Category: Our Work

The St. Mary’s Animal Adoption and Resource Center pollinator gardens were recently renovated to help restore and preserve our natural resources. The gardens are located directly in front of the shelter, where community members gather to meet animals available for adoption. The project is a partnership between the shelter, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Friends of […] Continue reading "Gardens Installed at St. Mary’s Animal Adoption and Resource Center"

On March 30, “Esther Bonney and Samantha Rutherford, founders of Nurture Natives, and Marlene Smith, founder and president of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter, had the opportunity to volunteer at Bona Terra LLC, an all-native nursery in Friendship, MD, to support another native seedling giveaway! They learned about a variety of local ecotype species, explored […] Continue reading "Meet Our Bona Terra Plant Grant Volunteers"

“Esther Bonney, founder and director of Nurture Natives, Marlene Smith, founder and president of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter and member of St. Mary’s County Master Gardeners, University of Maryland Extension, and Frank Allen, president of the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust dedicated their morning on March 27, 9 am-12 pm, to removing invasive English Ivy […] Continue reading "Local Leaders Tackle English Ivy – One Tree at a Time"

“Last weekend, we had the privilege of venturing into the epicenter of Sam Droege’s Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. Despite the constant bombardment of water droplets, we found solace cocooned in a plastic hoop tent, our shelter from the elements while immersed in nature’s symphony of rhythms. This comfort would prove short lived as […] Continue reading "Calm Amidst the Storm: Seed Sowing at the Native Bee Laboratory"

What’s CNC All About? Do you like observing nature? Make your observations count! The City Nature Challenge is an adventure in metropolitan areas worldwide to discover and identify wildlife. We’ll be looking for signs of life in parks, neighborhoods, and backyards to see what plants and animals share our environment. Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay members are encouraged to […] Continue reading "City Nature Challenge 2024 – Washington Metro Area"

“Cofounders of Nurture Natives, Esther and Samantha, and cofounders of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter, Marlene Smith and Bill Smith, had an exciting time presenting “Gardening For Biodiversity” at the Leonardtown Library in St. Mary’s County, MD on March 2. A full crowd and lots of discussion. Thanks to all who came out! Stay tuned […] Continue reading "“Gardening for Biodiversity” a success!"

“Recently, a dedicated group of students rallied together yet again to embark on a transformative journey – turning weed-overgrown flower beds into a fertile canvas for the place of a future native pollinator garden. Our first garden prep session was successful, but we still had more to accomplish. Armed with enthusiasm and a shared vision […] Continue reading "Work Continues at St. Mary’s Animal Adoption and Resource Center"

“We’re excited to share the progress made during our workday on February 22 for the native pollinator garden project at the St. Mary’s County Animal Adoption & Resource Center in collaboration with Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, the St. Mary’s County Garden Club, and Friends of St. Clements Bay. We joined forces with students of Mrs. […] Continue reading "Work Begins at St. Mary’s Animal Adoption and Resource Center"

Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is pleased to announce that Nurture Natives has been awarded a Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education (SFE) Grant. The funds will support the creation of a Native Peace Garden at the East John Youth Center in Lusby, MD. Being the only youth-led organization awarded in the US is truly an honor, […] Continue reading "Nurture Natives Awarded Grant"

An Icon on the Edge On February 7, Xerces Ambassador and Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay President Marlene Smith gave a presentation on “Eastern Monarchs 101” to the North Four Corners Civic Association in Silver Spring, Maryland. Little did she know as she was giving her talk that the latest news on the eastern monarch population […] Continue reading "The Monarch Butterfly"