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Sassafras Update
April 2012
In this Update: * Riverkeeper Bids Farewell to
SRA * Project Clean Stream 2012 * Upcoming
Events * Smells Like... *
Riverkeeper Bids Farewell to SRA
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
In May I’ll be leaving Sassafras
River Association to pursue a new
opportunity in my home state of
Virginia. I’ve accepted a position
as the Lower James Riverkeeper,
based in Williamsburg, VA, where
I’ll have the chance to expand my professional career while continuing
the important work of protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
SRA News:
Mother Earth's
Future Looks
Bright Through
Eyes of Cecilton
Elementary
I’m excited for this new chapter in my life and career – but reluctant to
leave SRA and all the close relationships I’ve developed here. I feel
incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to serve as the Sassafras
Riverkeeper, but the real pleasure was in working with such fantastic
people. I’ll miss SRA’s dedicated volunteers and members, and the
enthusiasm you’ve brought to my work here.
As is tradition for the departing Sassafras Riverkeeper, I’ll soon be
taking a shot of River water to demonstrate that the River is… just a
little bit cleaner. And after my departure I’ll take some comfort knowing
I’ll still be in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and can come visit the
Sassafras from time to time. I’ll also remain a close partner of SRA
through the Waterkeeper Alliance, and the network of Waterkeepers in
the Chesapeake Bay. I’ll be on the other end of the Chesapeake, but
never too far away and I’m committed to seeing SRA through the
transitional period before the next Sassafras Riverkeeper is selected.
My experience at SRA has only strengthened my commitment and
passion for cleaning up our waterways, and I will always look back on
my time here with a smile. I’m amazed at all that has been
This year the nearly 320
students and teachers of
Cecilton Elementary went
above and beyond to both
celebrate and reduce their
environmental footprints for
Earth Day.
During the week leading up to
Earth Day the school collected
and recycled 3,317 plastic
bottles, handed out 990
recyclable paper bags to local
businesses, and each
individual class participated in
their own activities like planting
trees and learning about the
three R’s (recycle, reuse,
reduce). The week culminated
accomplished during my time at SRA, and the organization is poised to
do much more good work in the coming years. The Sassafras is a
special place, and SRA is lucky to have a community so concerned
and committed to protecting it. Keep up the tremendous work, and see
you on the River.
Jamie Brunkow
Sassafras RIVERKEEPER® Emeritus
SRA will begin its search for a new RIVERKEEPER® on Friday, May 4.
Visit our website or call the office at (410)275-1400 for job description
and application instructions.
Project Clean Stream 2012 Overview
Thank you to all of the
volunteers who helped beautify
the Sassafras River by cleaning
up trash throughout the
watershed on April 14th and
April 29th!
reduce). The week culminated
on April 20th with each class
listening to speakers from
environmental groups around
the area, about ways to help
clean-up our waterways and
be better stewards of the
environment. One student from
Cecilton Elementary even
designed a reusable shopping
bag for Earth Day, the
proceeds from which were
donated to local environmental
organizations.
*New* SRA
"Wish List"
Each month we'll be posting a
"Wish List" with items, supplies,
and volunteers we could use
in/around the office and at
On Saturday, April 14th, 37
volunteers cleaned up 5 sites and
collected 54 bags of trash, along with other items such as tires, car
bumpers, iron gates, and even lottery tickets. Some sites such as
Sassafras Natural Resource Management Area had extremely large
quantities of trash and required 3+ hours to clean, while other sites
such as Turner’s Creek seemed to have improved since last year.
On Sunday, April 29th, 3 volunteers from Washington College cleaned
up along Edgar Price Road, which is a new cleanup site this year. They
collected 10 bags of trash, along with other items such as a carseat,
tires, and a microwave.
Thank you again to all of the volunteers who came out to help clean up
the watershed!
events:
- Flower pot
- Office chairs (for conference
table)
-Coffee pot
- Changeable, outdoor sign (for
posting upcoming events)
- Mulch for landscaping (and
volunteers to spread it would
be great!)
- A volunteer to man the SRA
booth at upcoming events:
Dogwood Days 5/12
Chestertown Tea Party Festival
5/25
Cecil County Wade-In 7/7
Lotus Festival 8/4
...and more to come!
Can you help? Please call
(410)275-1400. Thank you!
Other
News/Events
Upcoming Events
Thursday, May 17th: SRA Membership meeting with guest speaker
Michael Helfrich, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper. Join SRA 6pm7pm at Galena Fire Hall for our upcoming membership meeting
highlighting the Susquehanna River and its influence on the Sassafras
River and upper Chesapeake Bay. Visit our website or click here for
more details about the meeting.
Wednesday, June 20th & Thursday, June 21st: Invasive Species
Removal along the Sassafras River. Volunteers are needed to help
Cecil County GreenFest
Friday, May 5th 10am-4pm
The Fair Hill Nature Center and
Maryland Cooperative
Extension host GreenFest - a
new way to celebrate spring,
reconnect with nature, and
have fun learning how easy it
can be to go "green". Click
SRA remove water chestnut and control the amount of invasive
species along the River.
June 2012: SRA will be hosting its 2nd Paddle of the year. Join SRA
staff and members in canoe or kayak down the Sassafras River. This is
an excellent opportunity to view the beauty of the River in a new way.
Date and time TBA.
***Save the Date for the 3rd Annual
Sassafest River Jam !***
Sunday, July 8th 12pm-5pm
*Free Family Festival*
Georgetown Yacht Basin
More details to come soon!
Smells Like...
Spring is in the air, and with it comes the lovely scents of blossoming
flowers, freshly cut grass, and …..chicken manure? If you live or spend
time on the Delmarva Peninsula, chances are that you have more than
once caught the aroma of poultry manure being spread on crop fields
in the early spring. Similar to compost, chicken manure is not only high
in essential plant macro-nutrients N, P, and K, but also in organic
matter and micro nutrients that are not found in chemical fertilizers.
Part of the nitrogen found in chicken manure, usually about 38 lb /ton,
is inorganic, so it is available immediately to growing crops. The
remaining nitrogen is organic, meaning it must mineralize over time
before it can be utilized by plants, which requires both heat and
moisture. This characteristic makes chicken manure the perfect
fertilizer for corn, as the conditions that promote mineralization are also
ideal growing conditions for corn- similar to a perfectly planned time
release fertilizer.
Problems stemming from manure application often arise either due to
management decisions, or due to unforeseeable weather
complications. Stockpiling manure too close to streams and ditches,
applying manure beyond requirements for rolling average yields, not
incorporating the manure under the soil surface, not splitting
applications of fertilizer between starter and sidedress, and applying
manure on phosphorus saturated soils are all practices that often give
rise to water quality issues. Weather patterns also dramatically affect
the loss of nutrients to the environment. Manure is applied in March,
based on normal crop yields in an average growing year. During
severe droughts or poor growing seasons; however, corn will not
utilize the nutrients applied earlier in the spring. The nitrogen
remaining in the soil at the end of the growing season is then easily
lost through leaching once rains begin in the fall and winter.
Poultry manure is an important link in developing healthy soils and a
more sustainable food production system, but we must continue to
strive to improve management of this resource to prevent degradation
of downstream public waters, fisheries, and wildlife.
can be to go "green". Click
here for more information.
May Bird Count
Saturday, May 12th
Join Kent County Bird Club at
Eastern Neck National Wildlife
Refuge and throughout Kent
County and participate in one
of their bird counting teams.
Click here for more
information.
Chestertown Tea Party
Festival
Friday, May 25th 10am-7pm
Join/Donate
Today!
Your donation to SRA is tax
deductible and helps support
our River protection
programs!
Sassafras River Association
7479 Augustine Herman Highway
Georgetown, MD 21930
(410) 275-1400
riverkeeper@sassafrasriver.org
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Sassafras River Association
P.O. Box 333
Georegetown, Maryland 21930
US
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