Together with our partners, Chesapeake Conservancy is using precision conservation to create a healthier environment upstream, for a healthier Chesapeake Bay downstream. Restoration is possible through partnerships and a data-driven approach—starting with the streams.

Restoring the Bay’s 100,000 small tributaries is key to restoring the Chesapeake as the watershed’s land-to-water ratio is 14:1, the largest of any of the large enclosed coastal water bodies in the world. With all of that land draining into very little water by comparison, stringing together high-value projects is the fastest way to see an improvement in fish, bug and wildlife habitat.

The Chesapeake Tributaries Initiative is a community-driven approach to achieve measurable, near-term conservation outcomes for local creeks and streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. There is a lot of good work underway–the Tributaries strategy aims to amplify this momentum by boosting coordination and funding to restore streams back to health.