Together We Protect
Imagine waking up each morning to a view of the Wicomico River. On the opposite bank, a stand of loblolly pines houses a heron rookery. Bald eagles, great blue herons, ospreys, geese, and ducks go about their daily lives. At day’s end, you see majestic sunsets reflected in the water.
From Bill and Judy Wyatt’s waterfront home, no matter the time of day, it’s hard to look away. For them, it never gets old. “We feel very privileged to live here,” Judy said.
“We have a beautiful view every day -- and it’s different every day.”
Bill has accumulated thousands of photos, all taken from their backyard. “There’s always so much wildlife in front of me,” he said.
A lot has changed since the Wyatts moved into their home in 1987. Where they once watched recreational boaters and swimmers, they now see barge traffic and cruise ships from Chesapeake Shipbuilding. “The water was cleaner 37 years ago,” Judy acknowledged.
Bill and Judy want to protect this beautiful river and all the life that depends on it. So, for more than 20 years, they have volunteered as water samplers with WET’s Creekwatchers program.
Salisbury University biology department faculty members and students also volunteer, testing water samples in the lab, adding the results to a database, and using that database to write annual reports about current conditions and trends.
WET’s Creekwatchers could not do its work without the generosity of its scores of volunteers, but it also could not operate without field supplies for measuring, recording data, and collecting water samples and lab supplies and reagents for testing those samples.
WET relies on supporters like you to fund programs like Creekwatchers. Please do your part to honor nature this Earth Day and every day.
Clean air and water, a thriving river ecosystem, and robust wildlife habitats are vital to everyone’s quality of life. Wicomico County’s economy relies on agriculture, outdoor recreation, and tourism. Without a healthy river ecosystem, our communities and economy would falter. Together, we can protect nature for all of us and for future generations.
To see more than 20 annual river health reports and download any or all of them at no cost, visit the Creekwatchers page