Celebrate Earth Month with IPC!
April 22nd is Earth Day, and here at Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake's our One Water Partnership is embracing the spirit of the holiday throughout the month. That's right, Happy Earth Month!
Join us for a special (virtual) gathering exploring Chesapeake Bay environmental issues through the eyes of our Riverkeepers! We'll circle our way around the Chesapeake, hearing from river-keeping organizations about issues affecting their watersheds, and how you can get involved.
Stick around after for Q&A with our amazing speakers!
Meet Our Speakers!
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| Matt Pluta | Fred Tutman | Susan Parker | Dr. Jennifer Nyland | Ted Evgeniadis |
Barbara Johnson |
Matt Pluta,
Choptank RIVERKEEPER® and Director of Riverkeeper Programs at ShoreRivers. Matt is dedicated to safeguarding the long-term health of the river, guarding against illegal and harmful pollution, and building a stronger voice for the protection of the Choptank’s natural resources. A Great Lake's region native, Matt has always had a love for protecting what's in your water!
Fred Tutman,
Patuxent RIVERKEEPER® - Organization Founder & Riverkeeper, an organization dedicated towards promoting grassroots community advocacy for clean water in Maryland’s Patuxent River Watershed. A Maryland native, born and raised along the Patuxent River, as were seven generations of his ancestors before him. He is among the longest serving Waterkeepers in the Chesapeake region and the only African-American Waterkeeper in the nation! Additionally, Fred is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing his work, serves on several regional boards, commissions and task-forces, and is an adjunct instructor of environmental law & policy at historic St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
Susan Parker,
Wicomico Environmental Trust (WET) - Creekwatchers Coordinator. A longtime Wicomico County resident and began working in The Daily Times newsroom in 1990, retiring in 2019 after 28 years in print journalism. Having regularly written about environmental issues during her years as a journalist, Susan subsequently joined the board of directors of in fall of 2019 and began volunteering with Wicomico River Creekwatchers during the 2020 sampling season. In late 2020, she began her current role as the Creekwatchers coordinator. Susan works closely with Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and the One Water Partnership both through her role at WET and as green team leader at her congregation, St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Salisbury.
Dr. Jennifer Nyland,
Department of Biological Sciences in the Henson School of Science and Technology. Dr. Nyland is a professor and the faculty director of the Henson Honors Program in Science and Mathematics in the Clarke Honors College, both at Salisbury University. With degrees in chemistry, immunology, and toxicology, and work experience in environmental engineering, she is interested in the ways in which humans impact the watershed and thus influence the heath of ecosystems. Jenn has served as the laboratory coordinator for the Wicomico River Creekwatchers since 2021 when she joined Christina Bradley, a marine/estuarine biologist also at Salisbury University, to co-direct this effort.
Ted Evgeniadis,
Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® & LSRA Executive Director. Ted serves as the Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® and works as an alliance builder, diplomat, and educator, but also, when the situation calls for it, an unrelenting defender and advocate of our right and the river’s right to be healthy and prosperous. Ted utilizes education, chemical and biological monitoring, pollution patrols, partnership building, public events, research and legal action to improve the health of the Susquehanna’s waterways. He assists the government by reporting non-compliance of the law, and follows through where environmental protection agencies are unable to do their job due to politics or funding issues.
Barbara Johnson,
Blue Water Baltimore - Water Quality Manager. Manages the ambient water quality monitoring program under the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper (BHWK). Barbara also runs the Outfall Screening Blitz program and Community Science events. In addition, she conducts pollution investigations when problems are reported by community members and assists the BHWK on regulatory and compliance issues. She has an BA in Environmental Sustainability & Human Ecology from The University of Baltimore and is a CSI (Certified Stormwater Inspector) from the National Stormwater Center.
Celebrate With Us!
We're encouraging congregations to join us in celebration of What's In Your Water!
Check out our "Blessing of a Waterway Action Kit" and arrange for your group to visit and bless the stream or waterway closest to you, and keep an eye out for IPC-led water blessings in your region.
See our full Resources Library HERE!
Want to invite others?
IPC's 'Chesapeake Conversations' webinars are designed to supplement the core Faithful Green Leaders Training program. Please be encouraged to invite your team, congregation, and beyond! This webinar is FREE and open to all.
Download these promotional resources to help your team get the word out!
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