Battle for the Bird River
I’m declaring war. No, I’m not assuming some
pseudo-political position giving me the power to aggregate our country’s
resources in a fight for power, peace or anything else dominating the headlines
these days. I, Liana Vitali, am declaring war and all the power I need is the
strength in my arms and a Sea Doo GTI with a 130 hp engine and a sleek,
ergonomic design. Combine this with my steadfast desire to restore the
Chesapeake Bay to its historic and unimaginable beauty and you’re looking at a
stealthy invasive species destroyer, equipped to rid the Chesapeake
Bay of its exotic aquatic vegetation invaders and able to leap tall
buildings in a single bound! (OK, that part might be an exaggeration.)
I bet you’re wondering who I used my incredible skills and
power to wage war upon . . . the dreaded Trapa natans. Here is its criminal rap sheet:
| CONFIDENTIAL |
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Street name: Water Chestnut
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Continents of Origin: Europe, Asia and Africa
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Last Known Chesapeake Bay Residence: Bird and Sassafras rivers
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Criminal Record: Convicted on multiple accounts of:
- Aggravated assault on native underwater Bay sea grasses
- Possession of a weapon in the form of ½ inch spikes sharp enough to cut through shoe leather
- Aiding and abetting by creating an environment conducive to the growth and cultivation of blood-sucking mosquitoes
|
Recently, I joined forces with Maryland Department of
Natural Resources biologists to seek and destroy water chestnut in the Bird River,
north of the city of Baltimore.
We deployed one Carolina
skiff and two Sea Doos to scour the shores of the entire main river and
creeks. This time last year, we worked collectively to remove what seemed like
half a ton of water chestnut from the river. This year, we returned to find
that the skills, strategy and no doubt awesome intimidation we imposed on the
invader must have struck fear into its very roots. Though their guerilla tactics of hiding amongst beloved native water lilies
nearly out of sight might have worked, they clearly misjudged our abilities and
dedication to the Bay. One by one, we yanked out less than a quarter of the
water chestnut we removed last year. OohRah!
So does this mean that I can now hang a large and lovely
banner across the front of the Chesapeake Bay Program building proudly stating
“MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED!”? No. But can I proudly say we’ve set an example of how combining
manpower and resources with a loyal devotion for the Chesapeake
Bay can result in tangible and positive changes to our creeks and
rivers? Absolutely.
Liana poses with a bunch of the invasive water chestnut she helped remove from the Bird River in Maryland.
South River gets a 33 on latest report card
The South River Federation released its 2009 annual scorecard last night. The river received a score of 33, one point lower than last year. The federation scores the river on 10 key indicators, including nutrients, dissolved oxygen and the abundance of underwater life. Some of the individual scores include a dismal 1 for water clarity and zero for underwater grasses, and a more encouraging 7 for bacteria levels.
In the scorecard, South River Federation Executive Director Erik Michelsen gives people a few quick tips on how they can help improve the health of the South River:
"Everyone living in the South River Watershed can do their own part by trying to keep the rain that falls on their property in their yard, upgrading septic systems to the best available technology, and minimizing or eliminating the use of fertilizers on their yards."
Want some more tips to help the South River and the entire Bay? Check out the Bay Program's comprehensive list of ways people can make a difference.
See a PDF of the full scorecard.
This is the second river report card to be released in recent weeks. The Magothy River released its annual Magothy River Index in February, and it also reflected a decrease in overall river health. Stay tuned for more river report cards in the coming weeks.