January Quarterly Meeting: Environmental Justice
2023-01-25 08:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The January Quarterly Meeting of the BES focused on Environmental Justice.
The meeting was held in person at the Technology Research Center (TRC), Room 206 on UMBC’s campus.
STREAM a recorded video of the meeting.
DOWNLOAD a recorded video of the meeting.
DOWNLOAD Meeting Notes and Discussion
Full details and agenda below.
Printable PDF version HERE
BES Quarterly Science Meeting: Environmental Justice Practice and Research
TIME: 8:30am – 1pm, Wednesday, January 25th
LOCATION
Physical:
Room 206
UMBC Technology Research Center (TRC)
5200 Westland Blvd
Arbutus, MD 21227
Parking:
UMBC parking lot #25 surrounds the Technology Research Center. If you park in this lot and would like to have free parking, you will need to provide the following vehicle information to the TRC building manager (Patricia Smith) on a sign-in sheet upon entering the building:
Tag Number and State; Make and Model; Color

AGENDA
8:30 Coffee, Snacks, and Hellos
9:00 Goals and Introductions
Moderator, Tanaira Cullens, Environmental Scientist, Biohabitats

Become familiar with

Topic
Practices, findings, and data
Needs and opportunities
Organizations and individuals

Identify actions: Let’s not let this meeting be “one and done”
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable

9:15 Brief Orientation to Topic
Morgan Grove, USDA Forest Service

Disamenities / Amenities // Distributional (Patterns) / Procedural (Processes)

Linking Distributional and Procedural over Time

EJ as a resilient system: an expanded set of “parts”, feedbacks, and long-term understanding (how did it come to be)

Housing, zoning, employment, education, policing, wealth creation, and so on?

Other perspectives / ideas?

9:35 Practice:
What is the current state of EJ practice in Baltimore that could include policy, planning, and management perspectives and from government and civic society sectors?

Meghan Hazer Alvarez, Watershed Planning + Partnerships (DPW)
Tree Equity, MD DNR Forest Service
Mark Montgomery, Pastor, Union Baptist Church

10:05 Break
10:15 Research:
What is the current state of EJ research in Baltimore?

Long term EJ dynamics in Baltimore, Morgan Grove
Street Tree Diversity and Redlining in Baltimore, Karin Burghardt, University of Maryland, College Park
Mosquitos and Community Engagement, Dawn Biehler, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

11:05 Engaging / Sharing Practice / Research:
What are the needs and opportunities for better engaging EJ practices and research from community to municipal levels: listening and sharing in Baltimore?

The problem of “Us” talking to “Us”

People who are experiencing the injustices

Are there other opportunities to expand who is in the conversation?

Hosted by other groups such as BUILD / ACT Now

Times that are more accessible: weekends / evenings
Institutional barriers to connecting Practice, Research, and Education

11:35 Production:
What are the needs and opportunities for the production of EJ research in Baltimore, including students at different “stages” of life, academics, and academic institutions in Baltimore?

Landscape of Fear
Policy and the “community meeting” requirement for projects
Intergenerational/socioeconomic barriers
Mentorship Opportunities

University programs such as iCARE
Parks & People BRANCHES program
Temple X school

12:05 Mutual Aid and Next steps:
Ideas for future activities for partnership

What’s the network?

Who’s involved and who’s missing

Where can we be helpful?
How can we be helpful?

BES website: Synthesis research documents with links to publications and data
Overall city synthesis of practice and research

Calendar of events

1:00 Adjourn

Spring Quarterly Meeting: Wildlife/Organismal Biology & Baltimore Communities
2023-04-12 09:00 - 12:00 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The Spring Quarterly Meeting of the BES focused on Wildlife/Organismal Biology & Baltimore Communities
It was held in person at the Technology Research Center (TRC), Room 206 on UMBC’s campus.
DOWNLOAD Agenda PDF or scroll down to read.
DOWNLOAD Presentation Slides.
Watch a recording of the meeting below:

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BES Quarterly Science Meeting Agenda: Wildlife/Organismal Biology & Baltimore Communities

8:30 Coffee, Snacks, and Hellos
9:00 Introductions
Christopher M. Swan – Dept. of Geography & Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
9:10 Intersection of social systems, research, and ecological health
Land cover and socio-economic patterns together explain urban mammal occupancy
Colin Studds – Associate Prof. UMBC – Population Ecologist
Mammal habitat occupancy is often explained by land cover patterns. We found that occurrence of five of six mammals species in Baltimore forests was best predicted by models that had a combination of land cover and Socio-economic variables.
Less volunteered biodiversity sampling occurs in formerly redlined areas
Dexter Locke – Research Geographer. USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station – Baltimore Field Station
This talk shows how ~12 million volunteer-collected bird data points (in Baltimore and 194 other metropolitan areas) are distributed with respect to redlining, and how those patterns have changed over time. Citizen science data has rapidly gained influence in urban ecology and conservation planning, but with limited understanding of how such data reflects social, economic, and political conditions and legacies. At the same time, it has been proposed that race-based zoning policies and practices plausibly have a legacy of creating entirely different food webs and interactions among organisms in urban areas. In order to harness the power of vast quantities of spatially-explicit citizen science data, to address issues of segregation and its link to biodiversity today, it is important to first understand how spatial sampling bias co-occurs along socioeconomic gradients.
(Re)connecting people to nature via wildlife monitoring
Ela Carpenter, Urban Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ela will present on her work as US Fish and Wildlife Service urban wildlife biologist merging wildlife research with community engagement. She will discuss how she ties conservation work to people’s lives, demonstrating how conservation can be a tool to help improve people’s lives, and how a recent course on Co-designing conservation is helping her re-frame her work as a biologist. Ela will share some current projects where public participation is welcome (gathering wildlife data using trail cameras, a new urban bird banding station, Ask a Bumblebee, the upcoming City Nature Challenge), and the value of apps like iNaturalist, eBird, EchoMeter Touch Pro bat detectors.
Discussion 1
_____________________________________________

9:55 Human effects on ecosystem health
Loss of Phylogenetic Diversity under Landscape Change
Christopher M. Swan – Dept. of Geography & Environmental Systems University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Habitat alteration and destruction are primary drivers of biodiversity loss. However, the evolutionary dimensions of biodiversity loss remain largely unexplored in many systems. Using a long-term dataset of a globally, ecologically important guild of invertebrate consumers, stream leaf “shredders,” we created a phylogenetic tree of the taxa in the regional species pool, calculated mean phylogenetic distinctiveness for >1000 communities spanning >10 year period, and related species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and distinctiveness to watershed-scale impervious cover. Using a combination of changepoint and compositional analyses, we learned that increasing impervious cover produced marked reductions in all three measures of diversity.
Autumn leaf litter removal reduces moth emergence in suburban yards
Max Ferlauto PhD Candidate , Karin Burghardt Assistant Professor – University of Maryland
This study examines the effects of suburban leaf litter removal on overwintering Lepidoptera and parasitic wasp populations. We used emergence traps to compare litter maintenance techniques within areas of different yard care intensities in suburban Maryland homes.
Using Mussels and Barnacles to Reduce Algae Blooms in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
Ally Kido PhD Candidate University of Maryland
Phytoplankton filtering capabilities of sessile organisms in urban waterways around Baltimore have untapped potential for ecosystem services. Species such as the dark false mussel and the bay barnacle readily grow on hard surfaces in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and hold promise as providers of beneficial ecosystem services. Understanding the natural diets and filtering capabilities of these sessile suspension feeders is crucial in determining the extent of the ecosystem services and for supporting best management practices to mitigate urban runoff in these areas
Discussion 2

_____________________________________________
10:40 Break
_____________________________________________

10:55 Connecting Science, People, Stewardship
Baltimore City – Cities Connecting Children to Nature Program
Abby Cocke – City Planner II Baltimore City Office of Sustainability
Spending time in nature is incredibly beneficial to the mental, physical, and emotional health of children, however too many of our children have little to no access to nature and the outdoors. In 2018, Baltimore joined a cohort of 18 cities participating in the Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN) initiative with support from the National League of Cities and the Children & Nature Network. Abby will provide an overview of the City of Baltimore’s vision and strategies, major partnerships, and resources for increasing equitable access to nature for Baltimore’s youth and families
Birds of Baltimore Forest Patches
Eric Fishel, Forest Program Manager – Baltimore Green Space
Ericl will discuss how Baltimore’s forest patches support the diverse bird communities found throughout the city.
Bird-Friendly Baltimore & Latine Community Partnerships
Susie Creamer, Center Director at Patterson Park Audubon Center
Susie will share her decades-long collaboration with Baltimore’s Latine communities around bird conservation, how partnerships were created, why they are successful, and how they meet our shared goals.
Ask A Bumblebee Community Science Project
Jenan El-Hifnawi – Ask A Bumble Bee coordinator /Lab Manager/rising grad student in Anahi Espinola’s lab at College Park
AABB is a highly-accessible community science project seeking to determine the best bumblebee food plants in the Northeast US. While many people presume that we already know this, most existing studies only consider flowers that are visited and ignore ones that are not visited, presenting an incomplete perspective on floral preference. In this study, participants “ask” bumblebees what flowers they prefer by wandering in any location of their choosing for 30 minutes while photographing all blooming flower species they pass, and tallying bumble and carpenter bee visitation.

_____________________________________________
11:35 Final Discussion
12:00 Wrap Up

Summer Quarterly Meeting: Urban Flooding
2023-06-07 09:00 - 12:00 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The Summer Quarterly Meeting of the BES will focus on Urban Flooding.
The meeting will take place on June 7th from 9am to 12pm.
It will be held in person at the Technology Research Center (TRC), Room 206 on UMBC’s campus.
A virtual option will also be available.
Parking Instructions for in-person attendees:

TRC (Technology Research Center) Room 206, UMBC Campus
Attendees can park anywhere in Lot 25 at UMBC, which surrounds the TRC.
Meeting attendees need to sign-in to park with Trish Smith at the front desk of the TRC.
Info required for sign in: Attendee name, Vehicle Info (color, make, model, year, license plate #)
Please note that propping the front door is not allowed due to campus security policy

DOWNLOAD Agenda PDF or scroll down to read.
Agenda

9:00 Welcome, intro, announcements
Icebreaker: what is your definition of a flood or flood event?

Theme 1: Flood Data/experiences/information

9:15 Presentation 1: Kim Grove, Baltimore City Dept of Public Works
9:25 Presentation 2: Andy Miller, UMBC
9:35 Presentation 3: Patrick McMahon, Bluewater Baltimore
9:45 Questions
10:00 Break

Theme 2: the Future of flooding

10:15 Presentation 1: Dave Guignet, Maryland
10:25 Presentation 2: Larry Band, University of Virginia
10:35 Questions
11:00 Breakout groups: discuss data needs and future
11:30 Report back/group discussion
12:00 Adjourn to lunch to keep talking about this!

Please join us for a community-focused event at Stillmeadow Peace Park from 2:30 to 4:30, featuring community discussions, talks by Terris King II, Temple X Schools, Dr. Tonya Sanders, and Pastor Micheal Martin, and a water quality testing demonstration by Baltimore Department of Public Works!

25th Anniversary Annual BES Science Meeting
2023-10-12 09:00 - 2023-10-13 12:00 | William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center at the University of Baltimore, 11 West Mount Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21201
25th Baltimore Ecosystem Study Annual Meeting
Click HERE to register!
Please click the following links to download event materials:
Summary Agenda
Agenda with Abstracts
The BES Annual meeting brings together researchers, practitioners, and students from the Baltimore community and beyond who are interested in Baltimore as a social-ecological system and its sustainability, equity, and resilience.
The meeting will occur over two days:
Thursday, October 12th, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm;
and reception 5:00 pm hosted by Pastor Mark Montgomery and Terris King II
Union Baptist Church, 1219 Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore.
Friday, October 13th, 9:00 am – Noon
There will be a one-hour break for lunch on Thursday.
The meeting will occur at the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business, 11 W Mt Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201. There is street and garage parking nearby, including a lot at 80 W Oliver St, Baltimore, MD 21217.
The meeting consists of a keynote address; presentations and a poster session on current research findings, science applications, and science-based practitioner projects from Baltimore, with opportunities for questions and answers.
We look forward to seeing everyone there!

BES Winter Quarterly Meeting (Virtual) - Tracking Tree Planting Initiatives
2024-01-16 08:30 - 12:00 | REMOTE ACCESS ONLY
Winter Quarterly Meeting of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study
The Cycle of Life: What can we learn from urban forest management and new tree planting investments?
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
DOWNLOAD Agenda PDF or scroll down to read.
DOWNLOAD Presentation Slides.
VIEW/DOWNLOAD Chat Transcript.
Watch a recording of the meeting below:
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Agenda
8:30 – Coffee and Conversation
9:00 – Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements
9:05 – “Why are trees in cities important to you? What’s your favorite thing to do?”
9:20 – Opening remarks and context
– Anne Hairston-Strang, State Forester, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Theme 1: Urban forest management
9:25 – Presentation 1
– Ashley Bowers, Baltimore City Division of Forestry, Department of Recreation and Parks
– Management Plans and Forest Stewardship
9:35 – Presentation 2
– Katie Lautar and Eric Fishel, Baltimore Green Space
– Communities and Forests
9:45 – Presentation 3
– Rachel Whiteheart & Amy Gilder-Busatti, Baltimore City Office of Sustainability, Department of Planning
– Forest Conservation Act
9:55 – Questions
10:10 – Break

Theme 2: Tree Planting and Maintenance
10:25 – Presentation 1
– Justin Bowers, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
– 5 million trees+
10:35 – Presentation 2
– Emily Morrow, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
– Green Jobs and Workforce Development: State and Baltimore City
10:45 – Presentation 3
– Shaun Preston, Camp Small, Baltimore City Division of Forestry, Department of Recreation and Parks
– Urban Wood Utilization
10:55 – Questions
11:05 – Breakout groups:

Policy, programmatic, and research questions and science needs
Data, tracking, and reporting: existing and needed
What education and outreach would you like to see?
Are there examples at local, state, and regional scales to build upon?

11:35 – Report back/group discussion
12:00 – Adjourn to lunch to keep talking about this!
==================================================
Community-Based Science Event
What is the connection between crime and trees?
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
2003 Presbury St, Baltimore, MD 21217
Agenda
4:30 – Coffee and Conversation
5:00 – Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements
– Pi Omega Chapter
– Baltimore Ecosystem Study
– State Forester
– State’s Attorney
5:20 – Presentation 1
– Terris King II, Temple X Schools & UMBC Baltimore 1815

Engagement 1: Easterwood Community Nature Walk
5:40 – Presentation 2
– Walk from 2003 Presbury to 1530 N. Bentalou St.
– Alex Smith, Division Street Landscaping

Engagement 2: Tour Omega Baltimore
6:15 – Presentation 3
– Lenwood Hayman, Forest Service,
7:00 – MARISA Grant/Keystone Project Presentation, BSEC, SERC
8:00 – Adjourn to keep talking about this!

**POSTPONED** BES Field Visit to Hillside Park
2024-06-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Hillside Park Field Visit – Meetup Location, 5 Harvest Road, Baltimore, MD, 21210, United States
**THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER**
NEW DATE TBA
Please join us for a field visit to Hillside Park on Wednesday, June 12th from 10AM to 12PM.
We will be meeting at the address below (also see map link) and walking into Hillside Park from there. Please park along the road.
5 Harvest Road, Baltimore, MD 21210
For information about the site and project please click the link below:
Hillside Park Project

BES Summer Quarterly Meeting - Urban Heat
2024-06-13 13:00 - 17:00 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
BES Summer Quarterly Meeting, June 13th on Urban Heat
UMBC Technology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Arbutus, Maryland 21227
Click HERE to download the agenda or see below.
Click HERE to download presentation slides.
Watch a recording of the meeting:
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1 pm – 1:15 Welcome and Brief Introductions
1:15-2:15 Patterns of Heat and Cooling in Cities, Moderator: Meghan Avolio (Johns Hopkins University)
1:15- Dexter Locke (US Forest Service) The when, where, and how of urban tree cooling in cities
1:22- Matt Baker (University of Maryland Baltimore County) Title TBD
1:37- Dexter Locke (US Forest Service) Do trees cool the same at all times of day? Temporal non-stationarity in urban environments from bike-based air temperature monitoring in New Haven, CT.
1:45- Mike Alonzo (American University) The canopy-cooling relationship is very sensitive to tree canopy data quality and spatial modeling choices.
2:00- Darryn Waugh (Johns Hopkins University) The Baltimore Social Environmental Collaborative (BSEC) weather station network: Spatial variations in temperature and humidity.

2:15-2:45 Panel and Group Discussions
Guiding question: What are the pressing research questions on heat patterns in Baltimore?
2:45-3:00 pm Break
3:00-4:00 pm Human Health Effects and Heat Mitigation, Moderator: Karin Burghardt (University of Maryland College Park)
3:00- Luke Smith (Pennsylvania University) Association of Summer Heat Waves and the Probability of Preterm Birth: An Exploration of the Intersection of Race and Education
3:15- Jake Miter (Baltimore City Fire Department) Exploring the Relationship Between Urban Tree Canopy & EMS Call Volume
3:30- Elie Bou-Zeid (Princeton University), REMOTE Beyond Cool and Green: Novel Technologies for Mitigating Urban Heat Islands
3:45- Ali Eyni (Johns Hopkins University) Urban Adaptation and Heat Related Mortality: Providing Policies for Future

4:00-4:30 Panel and Group Discussion
Guiding question: What needs to be done to better facilitate research on heat mitigation and health in Baltimore?
4:30-5:00 Break and relocating to an evening event (20-minute drive)

——————–The Event continues for the Part II evening portion—————–

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm Keystone Project Presents: Community-Based Science Engagement
Maryland Urban Ecological Laboratory, 3639 Liberty Heights Ave; Baltimore, MD 21215

Keystone Project Presents: Community-Based Science Engagement
2024-06-13 17:30 - 20:00 | Maryland Urban Ecological Laboratory, 3639 Liberty Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21215, United States
Keystone Project Presents
Community-Based Science Engagement
@ Maryland Urban Ecological Laboratory

Sponsored by: Care Access and MARISA
Please join us for an evening of scientific conversations and community connections.
We will highlight community stakeholders, share scientific findings, and most importantly network.
Food and drinks will be provided, children are welcome.

2024 BES Annual Science Meeting
2024-10-17 08:30 - 17:00 | Stillmeadow Community Fellowship, 5110 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21229
The 2024 BES Annual Science Meeting has been scheduled for:
Thursday, October 17th
8:30AM to 5PM.
Location: Stillmeadow Community Fellowship
Attend remotely: CLICK HERE
Webex info:
ID: 28676471446, password: [REDACTED]
Phone : +1 202-860-2110
Access Code: [REDACTED]
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AGENDA or scroll below
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ABSTRACTS

Important Info:
The BES Annual meeting brings together researchers, practitioners, and students from the Baltimore community and beyond who are interested in Baltimore as a social-ecological system and its sustainability, equity, resilience. The meeting will occur on Thursday October 17 from 8:30 to 5:00.
There is no charge to attend. There is ample parking on site.
The meeting consists of a keynote address; presentations and a poster session on current research findings, science applications, and science-based practitioner projects from Baltimore; and opportunities for questions and answers. Presentations will be 15 minutes and organized into sessions with breaks. Posters can be up to 36” x 48” in size.
Important Dates:
Registration is open through the day of the meeting
September 19th Presentation or poster proposals submissions due
October 17 Meeting from 8:30 am – 5pm

Agenda
8:30 Coffee and Conversation
9:00 Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements
9:10 Opening remarks and context: Pastor Michael

Theme 1: Science Education and Outreach
9:30 Terris King II, The Baltimore Forest School Framework
InDiGO: Inward Discovery Grows Outdoors

9:45 Alan Berkowitz, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Co-Authors: Garner, K., Hood, A., Covitt, B., Grooms, J., Draney, K., Mitzel, E., Browning, L., Fischer, D., Caires, A., Mehta, S., Bean, J.
Our Evolving Partnership to Advance Earth, Science Across Baltimore City Public Schools’ Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Courses

10:00 Michele Romonlini, Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience. Co-Authors: McPherson, J.
Art-Based Engagement as a Tool for Community-Based Urban Forestry Research

10:15 Questions/General Discussion
10:30 Break

Theme 2: Water Quantity and Quality
10:45 Peter Groffman, City University of New York. Co-authors: Welty, C.
Dissolved gasses in streams provide insight into urban watershed function

11:00 Jaleel Shujath, University of the District of Columbia. Co-Authors: Behera, P.
Analysis of Extreme Storm Events in Baltimore

11:15 Zach Clifton, US Geological Survey. Co-Authors: Foss, E., Majcher, E., Psoras, A., Mejia, S., Chase, J.
Contaminated stormwater sediment source tracking for polychlorinated biphenyls within the Back River Watershed, 2022-2023

11:30 Ally Kido, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology. Co-Authors: Mansfield, N., Schott, E.
Using a Native Mussel to Sequester Nutrients in Baltimore Harbor

11:45 Questions / General discussion on water quantity and quality

12:00 Lunch
**We will provide grilled cheese sandwiches and apples. Donations welcome but not necessary**
**We encourage a walk on the trails through Stillmeadow Peace Park.**

Theme 3: Grab bag topics: Urban Ecology in General and in Baltimore
1:15 Morgan Grove, US Forest Service. Co-authors: Pickett, S., Buckley, G., Boone, C.
Forging just ecologies: 25 years of urban long-term ecological research collaboration

1:30 Kim Grove, Baltimore City DPW
Update on research focuses

1:45 Selena Livas, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Co-Authors: Locke, D., Sonti, N.F.
An Analysis of Baltimore’s STEW-MAP Networks

2:00 Questions / General discussion
2:15 Break

Theme 4: Organisms in the City
2:30 Meghan Avolio, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Authors: Hoffman, A., Cocciardi, J.
Cosmopolitan plants do not show consistent parallel urban evolution across five US cities

2:45 Anna Mothersole, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Co-Authors: Swan, C.
Freshwater Invertebrate Response to Urbanization: A Large Scale Analysis of Functional Diversity

3:00 Dexter Locke, US Forest Service. Co-Authors: Ossola, A., Schmit, J.-P., Grove, J.M.
Social, spatial and temporal analyses of urban tree canopy: The need for Sub-parcel Analysis.

3:15 Beatriz Shobe, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Authors: Avolio, M.L., Sonti, N.F.
Selection in the City: How artificial selection of trees impacts the genetic diversity of urban forests.

3:30 Marus Tuah and Kajall Hylton, Baltimore Tree Trust.
Tree Care and Technology in Baltimore City

3:45 Questions / General discussion

4:00 Posters
4:50 Closing Remarks
5:00 Adjourn and keep the discussion going at the Difference Makers Center of
West Baltimore, starting at 5:30

Poster presenters
Max Carroll, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Authors: Avolio, M.L.
Examining Patterns of Urban Weeds Adaptation to Elevated Salt Levels

Aiden Kirchgraber, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Co-Authors: Nowakowski, A.J., Bennett, S.K., Wernoch, R., Cawood, A.
The resilience of bird vocalization behavior to extreme heat events in urban forest settings

Mary McWilliams, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Co-Authors: Welty, C., Duncan, J., Lagrosa IV, J.
Use of long-term, high-frequency sensor data to evaluate interannual trends in stream metabolism in an urban watershed

Mary McWilliams, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Co-Authors: Welty, C., Miller, A.J., Duncan, J., Groffman, P.
Initial lessons learned from a year of high-frequency data at BES stream chemistry stations

Hannah Obenaus, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Co-Authors: Cawood, A., Wernoch, R., Bennett, S., Nowakowski, J.
Effects of forest restoration on insect communities in urban and exurban forests

Gabrielle Pezich, Pennsylvania State University. Co-Authors: Duncan, J.M., McPhillips, L., Groffman, P.
Quantifying spatial and temporal variability of biogenic greenhouse gas emissions in Baltimore

Gabriel Pickus, The Baltimore Forest School Flower. Co-Authors: Terris King II.
InDiGO: Inward Discovery Grows Outdoors

Margaret Schaefer, University of Maryland College Park. Co-Authors: McGurrin, K., McCloskey S., Pierre, A-L., Burghardt, K.
Does a history of redlining or higher urban temperatures across Baltimore neighborhoods affect young street tree health?

Rashmi Sharma.
Study of plants to reduce environmental temperatures.

P.J. Terhune, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Co-Authors: McWilliams, M., Welty, C., Moore, J., Bain, D., Gomes, M.
Analysis of sulfate concentrations in riparian soils of headwater streams in Dead Run watershed

Samantha Votzke, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Authors: Szlavecz, K., Avolio, M.L., Johnson-Bond, O.
An assessment of photosynthetic activity in tree species across Baltimore City

Darryn Waugh, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Authors: BSEC
BSEC Weather Station Network: Spatial and Temporal Variations of Heat within Baltimore

Dick Williams, St. James Development Corporation.
Streetscape Green Infrastructure as Environmental Justice in 21217

Dick Williams, St. James Development Corporation.
The Rev. Donald O. Wilson Park as Environmental Justice at an Inner Block in 21217

Ian Yesilonis, US Forest Service. Co-Authors: Szlavecz, K., Schwartz, S., Sonderberg, P., Driftwood, L.
Understanding water flow dynamics in urban soils: Implications for stormwater management

Virtual Scientific Seminar by Cary Institute's Dr. Steward Pickett
2024-12-12 11:00 - 12:00
Fifty Years In 50 Minutes and What’s Next?
On Thursday, December 12 @ 11am ET, join Cary Institute for a virtual scientific seminar by Cary’s Dr. Steward Pickett.
Click HERE to register on the Cary Institute website.
Learn more about Dr. Pickett and his work HERE.
This talk will show how a diverse ecological career hangs together conceptually. Pickett’s research has taken him across a wide variety of global habitats, stimulating discovery of conceptual commonalities and contexts that frame and organize the differences across this diversity of sites and interests.
The core theme is heterogeneity, across both space and time, as an ecological driver and outcome. Brief examples of work on 1) succession and community dynamics, 2) disturbance ecology, 3) testing the relevance of the ecosystem approach in urban ecology, 4) synthesis in social-ecological science, 5) application of patch dynamics to urban regions, 6) bridging urban ecology and urban design, 7) environmental justice and ecology of segregation, and 8) Earth stewardship and urban sustainability. The relationship between these various areas is summarized, and some remaining work will be highlighted. The talk will acknowledge collaborators and ancestors, both personal and academic.

**CANCELLED** BES Winter Quarterly Meeting: Next Meeting is May 7th
2025-02-19 08:30 - 12:00
**CANCELLED**
The Winter Quarterly Meeting of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study originally scheduled for Feb 19th has been cancelled. The next meeting will take place on May 7th:

BES Spring Quarterly Meeting: Middle Branch Restoration
2025-05-07 12:30 - 15:00 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The Spring Quarterly Meeting of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study will take place on May 7, 2025 from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm.
The topic will be Middle Branch Restoration.
Location: Room 206, Technology Research Center (TRC) on the UMBC campus.
More details TBA!

BES Summer Quarterly Meeting: Environment and Public Health
2025-07-09 12:30 - 16:30 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The Summer Quarterly Meeting of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study will take place on July 9, 2025 from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
The topic will be Environment and Public Health.
Location: Room 206, Technology Research Center (TRC) on the UMBC campus.
Remote link: https://umd.zoom.us/my/dexter.locke
One Tap Mobile: +13017158592,,3075864475#
Click HERE to download the agenda or see below. We look forward to seeing you all there!
– 12:30 Refreshments and Conversation
– 12:40 Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements
Rylee Wernoch
– 12:45 Spatial Science for Better Health: The Role of GIS in Understanding Environmental Determinants
Paige Brochu, University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab
– 1:00 Environmental Determinants of Energy Burden and Implications for Heat-Health Vulnerability
Becky Shade, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
– 1:15 A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Structural Racism, Firearm Homicide, and Fatal Opioid-Involved Overdose: An Injury-Related Syndemic
Mudia Uzzi, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
– 1:30 Cross-cutting Questions
– 1:45 Break
– 2:00 What is the Association Between Greening Vacant Lots and Adolescent Health? A Snapshot of Findings from Project VITAL
Kristin Mmari, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
– 2:15 Health Departments & Climate Change in the US
Megan Weil Latshaw, Johns Hopkins
– 2:30 Health Impacts of Place-Based Greening Interventions: A Systematic Review
Dustin Fry, Lehigh University College of Health
– 2:45 Wildfire & Preterm Birth – Current and Future research.
M. Luke Smith, Penn State University
– 3:00 Cross-cutting Questions
– 3:45 Break
– 4:00 Discussion, proposals, opportunities to collaborate & Next Steps?
– 4:30 Adjourn
Dexter Locke

BES Annual Science Meeting - October 16
2025-10-16 08:30 - 17:00 | Stillmeadow Community Fellowship, 5110 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, 21229
The 2025 Annual Science Meeting of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study will take place on October 16, 2025.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
You do not need to give a presentation or poster to participate.
You do not need to be a scientist to join. In fact we encourage managers, decision makers, community members – everyone – to join and share their experiences and perspectives.
Registration is FREE and open now!
Submissions for oral and poster presentation ended on September 30th. Thank you to all those who submitted!
Click HERE to register for the meeting.
Click HERE to see the agenda.
Click HERE to see presentation abstracts.
Location: Stillmeadow Community Fellowship.

BES Winter Quarterly Meeting 2026
2026-01-22 08:30 - 12:30 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The 2026 BES Winter Quarterly meeting will take place on Thursday January 22 from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
The location is the Technology Research Center at UMBC.
Remote link: https://yale.zoom.us/j/97307986142
Everyone is welcome to attend.
You do not need to give a presentation or poster to participate.
You do not need to be a scientist to join. In fact we encourage managers, decision makers, community members – everyone – to join and share their experiences and perspectives.
Click HERE to download the Agenda.

BES Spring Quarterly Meeting 2026: BATS!!
2026-04-16 08:15 - 12:00 | UMBC Techology Research Center, 5200 Westland Blvd., Room 206, Arbutus, Maryland, 21227, United States
The 2026 BES Spring Quarterly meeting will take place on Thursday April 16 from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM.
The topic is BATS!!
Click HERE for the agenda.
The location is the Technology Research Center at UMBC.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
You do not need to give a presentation or poster to participate.
You do not need to be a scientist to join. In fact we encourage managers, decision makers, community members – everyone – to join and share their experiences and perspectives.

BES Summer Quarterly Meeting 2026: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers - Organizations Connecting People to Power
2026-06-17 08:30 - 13:00 | USGS Conference Room B, 5522 Research Park Dr, Catonsville, MD, 21228, United States
The 2026 BES Summer Quarterly meeting will take place on Wednesday June 17 from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
The topic is Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers: Organizations Connecting People to Power
The location is the USGS Conference Room B, 5522 Research Park Dr, Catonsville, MD 21228
Click HERE to download the agenda.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
You do not need to give a presentation or poster to participate.
You do not need to be a scientist to join. In fact we encourage managers, decision makers, community members – everyone – to join and share their experiences and perspectives.
