Society (CES). Founding scientific director Douglas E. Gill, a professor emeritus of biology at University of Maryland, will serve as a consultant. And Jim Gruber, a retired Natural Resources officer who volunteers his time and expertise as the director of the bird-banding operation at Chino Farms, will become an Associate of CES.

Sears sees the transfer of operations to the College as the next step in the growth and stability of the CRFRC. "This gives the investigations part of the Research Center a broader base, a broader scope, and longer legs," he says. "And it provides institutional longevity— a future beyond the lives of the current participants."

He says he has been following the growth of the College's Center for Environment & Society over the past few years. "I appreciate the interest and enthusiasm the CES staff has shown for the kinds of conservation and farming techniques we've been exploring at Chino Farms," he says. "And I couldn't be more excited about the commitment Washington College has shown for maintaining the community's rural and agricultural heritage."

"This is exciting news for all of us at Washington College," says President Mitchell B. Reiss. "We expect this acquisition to bring a quantum boost to the environmental field work our faculty and students can conduct. We are grateful to Dr. Sears and the CRFRC board for the trust they have shown in our Center for Environment & Society and its ability to maintain and expand the research on farm practices, habitat restoration and wildlife happening at Chino Farms."

The CRFRC is best known for its work in grassland restoration and migratory bird banding— it has successfully restored 246 acres of Atlantic prairie grasses, creating one of the very few large-scale coastal grasslands on the Eastern Seaboard, and has banded more than 150,000 new birds at its Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory.

Washington College has been involved in a limited way in programs at Chino Farms over the past several years. A handful of students have worked at the bird banding station as part of their paid internships with CES, and professor Leslie Sherman has conducted research on soil chemistry there. The acquisition of the CRFRC facilities will enable those who work in environmental studies to think and dream big when it comes to grant-funded research and environmental study.

"This opens up unparalleled hands-on field opportunities to our own students and faculty, and to scientists and educators from other schools and organizations as well as state and federal agencies," says John Seidel, the director of the Center for Environment & Society. "We can expand research projects into the other rich habitat areas at Chino Farms, including forest habitat, wetlands and seasonal wetlands, and farmland. We'll be the portal to this wonderful resource and all its rich habitat areas."

All 5,000 acres of Chino Farms are protected under conservation easements, making it one of the largest easements in Maryland history. Three thousand of those acres are farmed commercially by Evan Miles of Bluestem Farms, who uses a mixture of precision agriculture and organic methods.

Other subjects now under study through the CRFRC include wild turkeys, songbird communications, bobwhite quail, breeding birds in managed grasslands, and nutrient recycling in soil.

Gill, who led the grasslands restoration, is glad to see Washington College take on the work of the research center he and Harry Sears created 12 years ago. "It has been a somewhat private affair led by Dr. Sears' vision and my expertise as an ecologist," he says. "It makes sense to have a top-quality academic institution like Washington College, so close to the research station, take it on and make it available for teaching and research. It's what I always envisioned should happen. And John Seidel at CES will provide superb leadership."

Washington College senior Rachel Field, an Environmental Studies major from West Chester, Pa., knows first-hand the kinds of opportunities the CRFRC can bring to students. As a CES intern at Chino Farms, she has spent two summers and much of the spring semester mapping Grasshopper Sparrow territories, banding birds at the Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory banding lab, and studying mate selection in Blue Grosbeaks. "As a scientist, this experience has been invaluable," she says. "I have gained practical experience in conducting field experiments, designing experiments, completing bird surveys, and banding migratory birds. And, as an individual, my time at the Chester River Field Research Center has helped me to become more confident and independent."
For more information, please visit http://ces.washcoll.edu/ and http://www.chesterriverfieldresearchcenter.org/

Annual Earth Day Festival

2011-04-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2011

Earth Day Festival & Farmers Market
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Fountain Park & Memorial Row
Chestertown

Spring flowers, local artisans, live music, tasty baked goods, fresh eggs, meats and produce will highlight the Farmers Market in Fountain Park. Across the street Memorial Row will transform into a dog- and pedestrian-only "street fair," with Rose Green's fried fish and funnel cake wafting through the air, the local Elks lodge selling hamburgers, hotdogs and french fries, eco-friendly exhibitors, green merchants, and free services for paper shredding and recycling drop-offs (household batteries, cell-phones, CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes). Everyone joins together in support of a healthy environment that includes "clean air, land and water," says Mayor Margo Bailey.
According to Andy Goddard, one of the event organizers, center stage will feature Ford "open mic" Schumann and friends, a duet by Jay and Lisa Yerkes, and musicians Bob and Pamela Ortiz among others. "Open air concerts and festivals are a lot of fun," says Goddard, because they encourage a community to come out and meet their neighbors. Mayor Bailey notes the positive impact on our local economy. She credits volunteers Jon Hanley, JoAnn Fairchild and Ms. Goddard for orchestrating the festival and other events that bring the community together while attracting visitors and tourists. "But by far the biggest draw is the Farmers Market," says Bailey, and we have Owen McCoy and all our local growers to thank for that.
The Humane Society reminds folks that Mutt Strut registration begins in Fountain Park at 8:30 AM, with the dog walk starting at 10:00 AM and ending at Wilmer Park. Registration for the walk is $10. All other events and activities in the Town's parks are free and open to the public. For festival information contact (410) 778-7295 and for Mutt Strut contact (410) 778-3648. The Earth Day Festival & Mutt Strut is a collaborative event sponsored by the Town of Chestertown, the Kent County Humane Society, and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College. Read about last year's event here.

* 7:00 AM - vendors and exhibitors set up on Memorial Row
* 8:00 AM - Farmers Market opens in Fountain Park
* 8:30 AM - Mutt Strut registration in Fountain Park
* 9:30 AM - live music begins
* 10:00 AM - dog parade begins in Fountain Park and winds through Wilmer Park
* 1:00 PM - festival ends on a happy note

Go Green on 213

2011-04-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2011

Come celebrate Earth Day on campus by showing the creative side of recycling! Put those cans from the weekend to good use or get a jump-start on building a boat for cardboard boat race. Find a team and build whatever you want out of recyclable materials. The teams with the best structures or sculptures will win. Judging takes place from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Thursday, April 21st, on the Hodson Commons outside the main entrance to the Dining Hall.

The rules for the "Go Green on 213" recycling sculpture contest are as follows:

1. Teams are not required to be present for the judging; however it is their responsibility to get the sculpture to and from the event.
2. Teams should have their names and name of the sculpture/structure presented with their entry.
3. Water soluble glues and paints only are allowed (no hot glue).
4. The sculptures must be set up by 11:30 AM on the day of the judging. It is the team's responsibility to plan accordingly.
5. Recyclable materials will not be given to the participants. It is the team's responsibility to collect their own materials for their structure.
6. Teams may win more than one category.

The JUDGES (Andrew Antonio, JoAnn Fairchild, Dr. Karl Kehm, and Ricky Sears) will award prizes in the following categories:

* Best cardboard structure
* Best can structure
* Best bottle structure
* People’s choice
* Most creative
* "OMG" (overall most green!) – it is reusable, helpful to others, and environmentally friendly.

PRIZES include I-tunes gift cards, a free pizza, coupons to Java George, and coupons to the Farmers Market on campus that day.

Dining Services is hosting a Farmers Market on the Commons starting at 11:00 AM. Vendors include Redman Farms, Eve’s Cheese and St. Brigid’s Farm among other local producers. According to Donna Dhue Wilkins, the College’s food service director, “organic beef tips and fresh salad greens will surely highlight the lunch menu that day.”
For information on the RECYCLING SCULPTURE CONTEST contact Elle O'Brien at eobrien3@washcoll.edu or (410) 778-7295. “You can build any structure or create sculpture made out of recycled cans, bottles, or cardboard,” she says. O’Brien, who is an intern with the College's Center for Environment & Society, says the contest winners will be invited to display their structures at the Mutt Strut & Earth Day Festival in downtown Chestertown on Saturday, April 23, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

CES Hosts First Annual Oyster Growers Picnic

2011-04-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

The Center for Environment & Society (CES), hosted the first annual “Picnic at the Pavilion” for local waterfront property owners participating in Governor O’Malley’s “Marylanders Grow Oysters” program. The event, held Sunday, April 10 at the Leila Hanson Pavilion in Wilmer Park, Chestertown, MD, was designed as a “meet and greet” session. CES successfully applied to the program last year, purchased oysters in September, and currently have 55 community members growing oysters in 260 cages hanging from their piers along the Chester River. Read the full article on the Chestertown Spy. For more information on the Marylanders Grow Oysters Program see http://www.oysters.maryland.gov/ or contact Mike Hardesty, Chester River MGO coordinator mhardesty2@washcoll.edu or 410 699 1940.

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

2011-04-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2011
7:30 PM - Hotchkiss Recital Hall
Gibson Art Center

Join author Kristin Kimball in discussing her new memoir, "The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love." Kimball and her husband, Mark, farm 500 acres near Lake Champlain in northern New York. "Against all odds, I fell deeply for him, and for farming...At the end of the first growing season, we got married in the loft of our shabby red barn. We've farmed here for seven years now, and have become parents to two little girls."
The Kimballs raise almost everything they need for a year-round diet, including 50 kinds of vegetables, herbs, grains, and fruits, plus pigs, chickens, and dairy and beef cattle. They use no pesticides or herbicides, and most of the work is done with draft horses instead of tractors. The farm feeds 150 people, who come each week to pick up their share of our produce, flours, milk, meats, and eggs.

Prior to farming, Kimball worked as a freelance writer, a writing teacher, and an assistant to a literary agent. A graduate of Harvard University, she has run Essex Farm with her husband since 2003. She grew up near Rome, NY, where she didn't even have a garden as a child. Kimball says: "Farming asks a lot of a person, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It keeps you close to the dirt and humble. I've gained many skills on the farm that I couldn't have imagined needing in the city...But the best lesson farming has taught me is the deep pleasure of commitment—to Mark, to our farm, to a small town."

The program is sponsored by The Center for Environment & Society, The Joseph H. McLain Program in Environmental Studies, The Sophie Kerr Committee, and Farm Dinners on the Shore. For more information, call 410-778-7295. The event is free and open to the public.

Video: Sustainability at Washington College

2011-03-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

CES Intern Amanda Anastasia '13 has produced a video about sustainability at Washington College. Check it out!

Locavore Lit Fest is Huge Success

2011-03-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

The first ever Locavore Lit Fest took place in Chestertown March 25 and 26. There was a great turnout, and festival goers were able to hear from and interact with authors who spoke on food related subjects from the environmental impacts of agriculture to the native wild foods of the Eastern Shore, with a dose of humor and the simple joys of eating thrown in for good measure! The WC Dining Hall had local food specials at lunch on Friday to kick off the weekend, and several local authors, including CES' own Program Manager, Tara Holste '07, and Assistant Director of Admissions Aundra Weissert '08, spoke on their inspiration to begin writing about local foods.

Click here for the press release and schedule of the event, and here to view more pictures!

Nature Photography Workshop at ENNWR

2011-03-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
4:45 PM to 7:45 PM
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge
1730 Eastern Neck Road, Rock Hall MD 21661
Brian Palmer, manager of the Multimedia Production Center at Washington College, will teach a Nature Photography Workshop at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge on March 30, 2011, from 4:45 PM until sunset. The class will explore camera techniques, lighting, digital darkroom technology and post-production applicable to wildlife, landscape and macro photography.
This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Space is limited to 18 people. Refreshments provided during the 90-minute classroom period at the Visitor Center. Immediately following, participants head outdoors for hands-on practice. Bring your own camera, snack and water. Presented by the Friends of Eastern Neck and Washington College's Center for Environment & Society. Contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or (410) 778-7295.

Chesapeake Semester Info Session

2011-02-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

The History of Immigration and Migrants in the U.S.

2011-02-15T08:05:00.000-08:00

February 15, 2011
7:00 PM - Litrenta Lecture Hall
Toll Science Center

The Women's League of Kent County, Maryland will present a lecture by Dr. Charlotte Staelin, A Nation of Immigrants, on Tuesday, February 15th, at 7:00 PM in the Toll Science Center, Litrenta Lecture Hall, at Washington College. This presentation chronicles the history of immigration and migrant workers in the United States.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Staelin is a local historian, owner of Colchester Farm CSA, dedicated steward of the land and water, an advocate for environmental conservation and preservation, and a dedicated community activist, mediator and volunteer.

This program is co-sponsored by the Center for Environment & Society and the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Washington College. It is free and open to the public. For more information, contact 410-778-7295.

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love- POSTPONED

2011-02-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

Rescheduled for April 13 at 7:30 PM!

Hotchkiss Recital Hall
Gibson Art Center

Join author Kristin Kimball in discussing her new memoir, "The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love." Kimball and her husband, Mark, farm 500 acres near Lake Champlain in northern New York. "Against all odds, I fell deeply for him, and for farming...At the end of the first growing season, we got married in the loft of our shabby red barn. We've farmed here for seven years now, and have become parents to two little girls."

The Kimballs raise almost everything they need for a year-round diet, including 50 kinds of vegetables, herbs, grains, and fruits, plus pigs, chickens, and dairy and beef cattle. They use no pesticides or herbicides, and most of the work is done with draft horses instead of tractors. The farm feeds 150 people, who come each week to pick up their share of our produce, flours, milk, meats, and eggs.

Prior to farming, Kimball worked as a freelance writer, a writing teacher, and an assistant to a literary agent. A graduate of Harvard University, she has run Essex Farm with her husband since 2003. She grew up near Rome, NY, where she didn't even have a garden as a child. Kimball says: "Farming asks a lot of a person, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It keeps you close to the dirt and humble. I've gained many skills on the farm that I couldn't have imagined needing in the city...But the best lesson farming has taught me is the deep pleasure of commitment—to Mark, to our farm, to a small town."

The program is sponsored by The Center for Environment & Society, The Joseph H. McLain Program in Environmental Studies, The Sophie Kerr Committee, and Farm Dinners on the Shore. For more information, call 410-778-7295. The event is free and open to the public.

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

2011-01-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

6:00 PM - Hotchkiss Recital Hall
Gibson Art Center

Join author Kristin Kimball in discussing her new memoir, "The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love." Kimball and her husband, Mark, farm 500 acres near Lake Champlain in northern New York. "Against all odds, I fell deeply for him, and for farming...At the end of the first growing season, we got married in the loft of our shabby red barn. We've farmed here for seven years now, and have become parents to two little girls."

The Kimballs raise almost everything they need for a year-round diet, including 50 kinds of vegetables, herbs, grains, and fruits, plus pigs, chickens, and dairy and beef cattle. They use no pesticides or herbicides, and most of the work is done with draft horses instead of tractors. The farm feeds 150 people, who come each week to pick up their share of our produce, flours, milk, meats, and eggs.

Prior to farming, Kimball worked as a freelance writer, a writing teacher, and an assistant to a literary agent. A graduate of Harvard University, she has run Essex Farm with her husband since 2003. She grew up near Rome, NY, where she didn't even have a garden as a child. Kimball says: "Farming asks a lot of a person, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It keeps you close to the dirt and humble. I've gained many skills on the farm that I couldn't have imagined needing in the city...But the best lesson farming has taught me is the deep pleasure of commitment—to Mark, to our farm, to a small town."

The program is sponsored by The Center for Environment & Society, The Joseph H. McLain Program in Environmental Studies, The Sophie Kerr Committee, and Farm Dinners on the Shore. For more information, call 410-778-7295. The event is free and open to the public.

River is the Reason POSTPONED

2011-01-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

The River is a Reason — a celebration of poetry, music, and art — will now take place Thursday, January 27th, at 6:00 PM in THE EGG (inside the Dining Hall). For information, call JoAnn Fairchild (410) 778-7295.

Repeat: Tonight's program in Tawes has been cancelled. Please join Meredith Hadaway and friends TOMORROW in the Egg at 6:00 PM, followed by a catered reception and book signing.

The River is a Reason: A Celebration of Poetry, Music, and Art
6:00 PM - Tawes Theatre
Gibson Art Center
Featuring Meredith Davies Hadaway reading from her new book, local musicians, and artwork by Marcy Dunn Ramsey. Reception and book signing immediately following. Presented by the Center for Environment & Society and the Sophie Kerr Committee. Contact 410-778-7295.

Maryland Birds and Habitats, Summer 2010

2010-12-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

The Youth Program of the Maryland Ornithological Society (YMOS) conducted a new field camp, "Maryland Birds and Bird Habitats," during summer 2010. This residential program was based at Washington College and offered in collaboration with the Center for Environment & Society on June 20-25. CES Senior Associate Wayne Bell and retired middle school science teacher George Radcliffe (Queen Anne's County Public Schools) were co-directors. Five students enrolled (grades 8-10) from Baltimore, Carroll, and Queen Anne's Counties plus three educators from the DC and Baltimore areas. We were able to tailor much of the program content to their specific interests and education needs.

Stewart Bruce, GIS Coordinator, Washington College, Discusses the Role of GIS in Academia

2010-12-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Think Spatial Podcast: Stewart Bruce, GIS Coordinator, Washington College, Discusses the Role of GIS in Academia

Stewart Bruce, GIS Coordinator, talks about the many exciting projects going on in the GIS lab and how they relate to academic programming. The GIS lab is a part of the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College.

Students and Staff From GIS Program Join Defense Personnel at Conference

2010-12-15T11:54:00.001-08:00

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Students and staff from Washington College’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program joined top national-security partners from government and industry at the GEOINT 2010 Symposium in New Orleans, November 1-4. GEOINT is government-speak for geospatial intelligence, which is playing an ever more prevalent role in the nation’s defense.

Read the full article.

Professor Bill Schindler in the Chronicle of Higher Education

2010-12-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Professor Bill Schindler in the Chronicle of Higher Education: The Cutting Edge of Prehistoric Technology

Professor Bill Schindler on NPR's Weekend Edition

2010-11-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

Listen to Professor Bill Schindler, one of the professors of the Chesapeake Semester, speak on foraging for Thanksgiving with Bonny Wolf, NPR Weekend Edition Food Commentator.

Foraging for Your Thanksgiving Meal

Eastern Neck Open House

2010-11-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a special Open House on Saturday, December 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The community is invited to explore Eastern Neck Island and areas of the Refuge that are normally closed to the public. “This is a great time of year to bring your binoculars and learn about local wildlife and island habitat,” says Gren Whitman, president of the Friends.

Refuge facilities include miles of hiking paths through woods and meadows, a small natural history/visitor center, ponds, beach access, wildlife and waterfowl observation decks, a watertrail with public access, a butterfly garden (pretty even in winter), a caretaker's house, relaxing picnic areas, bike racks, a small gift shop, clean restrooms and an ample visitor parking lot.

The Friends of Eastern Neck, the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College, the Kent County Bird Club, a local chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are teaming up to offer guided walks and talks throughout the day. All the tours, talks and nature walks start at the Refuge Office. The bird walk begins at the trail head. “It’s a family-friendly schedule,” says Refuge Manager Cindy Beemiller: 10:00 AM – Tubby Cove & Boxes Point bird walk; 10:30 AM – Cedar Point nature walk; 11:00 AM – Green Tree Reservoir tour; 12:15 PM – Tundra Swan talk; 1:30 PM – Shipyard Creek nature walk; 1:45 PM – Maintenance “Nuts & Bolts” talk; 2:30 PM – Duck Impoundment & pond tour. Bookstore manager Jackie Cicconi says she’s promoting a 10% discount all day, and the visitor center will feature live music and lunch concessions at noon.

This rain or shine event is free and open to the public. ENNWR is located at 1730 Eastern Neck Road in Rock Hall. For more information, contact colby_hawkinson@fws.gov or jfairchild2@washcoll.edu. To learn more about volunteer opportunities through the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc. visit www.fws.gov/northeast/easternneck/ or call (410) 639-7056.

Full Moon Kayaking

2010-11-17T12:25:00.001-08:00

October 22, 2010

Six Washington College students (Dan Danko, Nicole Robinson, and 4 other member of SEA) were among 22 paddlers on a Full Moon Float at Eastern Neck Island on October 22nd. It was brisk but calm as the group launched from Bogles Wharf and headed for the Duck Inn Trail. "It was peaceful gliding through the water and watching the moon come up," said Katherine Thornton, a sophomore at Washington College who took some of these photos. The event was organized by the Center for Environment & Society, and John Wagner, head of the College's waterfront programs, provided kayaks, paddles and life vests for students. The other intrepid paddlers (including a father and son in an Old Town canoe) brought their own gear and flashlights. The next group kayaking event at ENNWR is planned for 21 June 2011 in celebration of the summer solstice.

Eastern Neck Island has approximately 15 miles of shoreline, but the fall Shoreline Cleanup concentrated on a section of garbage and debris that washed ashore during recent storms. About a dozen people, including many volunteers from the Student Environmental Alliance (Nicole, Kathy, etc), hauled 11 bags of trash from the beach up to an abandoned trail head. The litter weighed approximately 200 pounds (not including an old tire)! Kevin Hemstock took a great photo of the cleanup participants - all women - that ran in the October 28th edition of the Kent County News.

Do bats make you think of Halloween and vampires? Beyond the myth and folklore, bats are one of the most important groups of animals. U.S. Fish & Wildlife specialist Colby Hawkinson taught a class on bat ecology, called Curious Creatures of the Night, on October 31st. Nine participants learned what bats eat, where they live and how they behave. Afterwards they built bat boxes using Boy Scouts' kits provided by Washington College's Center for Environment & Society.

All the October events at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge were part of a recent advertising campaign coordinated by CES and the Friends of Eastern Neck. The ongoing goal is to raise awareness of the Wildlife Refuge and the many recreational opportunities on the island. "Hiking trails, waterfowl counts, birdwatching, kayaking, beachcombing and fishing - it's all in your backyard," says Fairchild. If you have program suggestions, or for more information, please contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or (410) 778-7295. "We hope to see you at the Wildlife Open House on the island on December 4th," says Ms. Fairchild.

Anemometer Installed on WC Campus

2010-10-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

Anemometer Placed on Kirby Stadium

Drew Frank '03 and Teris Pantazes '03 of Seven Seas Energy teamed up with Climate Action Coordinator Briggs Cunningham to install an anemometer atop Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. The device will measure and record wind speed to determine whether wind turbines are economically viable for Washington College and the surrounding community.

Curious Creatures of the Night: Bats!

2010-10-11T09:43:00.001-07:00

October 31, 2010
2:00-3:30 PM

Bats often make people think of vampires, creatures of the night, and Halloween. Beyond the myth and folklore, bats are one of the most important groups of animals. Learn what they eat, where they live and how they behave. And build your own bat box with Colby Hawkinson, Park Ranger of Visitor Services. Building materials, cookies and cider compliments of the Friends of Eastern Neck and Washington College's Center for Environment & Society. Free and open to the public. Please register in advance with jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or call (410) 778-7295 or (410) 639-7056.

Shoreline Cleanup

2010-10-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2010
2:00-4:00 PM

Eastern Neck Island has approximately 15 miles of shoreline, but this two-hour cleanup will concentrate on a section of trash and debris that washed ashore during recent storms. Meet at the entrance to the island at 2:00 PM. Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, located at 1730 Eastern Neck Road, Rock Hall MD. Contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or (410) 778-7295.

Harvest Moon Kayak & Canoe Paddle

2010-10-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

October 22, 2010
6:00-8:30 PM

Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge
1730 Eastern Neck Road, Rock Hall MD

Watch the sun set to the west and the full moon rise in the east during a "full moon float" at Eastern Neck Island on Friday, October 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at Bogles Wharf, a public landing on Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, for gear check and instructions before heading out on the water. Previous paddling experience necessary. Bring your own canoe or kayak, life vest and flashlight.
Some would say we are "lunatics," say trip leaders Gren Whitman and JoAnn Fairchild. "But the setting sun creates an amazing canvass of contrasting and blending colors across the sky and reflecting in the river," says Whitman. "Great photo opportunities arise," adds Fairchild, and paddling by the light of the moon brings you closer to the magical sounds of ducks and geese rafting in the marsh.

Free and open to the public, this event is sponsored by the Friends of Eastern Neck and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College. To register, or for more information, contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295. In case of foul weather, the paddle will be cancelled. To learn more about recreational opportunities through the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc. visit www.fws.gov/northeast/easternneck/ or call (410) 639-7056.

Waterfront Festival Photos

2010-10-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the 2010 Waterfront Festival and Cardboard Boat Regatta are available online at: Waterfront Festival: 2010

Fourth Annual Waterfront Festival and Cardboard Boat Race

2010-09-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

The fourth annual Waterfront Festival along the Chester River is Saturday, September 25th, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM in Wilmer Park. Sailing excursions, kayaking, river cruises and tours of the College's new 46-foot research vessel, Callinectes, are all free and open to the public.

Popular attractions from last year return, including pony rides, the Horn Point Lab Touch Tank, Scales and Tales, Native American artifacts, and demonstrations of pre-historic fishing technology with Dr. Bill Schindler from Washington College. A competitive tug-o-war tournament, more games in the park, wooden boats and the Phillips Environmental Center "Fish Mobile" round out the entertainment. There is also a fish fry and funnel cake lady, home made ice cream, pit beef sandwiches and other concession stands. Prior to the festival, Sultana Projects is offering a 10 AM paddling trip with Chris Cerino and a 11 AM sail aboard Sultana. (To register for those paid activities, call 410-778-5954.)

The free open air festival offers a family-friendly chance to come down by the riverside, try your hand sailing or kayaking, take a cruise along Chestertown's historic waterfront, enjoy the music of Chester River Runoff, learn about the river's history and environment, and cheer on your favorite raft in the cardboard boat regatta.

"The regatta is attracting a wider circle of boat builders," says festival coordinator JoAnn Fairchild. "People are getting craftier and more competitive" now that the race is open to residents of Kent & Queen Anne's counties. Initially the regatta was intended as a one-time only event in celebration of Washington College's 225 anniversary (in 2007), she notes, "but it was so popular that the Center for Environment & Society has sponsored it every year since." For information, contact www.ces.washcoll.edu, jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or call (410) 810-7161.

2010 Schedule of Events

* 10:00 AM Sultana kayaking on Radcliffe Creek
* 12:00 Waterfront Festival starts
* 12-4 PM Boating, sailing, and kayaking on the Chester River, live music by Chester River Runoff, games, watershed ecology exhibits, and food vendors
* 12:30 Cardboard boat captains must sign in at the check-in table in Wilmer Park
* 1:00 Pony rides
* 2:15 Cardboard boat Captains’ meeting
* 2:20 Crew meetings and team photos
* 2:30 Parade of cardboard boats
* 3:00 Cardboard boat regatta
* 3:30 WC rowing team exhibition
* 3:45 Tug-of-war
* 4:00 Awards and 50/50 drawing

CES in What's Up? Eastern Shore

2010-09-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

WC in the News

CES gets some appreciation in What's Up? Eastern Shore for their work connecting people to the waterfront. The annual Cardboard Boat Regatta and Waterfront Festival will take place on Saturday, September 25, from 12-4 in Wilmer Park.

MD Grows Oysters in the News

2010-07-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

CES gets a little credit in the news! Find out more about the MD Grows Oysters Program, managed for the Chester River by Chesapeake Semester Program Manager Mike Hardesty '05.

Chestertown Spy: Local Oyster Stewardship

Maryland Grows Oysters Workshop - July 7

2010-07-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

July 7, 2010

The Center for Environment & Society at Washington College will host a "Marylanders Grow Oysters" workshop on the lawn of the Custom House in Chestertown on Wednesday, July 7th, at 5:30 PM. Chris Judy, with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, will go over the basics on how to grow your own oysters on the Chester River.
Volunteers will learn how to maintain and monitor oyster cages as part of the State's restoration projects on local tributaries. With the right salinity levels, the cages provide an ideal habitat as small "spat on shell" grows to year-old oysters. At that point, hundreds of oysters from the cages will be introduced to existing oyster bars on the upper Chesapeake Bay.

If you do not have waterfront access from your own property, but still want to get your feet in the water, then come aboard as a volunteer monitor. Volunteers are needed to help with data collection on oyster growth and mortality at the College's test sites along the Chester River. Opportunities are also available through the College's Adopt-A-Spat program, where people can feel great about supporting oyster awareness and stewardship on the Chester without dealing with the barnacles, algae and flatworms.
The July workshop is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call 410/810-7488 or contact mhardesty2@washcoll.edu.

The Marylanders Grow Oysters program was established in 2008 by Governor O'Malley. The initiative is designed to foster stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and create living oyster reef populations in sanctuaries. The Governor announced the Center's partnership status in June. In April, the Center received a Coastal America Partnership Award for its involvement with the Hail Cove restoration project at Eastern Neck Island. The College and the Friends of Eastern Neck were among the 17 partners who garnered this award.

WC GIS Lab in Chestertown Spy

2010-06-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

The Chestertown Spy recently covered the renewal of a state grant to the WC GIS lab, a part of CES. The grant will be putting $216,000 in state monies to work in a variety of mapping projects for municipal planners and law-enforcement agencies. GIS Program Coordinator Stewart Bruce says the funding comes from the renewal of a grant from the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP). Now in its third year, the grant funds the salaries of three summer interns, three student interns for the fall and spring and two full-time staff (Crime Analysts Caryn Thomas and Andrew Wright). It also partially funds the salaries of Bruce and sociology professor Dr. Andrea Lange, who serves as GOCCP Project Director.

Read the full article.

Climate Action Coordinator Briggs Cunningham in Currents Magazine

2010-06-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

CES Climate Action Coordinator Briggs Cunningham appeared in the annual journal of the Chester River Association, speaking about the progress on the Chestertown Green initiative. You can find the complete article here (pdf).

You will also find a mention of CES on page 6, "Making a Case for Capt. John Smith." CES Director Dr. John Seidel wrote the feasibility study to connect the Chester River to the national John Smith waterway trail, which leads boaters along the path taken by Capt. John Smith when he first sailed up the Chesapeake. Hopefully, the Chester River will be added as an addition to the trail in the near future.

Farm Dinners on the Shore

2010-05-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

We're sending this to you - our fans and followers -
with Special Early Bird Pricing for our Friday Night Dinner!
We hope you'll join us On the Farm!

Farm Dinners on the Shore Announces
Farm Dinners at Lockbriar Farms, Chestertown, Maryland
with Chef Robbie Jester, Chef David Perry of Casual Caterers
and Guest Chef Bill Hoffman,
Former Chef de Partie of The Green Room at The Hotel DuPont,
Currently Executive Chef of The Bistro on the Brandywine in Chadds Ford

Friday, June 18 - Dinner on the Farm

A fete prepared by a team of chefs - Hors d’oeuvres followed by a 4 course meal with wine selections and Chef demonstrations. The menu will be posted when it is complete. The quality and courses will be similar to those served at the Cassinelli Winery Dinner; menu is listed on the Home Page of www.homegrownandgreen.com The evening begins at 6:30. Dinner is limited to 50 people. Please reserve early.
All-inclusive price per person: $95 Reserve by May 31: $85 per person

Saturday evening, June 19 - Tapas on the Farm

Small plates, local wines & beers, enjoyed in good company, beginning at 6:00 - $30 per person

Sunday afternoon, June 20 - Sunday Supper on the Farm

Celebrate Father’s Day with the family! U-Pick berries, the music of Chester River Runoff and a family cook out, beginning at 11:30.
Children under 15: $10 Adults: $25

A portion of the proceeds from the Lockbriar Farms events will benefit
The Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, which supports interdisciplinary research and education, stewardship of natural and cultural resources and the integration of ecological and social values.

Under the leadership of Chef Robbie Jester. A graduate with high honors of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Jester quickly made his mark at the DuPont Country Club and Hotel DuPont, a considerable accomplishment for a chef in his young twenties. He currently divides his time as Chef de Cuisine, Toscana Kitchen And Bar in Wilmington, Delaware, and as Executive Chef, Harbor House Restaurant in Chestertown, Maryland. Jester’s talents have not gone unnoticed; he was one of a handful of chefs chosen to cook for Governor O’Malley’s 2009 Buy Local Challenge, and at Chefs by the Bay in 2010. He is the Head Chef for Farm Dinners on the Shore, and hand picks a team of select Chefs for each event.

Chef Jester is joined by Chef David Perry,a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, brings 35 years in the restaurant/hospitality business are peppered with diverse accomplishments and experiences. In addition to Executive Chef of some of the finer restaurants in the Annapolis, Wilmington and D.C. areas, Chef Perry has been a consultant and proprietor of a country store and a Bed & Breakfast. Throughout his career, Chef Perry has always honored requests for private catering, and thus in 1986 Casual Caterers was born.

Details can be found and reservations may be made at www.homegrownandgreen.com
Advance payment is required for all events.
For additional information call 410-810-4898

Earth Week Events

2010-04-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 22
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
11am – 2pm
Hodson Hall Commons and Cater Walk
An open community event for students, staff, faculty and friends of the college featuring foods from local farmers on our menu. We will be hosting a farmers market along Cater walk and showing the film "2 Angry Mom’s" in the Center Stage.
Fee to general public for lunch buffet $6.00

Friday, April 23
"Nourishing Traditional Diets for the 21st Century", a talk by Sally Fallon
7PM
Author Sally Fallon Morell exposes the dangers of low-fat diets and urges a return to traditional food choices and preparation techniques. She will speak in Hynson Lounge, Hodson Hall, Washington College. Sponsored by the Anthropology Department and the Center for Environment & Society.

Saturday, April 24
Mutt Strut & Earth Day Festival
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Fountain Park & Memorial Row
Chestertown

The Kent County Humane Society, the Town of Chestertown, and Washington College's Center for Environment & Society will present the annual Mutt Strut & Earth Day Festival in downtown Chestertown on Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Festivities begin in Fountain Park with the Farmers' Market, live music, and registration for the 13th annual Mutt Strut. The dog parade starts at 10 a.m. and winds through Town, finishing at the Courthouse where Shelter Associate Courtney Phelps presides over a series of "pawsitive" pet tricks, canine competitions and agility contests. There is a $10 registration fee for Mutt Strut, while Earth Day and pet fair festivities are free and open to the public.
Earth Day features eco-friendly exhibitors, crafters and vendors; free paper shredding; free recycling of fluorescent bulbs; free recycling of rechargeable- and alkaline batteries; environmental education, and opportunities for kids of all ages to learn why it is important to take care of Mother Earth's air, land and water. "The social, environmental and economic choices we make today have real consequences for the planet," says Mayor Margo Bailey.
For more information, call 410/778-7295 or visit ces.washcoll.edu and www.kenthumane.org.

* 8:00 AM - Farmers' Market opens in Fountain Park
* 9:00 AM - music begins on Memorial Row
* 9:00 AM - dog walkers register in Fountain Park
* 10:00 AM - dog parade begins
* 10:30 AM - dog agility contests begin in Fountain Park
* 1:00 PM - festival ends on a happy note

Mutt Strut & Earth Day is a community event sponsored by the Town of Chestertown, the Kent County Humane Society, and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College.

Sunday, April 25
Taste of the Town
Featuring sampler plates of the signature dishes of 15 of Chestertown’s finest restaurants and caterers, including the beneficiary of the event, the Culinary Arts program of the Kent County High School.

Participating restaurants and caterers range from nouvelle gourmet to those famous for regional classics such as Maryland Crab Soup.

The tented event will take place from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m in Chestertown’s waterfront Wilmer Park.

In addition to food, Taste of the Town will offer beer, wine from the local Cassinelli Winery, beverage stations, a cookbook sale, raffles for restaurant gift certificates and
a live auction of select premier items donated by restaurants and sponsors.

"Skipjack: America's Last Sailing Oystermen", Christopher White and the Watermen of Tilghman’s Island
5pm – 6pm
Decker Theatre, Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts
Join us for a powerful discussion about the decline of the oyster harvest and the future of the oystermen's way of life. The event will include a talk by Christopher White, author of the critically-acclaimed new book, Skipjack: The Story of America's Last Sailing Oystermen, and a unique public conversation with four legendary senior skipjack captains: 89-year-old Arthur Daniels, Jr. and his son Stan Daniels, both of Deal Island, and Wade Murphy, Jr. and Stanley Larrimore of Tilghman Island.
You are invited to "Meet the Captains" at the post-program Oyster Reception and book signing. Attendees will also have an opportunity to explore a remarkable exhibition of skipjack-inspired art, including photography, paintings and models by Chesapeake masters Marion E. Warren, A. Aubrey Bodine, John Barber, Carolyn Egeli, Tim Bell, the CBMM Modeling Club, and many others.
The event is co-sponsored by the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College.

Shoreline Cleanup

2010-04-12T09:44:00.002-07:00

May 1, 2010

The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College and the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc., are organizing a shoreline clean-up at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, May 1, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. "Volunteers are needed to help pick up trash and debris that accumulate on E. Neck Island over the winter months," says project manager JoAnn Fairchild. Trash bags, gloves, sunscreen, bug spray and bottled water will be provided for all volunteers. The event is free and open to the public. Meet at the Refuge Office and Visitor Center, located at 1730 Eastern Neck Road in Rock Hall. Contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or call 410/778-7295.

The Center for Environment & Society works to instill a conservation ethic by connecting people to the land and water. It supports interdisciplinary research and education, exemplary stewardship of natural and cultural resources, and the integration of ecological and social values. The Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc. is a non-profit organization that supports the missions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Eastern Neck NWR through financial, advocacy, and volunteer support. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Eastern Neck, visit www.fws.gov/northeast/easternneck/ or call (410) 639-7056.

Skipjack: America's Last Sailing Oystermen

2010-04-12T09:44:00.001-07:00

April 25, 2010

Skipjack: America's Last Sailing Oystermen

Christopher White and the Watermen of Tilghman & Deale Islands

Decker Theatre, Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts, 5:00 p.m.

Book signing to follow.

Author Christopher White spent two years living on Tilghman Island and working with three legendary captains of the traditional wooden Chesapeake Bay oyster boats known as skipjacks. Through a discussion with a group of these lively characters, we will begin to understand the challenges of living on the Bay and sailing a traditional skipjack. The event will bring the audience face-to-face with a critically endangered tradition that reaches back over 100 years. Sponsored by the C.V. Starr Center for the American Experience and the Center for Environment & Society. Contact Michael Buckley at mbuckley3@washcoll.edu for more information.

Mutt Strut and Earth Day

2010-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

April 24, 2010

Mutt Strut & Earth Day Festival

9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Fountain Park & Memorial Row

Chestertown

The Kent County Humane Society, the Town of Chestertown, and Washington College's Center for Environment & Society will present the annual Mutt Strut & Earth Day Festival in downtown Chestertown on Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Festivities begin in Fountain Park with the Farmers' Market, live music, and registration for the 13th annual Mutt Strut. The dog parade starts at 10 a.m. and winds through Town, finishing at the Courthouse where Shelter Associate Courtney Phelps presides over a series of "pawsitive" pet tricks, canine competitions and agility contests. There is a $10 registration fee for Mutt Strut, while Earth Day and pet fair festivities are free and open to the public.

Earth Day features eco-friendly exhibitors, crafters and vendors; free paper shredding; free recycling of fluorescent bulbs; free recycling of rechargeable- and alkaline batteries; environmental education, and opportunities for kids of all ages to learn why it is important to take care of Mother Earth's air, land and water. "The social, environmental and economic choices we make today have real consequences for the planet," says Mayor Margo Bailey.

For more information, call 410/778-7295 or visit ces.washcoll.edu and www.kenthumane.org.

8:00 AM - Farmers' Market opens in Fountain Park

9:00 AM - music begins on Memorial Row

9:00 AM - dog walkers register in Fountain Park

10:00 AM - dog parade begins

10:30 AM - dog agility contests begin in Fountain Park

1:00 PM - festival ends on a happy note

Mutt Strut & Earth Day is a community event sponsored by the Town of Chestertown, the Kent County Humane Society, and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College. To register as a vendor or exhibitor, write to jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or call 410-778-7295 by April 14.

Sally Fallon Morell

2010-04-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2010

Author Sally Fallon Morell exposes the dangers of low-fat diets and urges a return to traditional food choices and preparation techniques. She will speak in Hynson Lounge, Hodson Hall, Washington College. Sponsored by the Anthropology Department and the Center for Environment & Society. Email Dr. Bill Schindler wschindler2@washcoll.edu for more information.

Zero Waste Events

2010-01-13T13:23:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, January 20 @ 7 PM
"Garbage Dreams"
Award-winning documentary
Litrenta Hall
John Toll Science Building, Washington College

January 21 @ 5:30 PM
"Green Drinks Reception"
McLain Atrium
John Toll Science Building, Washington College

January 21 @ 7 PM
"Zero Waste Communities"
Lecture by Rick Anthony
Litrenta Hall
John Toll Science Building, Washington College

Events are sponsored by the Town of Chestertown, Infinity Recycling, Kent County Recycling & Waste Disposal, MidShore Regional Recycling Program, and the Center for Environment & Society.

More information at ces.washcoll.edu

Poisoned Waters

2009-10-29T11:07:00.001-07:00

On October 30 at 5:00 PM at the historic Prince Theatre in downtown Chestertown, Hedrick Smith will explore how the Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound are indicators of a larger national problem. Mr. Smith is a Frontline producer and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, formerly with the New York Times. What's shocking about his latest feature on the water crisis is how well-known the problems are. Scientists for years have been scooping up samples with chemicals, mostly from everyday household products. They've been pulling PCB-riddled salmon out of the water for decades. There are documented cases weirdly mutated frogs with six legs, intersexed fish (males carrying eggs), and drinking water loaded with contaminants— two-thirds of which are so new they elude modern filtration methods. By focusing on the home of the blue crab and the playground of the orca, which aren't overwhelmingly similar, Smith highlights a pervasive decline in the nations waterways and he takes us beneath the surface to see the terrible trouble caused by sprawl-related pollution and unregulated toxic industrial, agricultural and municipal runoff.
Both events are free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Center for Environment & Society, the Chesapeake Semester at Washington College, and Sultana Projects. For more information, visit www.ces.washcoll.edu or www.sultanaprojects.org or call 410-778-7295.

Caretakers of Creation

2009-09-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin will lecture on "Caretakers of Creation: Jewish Perspectives" on Tuesday, October 13, at 10:30 a.m. at Emmanuel Church located at 101 N. Cross Street in Chestertown. The lecture is free and open to the public. Immediately following the program, discussion will continue over lunch in the Parish Hall. Lunch is $15 and reservations are required by October 7th by contacting jfairchild2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7295.
Ordained in 1988 from the Jewish Theological Seminary, Rabbi Cardin now serves as Director of the Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network (BJEN) at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center. She is also an environmental activist and educator, an author, and a freelance sustainability consultant. In 1978 Rabbi Cardin co-founded the Jewish Women's Resource Center, which is now part of the National Council of Jewish Women—NY Section; and in the mid-1990s she co-founded the National Center for Jewish Healing and the New York Jewish Healing Center. She most recently served as General Consultant to COEJL, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (2007-2009).
This program is presented by the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College, the Chestertown Havurah, and the Chester Valley Ministers Association as the kickoff event of the "Caretakers of Creation" lecture series. Father Allen LaMontagne, the Reverend of St. Paul's Parish, Kent, says the public forums will feature different faith perspectives in the context of the community's relationship with the land. "Discussion will center on our role as people of faith in the care of creation," he says.

Reminder: Waterfront Festival this Saturday

2009-09-23T05:49:00.001-07:00

Saturday, September 26, 2009

The 3rd Annual Waterfront Festival will include boat tours of the Chester River, sailing, kayaking, cardboard boat race, bluegrass music, good food and family fun. Wilmer Park, 12-5 p.m.

* 12 Noon – Festival opens with Chester River Runoff and antique boat rendezvous
Sailing, boating and kayaking with Washington College
Fried fish & funnel cake by Rose Green, pit beef by Krystal Q, homemade ice cream by Highland Creamery
* 1:00 PM – Oyster Float workshop
Native American fishing and artifacts display
Exhibits on watershed ecology
* 2:00 PM – Parade of cardboard boats
Pony rides
* 3:00 PM – Cardboard Boat Regatta
* 3:30 PM – Award ceremony
* 4:00 PM – Guided canoeing with Sultana Projects
* 5:00 PM – Tug-o-war competition

Shoreline Cleanup

2009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Shoreline Cleanup at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, 12-4 p.m.

Under Our Skin

2009-09-17T09:11:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

"Under Our Skin," an award-winning documentary on Lyme disease, will be presented as a public service on Wednesday, September 30, at 7:00 p.m. in Litrenta Lecture Hall at Washington College.

Waterfront Festival

2009-09-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Environmental Author Diane Dumanoski

2009-09-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, Septermber 23, 2009

Environmental journalist and author Dianne Dumanoski will discuss her latest book, The End of the Long Summer: Why We Must Remake Our Civilization to Survive on a Volatile Earth, at Washington College's Litrenta Lecture Hall on Wednesday, September 23, at 7 p.m. Dumanoski has been a pioneer in reporting on such issues as ozone depletion, global warming and the accelerating loss of species since 1970. The event is presented by the Center for the Environment & Society and the Chestertown Spy.

Peace Day

2009-09-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Chestertown Peace Alliance, the Community Mediation Center, and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College will observe Peace Day at Chestertown's Fountain Park on Saturday, September 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The event includes live music by Mary Ashley & Rebecca Pitre, educational exhibits, the lighting of a Unity Candle, and welcoming remarks by JoAnn Fairchild. The event is free and open to the public. Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at sunset, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense. For more information, call 410/778-7295 or contact jfairchild2@washcoll.edu.

Cardboard Boat Workshop

2009-09-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2009

Cardboard Boat Workshop, Custom House lawn. Limited supplies of sheets (120" x 50") of double-walled cardboard, duct tape, wooden straightedges (for marking cardboard), ink markers, tape measures, razor knives, and a selection of water-soluble paint will be provided. You may bring additional decorating applications. Size and shape of your boat is restricted by the amount of cardboard and tape available. Most teams come prepared with a design, utilizing engineering and design principles. Last minute modifications and frantic problem solving, however, are often required. 12-5 PM. Sponsored by the Center for Environment & Society.

Chesapeake Semester Kicks Off

2009-09-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

August 24, 2009

The Chesapeake Semester kicks off at the Custom House. Throughout the fall, students will journey in, on, and around the watershed to discover what the Bay has in common with coastal communities around the globe. Find out more at chesapeake-semester.washcoll.edu.