Over the past quarter century, billions of dollars have been invested in restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These major investments could be lost due to global warming.
The National Wildlife Federation, which has been doing some great work reaching out to non-traditional constituents such as hunters and anglers, just released a new report on how global warming is impacting–and will impact–the Chesapeake Bay. It focuses specifically on how global warming will affect duck and other wildlife populations in the Bay.
The report comes as attention on global warming, and its local effects, reaches new heights. Only a week before the report’s release, a key Senate committee called a hearing with MD. Gov. O’Malley and VA. Gov. Kaine on how global warming is likely to impact the Bay. NWF’s report focuses on how continuing coastal development and global warming’s devastating effects have begun threatening the Bay and its wildlife at an unprecedented level.
Take action on NWF’s website and urge your representatives to protect the Chesapeake’s ducks by supporting strong global warming legislation.
Diagram of impacts to fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay
Warmer average temperatures are causing waterfowl to “shortstop” further north. Record low numbers of canvasbacks wintered in Chesapeake Bay in 2007, despite a large breeding population. The “missing” canvasbacks stopped in the Great Lakes, which remained largely unfrozen due to the unusually mild and late winter.
What changes you are seeing in the Chesapeake or your own backyard because to global warming?
