As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of declaring our independence from England and its king, there has been a torrent of written and visual reflections on our hallowed Declaration of Independence and its global historical importance. One example is the harsh reality of Native Americans trapped in a lose-lose situation during the Revolutionary War. Tribes…

Last week’s column covered President Donald Trump’s insane blockage of clean and cheap sustainable energy from wind power. Equally appalling is his attack on solar power, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. His policies spur higher energy prices and diminish electrical supplies while promoting greater usage of polluting and costlier coal, oil and natural gas. At an April…

“The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.” Bob Dylan (1962)     Since taking office again on Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has taken a wrecking ball to our nation’s conservation efforts, dismantling approved legislation, regulations and funding. Many bedrock initiatives were enacted under Republican presidents and with bipartisan efforts. Some date…

Maryland’s Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain recently posted an op-ed, “What the Chesapeake Bay is trying to tell us.” The secretary left many gaps, omitting what the bay is really telling us. First, the Chesapeake is loudly telling us now and has been for decades that it is not its warming waters that are the major…

As we plunge into the New Year enveloped in grey wintry weather and heightened socio-economic and political stress, let us seek relief in nature, a cure-all for distress, anxiety and depression.
Evidence of the need for this natural balm is everywhere. Suicide is a major national public health problem with U.S. suicide rates among the highest of wealthy nations. In 2024, the U.S. suicide rate was 15.6 per 100,000 people, 26th highest of 183 countries and well above the world average of 9.2. By comparison, our neighboring nation of Mexico is at 7 and Canada has a 9.4 rate.

When forests are destroyed and fragmented by development, agriculture and timbering, their ecological services and economic benefits may be lost if timbered land is not reforested or allowed to regenerate. The EPA-led Bay Program and scientists connected with bay restoration have recognized the incredible importance of forests to a healthy bay, especially streamside forested buffers.