Chesapeake Bay Journal

On a pleasant evening last September, more than 100 people gathered on Steven Weaver's New York farm to see how his grass was growing. Quite well, it turned out, despite a drought that persisted much of the summer.

Clover, orchard grass, alfalfa, rye and other forage grew so thick it required effort to wade through them on the stroll up the hill to see the Amish farmer's dairy herd contentedly chewing away.

Unlike most dairy farms, Weaver's 50 cows spend almost all of their time in the pasture, which is also where they get almost all of their food. Less than an hour a day is spent in the milking parlor.

He has no need for expensive equipment to haul and spread waste. "Let them haul the manure," Weaver said of his cows. And because he creates new grazing "paddocks" every few days using thin strands of electrified wire, the manure is evenly spread, allowing the nutrients it contains to be quickly recycled into new grass.

Wave bye-bye to wavyleaf basketgrass: Three summers ago, when Marc Imlay and a small band of volunteers were yanking unwanted plants in a local park, they stumbled across something they had never seen before: a deep green grass with rippling waves across its blades.

PA municipalities' suit calls DEP nutrient strategy 'unlawful': More than 70 Pennsylvania local governments have united in a lawsuit seeking to block the state from enforcing nutrient limits placed in wastewater discharge permits as part of the state's effort to reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.

Rendell creates task force to review PA's water, wastewater infrastructure: Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell on Feb. 27 issued an executive order establishing a high-level task force that will review water and wastewater infrastructure needs throughout the state.

Shallop continues to serve as ambassador for Smith water trail: The shallop that re-enacted Capt. John Smith's 1608 travels on the Chesapeake Bay will enjoy a more restful summer this year without straying far from the public eye.

Bacterium from Bay could help to develop cellulosic ethanol: A type of bacteria taken from the Chesapeake may eventually help prevent pollution from reaching the Bay.

VA tightens blue crab harvest rules; more restrictions may be ahead: Virginia officials tightened rules on harvesting blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay to try to restore the dwindling crab population-and signaled that even more dramatic changes may be coming this season, which started March 17.

Environmental, health experts say new ozone standard isn't strong enough: New federal actions to clean the air should also help to clean up the Chesapeake, although environmentalists and health advocates say the EPA's new standard for ozone pollution doesn't go far enough.

Ocean health threatened by lack of federal funds, says report card: The United States earned an overall grade of a C for its ocean and coastal restoration efforts in 2007, inching up from a C- in 2006, according to an annual report by the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative released in February.

Trade group pushes large aquaculture plan using sterile Asian oysters: A trade group is proposing its largest experiment to revive the Chesapeake Bay's oyster industry, seeking to grow 1.3 million sterile nonnative oysters.

Organizations seek 'endangered' status for red knot: A migratory bird that environmentalists say is threatened because of horseshoe crab fishing along the mid-Atlantic coast should be listed under the Endangered Species Act, a coalition of environmental groups said in a letter to federal officials.

Patricia Nielsen, Chester River activist: Patricia Herold Nielsen, an environmental activist who was a founding member of the Chester River Association, died Feb. 28 at her home in Brooklyn, NY, after a 10-year battle with breast cancer. She was 59.