The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Join us for Pacers' 3rd Annual Earth Day 5K on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 8 a.m., in Silver Spring, Maryland. Proceeds from this race will go to The Nature Conservancy’s work in the Chesapeake Bay.

Last year's sold-out Earth Day 5K was a runaway hit. Over 1,200 runners registered for the race and supported our efforts to seed the Chesapeake Bay with 5 million baby oysters (called “spat”). Working with the Oyster Recovery Partnership we will plant another 5 million baby oysters in 2011.

"The Eastern oyster is a key piece of what makes our Chesapeake Bay so special," said Mark Bryer, director of the Chesapeake Bay Program for The Nature Conservancy. "To succeed in restoring the bay we will need an emphasis on restoring and protecting key habitats as well as improving water quality.  Runners on April 30 will help us make great strides, but we have a long way to go before we cross the finish line of restoring the bay." 

Chesapeake oysters were once the foundation of Maryland’s seafood industry. Yet decades of poor water quality, introduced foreign diseases, and over-harvesting led to a precipitous decline in Chesapeake Bay oysters — today, populations stand at 1% of their historic numbers. 


The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/DC and Virginia are working to restore oysters to the Chesapeake Bay, by protecting forests and wetlands that help clean water before it enters the Chesapeake Bay, actively seeding oysters in restoration areas, and by supporting the work of state and federal agencies with practical solutions. 
 


Thank you to those who have already registered for the 2011 Earth Day 5K. We also thank Pacers Events LLC for organizing the race and to the Oyster Recovery Partnership for helping us plant the baby oysters.

Two Ways to Get Involved!

RUN: Register for the Earth Day 5K, and encourage your friends to sign up!

MAKE A DONATION: If you can’t join us on April 30 you can still support the Conservancy's Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration projects by making an online donation.