Introduction to our Trip!

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America and one of the largest in the world, with a watershed that covers over 64,000 square miles and is home to over 16 million people.  Yet due to mass-production agriculture and industrial development, the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem now suffers from pollution and nutrient run-off that harms both fish and plant life.  On this trip, we will visit many sites in and around the Chesapeake in order to learn more about why it is such an important resource as well as pinpoint the major problems it faces from industry, agriculture, and people.  Through field programs with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local service projects, participants will not only expand their knowledge of the Chesapeake, but will be able to actively engage in its improvement.  We will also learn about how sustainable farming practices can be one of the keys to the Bay's restoration, and what we can do to support policies that enhance its biodiversity and ecological health.  Trips to areas such as Clagett Farm and the Master Peace Community Garden will allow participants to get a first-hand look at sustainable agriculture, as well as a better understanding of how community-supported agriculture works.  We will camp outside for part of the week (Thursday and Friday nights).