|
|
Spanning six states (New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia), plus the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay watershed occupies 64,000 square miles and directly affects the lives of some 17 million Americans. This rich ecosystem—containing one of the largest estuaries in North America—must cope with the environmental impact of agriculture, development, and some of our most densely populated urban areas.
The leading threats to the health of the Chesapeake Bay are nitrogen and phosphorous, which promote excess algae growth, and sediment pollution, which smothers oysters and results in low-oxygen “dead zones.”
Oysters restore water quality by removing excess nitrogen that can deplete the oxygen needed to support life in the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay once supported a large enough oyster population to filter the entire Bay’s volume every four days. Today, the reduced oyster population requires nearly a year to complete the task.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Oyster Restoration Program will plant 25,000,000 oyster “spat” in the Bay in 2012. This will enhance the Bay’s filtration capacity, helping to provide cleaner water, which will benefit aquatic, avian, and land species. Please join Orvis in support of this vital habitat restoration project.
As part of our global commitment to protect nature, The Orvis Company has partnered with CBF in a matching funds grant with a total goal of $60,000. Your contribution is matched by Orvis—dollar for dollar, up to $30,000—doubling your donation to help save the Chesapeake. Your $100 contribution becomes $200!
You can help. To help restore the Chesapeake Bay, send your check to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, c/o The Orvis Company, 178 Conservation Way, Sunderland, VT 05250 or donate online.
|
|
