Re-Cap: Eastern Neck Tree Planting!

Last weekend, our Aquarium Conservation Team (ACT!) hosted a tree planting event at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Eastern Neck is a 2,285-acre stopover area for migratory and wintering waterfowl at the mouth of the Chester River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Funded through the US Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, and National Wildlife Federation, community volunteers, students and partners planted 15,000 native hardwood trees creating a 300 foot forest buffer along the river. Since 2000, we have restored more than 12 acres of wetland habitat, demonstrating the beneficial use of dredge material. The wetlands provide refuge to a variety of wildlife including terrapins, birds, snakes and small mammals.

In total, 80 students from Rock Hall Elementary, Kent County High School and Aquarium On Wheels (an after school program for Baltimore City Youth) participated alongside 18 Maryland Conservation Corps, 19 Aquarium Conservation Team and 36 community volunteers. Our planting project at Eastern Neck is part of a larger initiative to educate local school children on the importance of marsh habitat around the Chesapeake Bay using these restored wetlands as a living classroom.

US Fish and Wildlife Staff will continue to monitor trees over the next several years to assure success of the newly-planted seedlings!

Want to get out in the field and give back to our local wildlife? Join us at our of our upcoming conservation events! 

Cleaning Omega: Giving Old Bones a New Look

A visit to National Aquarium, Baltimore is incomplete (and nearly impossible) without sighting Omega, the finback whale skeleton that has been at the Aquarium since we opened more than 30 years ago.

Conservators carefully vacuuming the whale skeleton.

The scaffolding and lid needed for the construction of our new Blacktip Reef exhibit have given us a unique opportunity to bring in a expert team of conservators to give Omega a proper cleaning.

Due to its location, the skeleton (which weighs approximately 5,000 pounds!) has been mostly inaccessible for adjustments and cleaning. Over the years, Aquarium staff have cleaned the skeleton by using a small vacuum and soft brushes, however, this deep-cleaning will give a team of four conservators the opportunity to carefully clean Omega and tend to any chemical and physical deterioration to the skeleton.

A bit of history on Omega…

Omega was most likely born around 1870 and developed into a 50 ton, 58 foot finback whale living in the Atlantic off the coast of New England. In the Spring of 1883, Omega was harvested by a small whaler and towed to one of the small ports on Cape Cod for rendering. A finback of Omega’s size would yield only eight barrels of oil, the rest (including the whale’s bones) was considered scrap. Henry Ward, a conservator who prepared large animal skeletons for P.T. Barnum, Buffalo Bill Cody and similar exhibitions, acquired Omega’s skeleton in 1884 and prepared the large skeleton for display.

Omega was purchased by the state of New York and remained packed away in the basement at Rochester University until 1979, when it came to the National Aquarium on permanent loan from the New York State Museum in Albany. She has been graciously hanging over our exhibits since 1981!

Stay tuned for more updates on our Omega cleaning project! 

Thoughtful Thursdays: Earth Hour

On Saturday March 23, 2013, the National Aquarium will once again be participating in Earth Hour. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Earth Hour asks individuals, businesses, government leaders and others to turn out all non-essential lighting for one hour as a movement to demand action on climate change. We will stand in the dark alongside hundreds of international cities and iconic landmarks ranging from the Las Vegas strip to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to the Great Pyramids of Giza. Since 2007 when 2.2 million people took part in the first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, Earth Hour has massively expanded to over 7,000 cities and towns in 152 countries and territories with hundreds of millions of participants across seven continents.

We depend on our planet for so much – food, fuel, fresh air and water- and our actions play a key role in on our effects on the world. Earth Hour is an opportunity to show our commitment to help protect our resources and our planet. In 2013, Earth Hour is not merely an annual event, but is a continuous movement driving real actions to change the world we live in.

On Saturday, March 23, between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (local time) Earth Hour will once again cascade across the globe. The National Aquarium (at both venues) will be turning off all unnecessary lighting and other electronic devices during that time.

Join us as we cast a vote for the environment!
1. Join the movement.
• Pledge to switch off your lights at home and show your support by registering your commitment.
• Encourage friends and family to get involved!
• Plan an Earth Hour party at home! Block parties, candlelight vigils and candlelight dinners are just a few things you can do to celebrate as a community.

2. Go Beyond the Hour.
• Extend your actions beyond an hour! This weekend, pledge to spend at least one whole day with a minimal impact on the environment. Unplug at home any non-essential appliances before leaving in the morning, and lower the thermostat for time you’re not in the house. Take public transit, or carpool with coworkers for a day. Pack a lunch in reusable dishware. Aim to use only reusable, recyclable or compostable materials throughout the day. Cook a dinner using only local and organic food (or don’t cook at all, eat foods that don’t have to be heated). Unplug with your family at night by playing a board game or relaxing with a book.
• Tell us what you did to make a difference. Share your efforts with us in the comments section!

This one hour of darkness may result in a small reduction of energy consumption, but more importantly paints a powerful picture of behavioral change needed to combat climate change. Join us as we stand among hundreds of millions of people to call for action on climate change!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Why (and Where) We Compost

Last month, National Aquarium staff visited the Chesapeake Compost Works (CCW) facility located right here in Baltimore. The trip had two main objectives: to learn how composting plants work and to get a better sense of where we were sending tons (yes, TONS) of organic waste from our Baltimore venue every week.

The compost piles at the CCW. The steam seen here is heat being released from the bacterial”breakdown” of the organic waste.

As a conservation organization, we’re always looking for ways to minimize the amount of waste we’re putting into the environment.

Three years ago, the Aquarium implemented a composting program in the Harbor Market Kitchen area. The program was later expanded to include visitor areas, waste from the rain forest exhibit and all staff and administrative office areas!

There are labeled compost bins (like this one in our harbor market kitchen) throughout the Aquarium!

We’ve been working with the CCW facility for just a few months (they opened in November). Located in Curtis Bay, CCW has 55,000 square feet of space to process local waste. They are currently accepting 60-80 tons of waste a week and converting it all into nutrient-rich soil for local farmers and the community!

In the short time we’ve been composting, the Aquarium has saved close to 40 tons of organic waste from landfills!

Interested in composting your waste? Here’s how to do it!

 

1. Learn what kind or organic waste CAN be composted! A full list is available here. 
2. Start collecting waste materials!
3. Work with a local organization, like CCW, to have your waste collected. Baltimore and Washington, DC (and most developed areas) have “compost cabs” that will even come to you for collection!
4. Visit a local compost facility! Not only will you learn more about the process, but you can also purchase nutrient-rich soil for gardening or urban farming projects!

 

$10 Off for Those in Ravens’ Attire on Tuesday!

Giving Baltimoreans another reason to celebrate, we are inviting Ravens fans to enjoy $10 off general admission tickets when you show your support for the 2013 Super Bowl champions tomorrow, Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at our Baltimore venue.

National Aquarium is conveniently located close to the Ravens parade route through downtown Baltimore. All those wearing Ravens or purple attire will receive the discount to our Baltimore venue when purchasing tickets.

The $10 off discount applies to tickets purchased on-site only and is valid for general admission tickets for all ages. Discount cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer valid Tuesday, February 5, 2013 only. National Aquarium is open on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition, National Aquarium offers discounted parking at the Lockwood Place Garage at 124 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. For more information on the discount, visit aqua.org/visit/baltimore/promotions.

We hope to see you tomorrow! GO RAVENS!