Oysters are just like you and me

Jennifer Carr — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:10:49 +0100

Saving oysters and the South River through the eyes of a nine year old Federation and Marylanders Grow Oysters volunteer

My name is Amanda, I'm 9 years old and I live on Turkey Point Island. I also have oysters in the bay! Oysters are a very important part of our water. They are great, fun, and awesome! But the problem is that they are getting extinct. There are only 2 species left. The fertilizer that you put on your plants to make them grow really kills th...

South River Water Quality Monitoring January 10, 2012

Diana Muller — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:25:27 +0100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_7p_wUbbAM&feature=youtu.be

Robins Return to the South River

Kirk Mantay — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:15:24 +0100

Last week, Robins returned to the South River watershed. They are on fields, in highway medians, and in lawns. Perhaps you've seen one, making a fast dash north from its wintering grounds?

Nope. Wrong Robin.

When Glenn and Jane Amsbaugh moved from York, PA back to Jane’s hometown along the South River, there was one thing they knew they wanted to continue: gardening. Mr. Amsbaugh knew he would have some work ahead of him since the South River does not have the rich fertile soils like York, PA which is in the heart of Amish County. With a low-lying property along the South River, he had to battle higher salinity levels and poorer soil.

Witch-hazel: The Forgotten Winter Flower

Kirk Mantay — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:11:29 +0100

Winter weather has arrived in the South River, and most life has settled down throughout the watershed. Snakes, turtles, and frogs are hibernating. Our summer songbirds have, for the most part, left the area. Blue crabs and most fish species have also left the River in order to spend it in the slightly warmer waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay. People have settled down too - the River is free of paddlers, crabbers, and anglers, and indeed most boats have been winterized for a month or m...

Volunteers Spruce up Wilelinor for the Holidays!

Jennifer Carr — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:12:54 +0100

The Wilelinor restoration site received some holiday cheer over the weekend! On a beautiful December morning, a team of South River Federation volunteers came together to do maintenance work on the site. Volunteers began the day by spreading 15 bales of peat moss under the Atlantic white cedars (Chamaecyparis thyoides) lining the stream and wetland pool. The peat moss served as a soil amendment to adjust the pH value. We hope that by spreading peat moss around the cedars, there will be an...

Anne Arundel County Submits Its Plan to Achieve Clean Water

Erik Michelsen — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:17:35 +0100

Over the course of the past several years, Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works has been at the forefront of developing a plan to clean up local waters. During the past year, Anne Arundel was one of two "pilot counties" (the other being Caroline) who shared their lessons learned with other counties around the state as they too developed their plans.

The plan focuses on tackling the three major sources of pollutants in Anne Arundel County: Wastewater treatment plants, se...

SOS: Save Oyster Shells!

Jennifer Carr — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:12:58 +0100

We are sending out an SOS to “Save Oyster Shells!” Thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the South River Federation now has our very own oyster collection station to make oyster shell recycling easier for our community. Next time you eat some delicious Chesapeake Bay oysters, don’t throw away the shells! Stop by our office complex located near Yellowfin Restaurant and recycle your shells. Simply place your used dead oyster shells into the baskets and encourage y...

The Coot in the Coal Mine

Kirk Mantay — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

For everyone who hasn’t been on the river for a few weeks, the first wintering waterbirds have arrived! Surprisingly, they aren’t Canada Geese or Canvasbacks!

Photo by Michael Budd, USFWS

S...

South River Federations very own Octoberfest

Sarah Boynton — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:31:08 +0100

Talk about a whirlwind, my head has finally stopped spinning from all of the activities that went on in October with the Federation.

We started off the month of October in West Virginia at the 2011 Chesapeake Watershed Forum, where Carol and Jennifer presented their Chesapeake Conservation Corps project posters. The weekend was filled with seminars on various topics from social marketing to stormwater management. It was a great opportunity to network with other watershed organization...

Got Green? November Project of the Month

Jennifer Carr — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:16:02 +0100

Got green? Tell us about it! This new monthly series by the South River Federation will focus on the efforts made by residents of the South River Watershed to make their homes or yards more environmentally friendly.

When Tropical Storm Nicole roared through in the fall of 2010, it left its mark on Jim and Joan Hunter’s yard. The storm destabilized the area, the slope slumped, and the Hunter’s had to figure out how to put it back togeth...

Ghosts of the South River

Kirk Mantay — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:31:18 +0100

This time of year, we allow our imaginations to roam wild
with thoughts of ghosts, goblins, witches, and even zombies - all creatures of
fantasy. But what would do if you knew
that the river at your doorstep flows thick with the remains of local residents
who have come and gone in generations past?
Well, it's true. I swear it is.

Unfortunately and in a morbid way, fortun...

New Rain Garden for Arundel Lodge!

Jennifer Carr — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:46:50 +0100

On a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning last week, members of Arundel Lodge in Edgewater were working hard to install a new rain garden. Together with volunteers from the South River Federation and the Watershed Stewards Academy, the members planted 150 native plants in the garden. These included Black-eyed Susans, St. John’s Wort, Little Lemon, and White Turtlehead. The members of Arundel Lodge, a rehabilitation center for adults with mental illness, had been looking forward to this d...

CCC: The Ultimate All Hands on Deck Project

Jennifer Carr — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:15:28 +0100

Columbus Day was a busy day in the South River Watershed! The Chesapeake Conservation Corps (CCC), a career and leadership training program funded through the Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT), held their All Hands on Deck project at Historic London Town and Gardens. The All Hands on Deck project was a competitive $2,000 CBT mini grant available to CCC volunteers to complete a large scale project and training opportunity for all CCCs to attend. The South Riv...

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