Thursday, March 30, 2023

Play

Nebraska attorneys develop a workers rights program, the FDA approves over-the-counter sales of the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone, and mayors look for new ways to partner with the federal government.

Play

The Senate repeals authorization of military force in Iraq, the former CEO of Starbucks testifies about the company's worker policies, and Kentucky overrides the governor's veto of gender-affirming care for children.

Play

Small towns respond to a hidden housing and homelessness crisis, a new national weather prediction system will help close the gap between urban and rural forecasting, and more rural communities are eligible for a design project to boost economic development.

Virginians Can Explore the Chesapeake Bay Online This Summer

Play

Monday, June 22, 2020   

RICHMOND, Va. -- The coronavirus pandemic has shifted the way educators and students learn about the Chesapeake Bay and its estuaries to new virtual programs.

The Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's York River highlights the habitats of the nation's largest estuary. Online programs feature storytelling and discovery labs, like last week's session on turtles.

Education coordinator Sarah Nuss said their virtual classes teach students and families about the Bay's ecosystem as well as how to protect it.

"Our reach is really regional because the Chesapeake Bay's watershed is so large," Nuss said. "We want people to understand that even if you live in New York or Pennsylvania that the impact that you have on your land and your waterways could eventually affect the Chesapeake Bay."

Since 1983, the states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, have been working to fully restore the polluted estuary by 2025. Updates on online activities can be found on the Research Reserve's Facebook page.

Nuss said this is the first summer that teachers at the Virginia site can't spend time in-person with campers who come back year after year for hands-on programs. But she hopes the online sessions will continue to connect kids with opportunities to learn about the Bay's aquatic life and its role in the environment.

"The Chesapeake Bay provides a local example of an environment that the students can learn all aspects of science but with a local context," she said. "So I think it means more, is more meaningful to them when it's closer to where they live and something they interact with."

Parts of the reserve are open for public use during the pandemic, including York River State Park, which has hiking trails and a beach area.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.





get more stories like this via email

The report outlines ways that higher education could be creative and flexible with how schools are using their platforms to reach students. (Adobe stock)

Social Issues

New findings confirm suspicions about the top reasons many students considered dropping out of college over the last six months. The Gallup and …


Social Issues

Two reports confirm a troubling trend in terms of Black students attending college. According to the University System of Georgia, enrollment among …

Health and Wellness

States such as Minnesota continue to grapple with recent spikes in fatal overdoses tied to opioids. Now, a federal agency has taken what aid groups …


The Warrior Way Back program at Wayne State University works with older students who may have families or jobs competing for their study time. (digitalskillet/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

Everyone starts college with pretty much the same dream - to earn a degree and have a better life. But sometimes life gets in the way, and dreams get …

Social Issues

Food assistance is integral for families - but it's also important that the food available makes sense culturally. The American Heart Association …

The Castner Range contains cultural sites that document the history of Native tribes, while also providing habitat for wildlife such as the golden eagle, mountain lions and the western burrowing owl. (Dale/AdobeStock)

Environment

A celebration will be held in El Paso Friday after five decades of activism paid off, when President Joe Biden designated Texas' Castner Range a …

Social Issues

The Iowa Senate has advanced a bill to outlaw handling a cellphone while driving. The state already has a distracted driving law, but it allows …

Social Issues

With an average hourly wage of under $15 in 2021, many Nebraska agricultural workers would be hard-pressed to afford an attorney if they needed one …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021