Congress considers more smart buoys for the Bay

Congress is considering a plan to extend the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS), affectionately known as the John Smith smart buoys, with three new buoys next year and a new classroom curriculum. Buoys are planned for the lower Susquehanna near Havre de Grace, Maryland; Stingray Point on the Rappahannock River and at Norfolk, Virginia. These buoys will enhance our understanding of the biological, physical and chemical processes across the Bay and its tributaries and support the educational components of the John Smith Trail. Three CBIBS buoys - at Jamestown, at the mouth of the Potomac River, and the mouth of the Patapsco River - already mark the John Smith Trail and provide scientists a critical tool for monitoring and measuring progress in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and provide school children an important educational resource.

Where is the Patapsco Buoy?

John Page Williams, CBF Senior Naturalist, clues us in: In the aftermath of mid-February's Siberian Express, the Patapsco CBIBS buoy nestles ashore, where it is undergoing winter maintenance. Water temperatures in the Upper Bay are hovering around 40 degrees (F), and salinity around 6 practical salinity units (about 20% of sea water), which is at the low end of the range for that area, reflecting fresh water flowing down the Susquehanna into the Bay from recent rains. These are still hard-core winter conditions, but in three weeks or so, we can expect to see those temperatures begin to rise slowly, even as we await the first ospreys to return to the Chesapeake and anadromous (freshwater-spawning) fish like rockfish and shad begin making their way up the Bay to spawn.

1st John Smith Trail Wedding!

National Park Service John Smith Chesapeake Trail Partnership Coordinator, Christine Lucero recently married Michael Steen at, where else but, Jamestown. "Since it was Jamestown that brought us together, Mike and I both knew we wanted to be married there," Christine said. (Mike works for the state operated Jamestown Settlement.) How fortunate for us, there just happens to be an historic church! Having been duty stationed on the island, I knew I wanted 'a sunset picture.' Once I took the job with the trail, I also knew I'd have to include Captain John in it. My photographer will tell you that including the John Smith statue was on my list of "must have" photos."

John Smith Trail receives funding

The National Park Service's new budget includes significant funding for the development and operation of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Just one year since the trail was designated, it has received $347,000 for staffing the trail and to support the advisory council. Staffing for the trail includes a project manager, Sarah Bransom, as well as additional positions yet to be recruited and filled. The council will be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior this year to advise on the planning and development of the trail. In addition, NPS has allocated $200,000 this year to develop the trail's Comprehensive Management Plan. Funds this year will be used to conduct public workshops, identify access and interpretive opportunities for trail users and other visitors, inventory significant sites and segments of the trail, and develop the environmental assessment for the trail. In developing the plan, NPS staff will be working closely with federal, state, community, and non-profit partners to ensure that a long term vision and action plan is developed that will guide the progress of the trail over the next 10 to 15 years.