Appreciating the Chesapeake Bay

By Dana Aunkst

Critter of the Month – the Snowberry clearwing. (Photo by Will Parson, Chesapeake Bay Program)

It’s Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week – a good time to learn more about our nation’s largest estuary and the commitment by EPA and its partners to restore it.

There’s a variety of information online – from quizzes for students to captivating videos for everyone. Here’s a selection of offerings:

Bay 101 – a series of videos from around 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay watershed highlighting the issues, practices, critters and people important to Bay restoration.
A Field Guide featuring more than 250 species of birds, fish, insects, invertebrates, mammals, plants, reptiles and amphibians that live in the Chesapeake Bay region, including the Critter of the Month – the snowberry clearwing (a type of hummingbird moth).
An Ecosystem page that showcases the connection of the Bay, its habitats, plants and animals.

And for some fun student activities to learn more about the broader environment, check out these EPA games, quizzes and videos.

While it’s a week to become more aware of the Bay and its natural wonders, it’s also Effective Partnerships Month as part of EPA’s 50^th Anniversary celebration.

EPA is working with six states, the District of Columbia and sister federal agencies, among other partners, to restore the Chesapeake Bay and the local rivers and streams that connect to it. You can learn more about that partnership here and pick up some good tips on how you can help in the restoration effort.

About the Author: Dana Aunkst is the director of the Chesapeake Bay Program Office.

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