This summer we debuted our first-ever Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper Bootcamp internship. For two weeks (July 7th – July 18th), we led a cohort of ten interns through an experiential learning process delivered through a Waterkeeper lens. Our bootcamp equipped them with the skills to become the next generation of environmental stewards. They tested water, learned…
The Next Generation of Baltimore’s Forests Blue Water Baltimore staff and volunteers have planted several thousand trees across our local watersheds over the past 15 years. Some of these trees are now reaching maturity and helping us reach our citywide goal of 40% canopy coverage. This month, I headed out into the field with TreeBaltimore…
Oh Boy, What A Year! As the second year of the pandemic draws to a close, Blue Water Baltimore celebrates the ways in which our community can still come together to achieve our mission of Clean water, Strong communities. We planted over 1,000 trees, removed 11,000 sq feet of impervious surface and gave away over…
“Buck Rubbing on Tree” by USFWS Mountain Prairie is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Why do white-tailed deer rub their antlers on trees? Each spring, male deer (also called ‘stags’ or ‘bucks’) grow a new set of antlers. In the fall, these bucks rub their antlers on young tree trunks. Rubbing removes an itchy, velvet…
What are native, non-native, and invasive plant species? Native species have co-evolved in specific ecosystems for thousands of years. Native plants are anchors of healthy, biodiverse communities. They have adapted to local soils and climate conditions. Each species plays a necessary role in the delicate web of life and preserves the balance and beauty of…
This autumn, Blue Water Baltimore wrapped up large-scale project and planted 215 trees on 1.2 miles of streets in southeast Baltimore’s Greektown neighborhood. Greektown is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Baltimore, but it’s also one of the least leafy with only an 8 percent tree canopy. This led the Greater Greektown Neighborhood Alliance…
As an organization performing the hard but necessary hands-on work of improving water quality, Blue Water Baltimore seeks to be grounded in the local history of our region. Over the past two years, we planted 477 new trees in the median of US-Route 40 between Fulton Avenue and MLK Boulevard. Aptly nicknamed the “Highway to…
Gushing water main breaks, chronic sewage overflows, and “fatbergs” in the pipes – when it comes to Baltimore’s failing infrastructure, sometimes it feels like we’re the only city dealing with these seemingly insurmountable problems. We often get asked during our Pollution 101 training events whether Baltimore is alone in its struggles for clean water, but the answer is…
When we survey the Inner Harbor, it is easy to see some types of trash. Plastic bottles and bags often float to the surface. But what about those smaller pieces of trash, like cigarette butts and tiny bits of expanded polystyrene foam (aka styrofoam)? On July 20th, Blue Water Baltimore’s Waterkeeper team partnered with Trash Free Maryland and the National Aquarium to do…
On July 19th, Blue Water Baltimore’s Ecoliteracy & Engagement Manager, Michel Anderson, had the privilege of guiding the 6th grade students in Gilman School’s Bridges Program on our Jones Falls Watershed Tour. We started at Lake Roland and traveled down Falls Road, following the Jones Falls River to where it opens into the Inner Harbor….