Give back to the Bay by becoming a volunteer Riparian Ranger! The goal of the Riparian Rangers project is to boost collective capacity and success by monitoring and tending to forest plantings during their growing season. This extra care yields a higher tree survival rate and more effective restoration efforts. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is in desperate need of more streamside forest cover, and Riparian Rangers are here to help.

Riparian Rangers visit riparian forest buffer plantings throughout the summer. During these visits, they analyze their site for any concerns to report on while completing hands-on maintenance. This maintenance includes removing bird nets, fixing fallen stakes, ensuring tree shelters are on properly, removing and reporting invasive plants and weed whacking any weeds smothering trees.

Chesapeake Conservancy has partnered with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and has a branch program in Union County, PA. Training and equipment will be provided. If you are interested in participating, please email us at info@chesapeakeconservancy.org.

Live stakes are branch cuttings from wetland tree and shrub species that can be planted into the ground alongside streams. They root readily and eventually grow into viable and successful trees.These live stake plantings help to stabilize the streambanks to stop sediment from eroding into the waterways as well as filter nutrients and other pollution from upslope runoff. Live stakes are collected while trees are dormant, a typical collection season runs October through March.

Live stakes areoften planted as part of forest buffer restoration projects. These projects take place where water quality health is poor, such as along or upstream of agriculturally impaired stream segments. We wantstakes to grow where they are going to benefit the water quality themost. Planting season for live stakes is often when the ground beginsto thaw in spring, April through early June.

Collecting and planting live stakes can be fun for almost all ages! If you are interested in participating, we currently run our program in the following PA counties: Union, Snyder, Lancaster, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming and Huntingdon. Training and equipment will be provided. If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more,please contact info@chesapeakeconservancy.org.

Chesapeake Conservancy seeks a volunteer to help monitor our peregrine falcon cam during nesting season. This person would assist with alerting Chesapeake Conservancy staff to breaking news events such as when eggs are laid or when the eyasses hatch. The volunteer could also be trained to create brief social media videos from the live stream for purposes of our social media accounts. If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more, please contact info@chesapeakeconservancy.org.

Chesapeake Conservancy seeks a volunteer to help monitor our great blue heron cam during nesting season. This person would assist with alerting Chesapeake Conservancy staff to breaking news events such as when the heron are working on their nests or when the chicks hatch.The volunteer could also be trained to create brief social media videos from the live stream for purposes of our social media accounts. If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more, please contact info@chesapeakeconservancy.org.