From the Editor Of Ospreys & Optimism

Of Ospreys & Optimism

by Jefferson Holland

When I started coming down to the Chesapeake Bay in the mid-1970s, osprey sightings were rare and eagles were nowhere to be found. Then Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring revealed the evil of insecticides like DDT and other chemicals polluting the food chain, which sparked the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Water Act 50 years ago.

Now both ospreys and eagles are nesting on the Bay in record numbers. In Chesapeake Almanac on page 22, John Page Williams cites many other indicators showing that the Bay cleanup efforts are making progress, despite the negative impact of millions of new people who have moved to the watershed over the decades. Wait! That includes me. And you, too, I’ll bet.

So, what can we do to help with the Chesapeake’s cleanup efforts? If your property could benefit from a rain garden, then the Bay would benefit too, by reducing excess runoff pollution. Learn how to create one in Nancy Robson’s Talk of the Bay article on page 10.

We’re also celebrating another anniversary in this issue: the 200th birthday of one of the Chesapeake’s iconic heroes, Harriet Tubman. Fortunately for us, the viewscapes of the marshes and forests of Tubman’s youth on Maryland’s Eastern Shore haven’t changed much in all that time. Kate Clifford Larson, the best-selling author of an acclaimed biography of Harriet Tubman and an award-winning historian and consultant, takes us on a tour of the area through Tubman’s eyes, beginning on page 46.

Of course, we can’t have too many stories about boats, and this issue abounds with opportunities for you to explore the Bay by water, from a ride on an historic barge on the C&O Canal (page 16) to paddling water trails in Maryland and Virginia (page 52), with tips on how to choose the right kayak. You’ll also find a review of the new Sea Pro 199 Center Console (page 28).

To top it off, you can meet some of the most adorable dogs on the planet and discover the astonishing origin story of the Chesapeake Bay retriever. I’m hoping you’ll find inspiration to get out and experience some of the history, culture and adventures you’ll be reading about in this issue of Chesapeake Bay Magazine.