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Priority Landscapes

Chesapeake Bay

Securing clean water and protecting critical habitats in our nation’s largest estuary.

View from the end of a boat looking into the Chesapeake Bay. A small red buoy sits on top of a seaweed covered crab trap. A blue bin containing silver fish sits next to it.
Fishing Boat on the Chesapeake Bay TNC works with fishermen and communities in the Chesapeake Bay. © Jason Houston

Our goal is to restore a healthy Chesapeake Bay that supports over 3,600 species of plants and animals, thriving local communities, and sustainable industries such as fisheries, farming, and tourism.

One for the Bay

Help support cleaner water, healthier habitat & more abundant life in the Chesapeake Bay.

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The Nature Conservancy is focused on conservation at the scale of entire ecosystems. As North America’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed—the area of land that feeds all the water draining into it—covers approximately 64,000 square miles and includes thousands of streams and rivers across six states and the District of Columbia.

Much of the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed lies within the Appalachians—another priority landscape for TNC. Due to their importance in tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity, we are committed to conserving these two globally important landscapes in this critical decade. And in order to succeed, we need your partnership and support.

Clean water, healthy habitats

TNC is ready to accelerate the critical work of securing cleaner water and healthy habitats for the benefit of all within the Bay watershed.

An aerial image of farms bordering the Chesapeake Bay.
Chesapeake Bay An aerial view of farmland beside Chesapeake Bay. © Katie Schuler
Two men standing on a boat dumping oysters in water.
SOAR deployment Chesapeake An oyster planting in the Chesapeake Bay as part of the SOAR program © Humna Sharif/TNC
An aerial image of farms bordering the Chesapeake Bay.
Chesapeake Bay An aerial view of farmland beside Chesapeake Bay. © Katie Schuler

Water

Clean Water

Clean water is key to restoring the Bay and supporting biodiversity. Too many nutrients and sediment from the watershed cause algal blooms that create dead zones with no oxygen. TNC is working across agricultural landscapes and in developed areas to keep nutrients in fields, and out of waterways, to grow food. Pursuing regenerative agriculture practices and modern stormwater technology strengthens communities and restores habitats throughout the Bay.

Two men standing on a boat dumping oysters in water.
SOAR deployment Chesapeake An oyster planting in the Chesapeake Bay as part of the SOAR program © Humna Sharif/TNC

Habitats

Thriving Habitats

The wetlands, forests, oyster reefs and other unique habitats of the Chesapeake Bay watershed support incredible biodiversity, including the region’s food web. TNC is focused on protecting and restoring these natural habitats, as well as making them more resilient to a changing climate. From the headwaters in Appalachian forests, to the marshes that fringe the Bay, to the oyster reefs in the water, TNC is using science to identify critical habitats and working with coalitions of partners to keep those places healthy and protected.

Explore the Bay States

Learn more about our efforts across the watershed.

Delaware

TNC works in Delaware to restore wetlands, floodplains, and streams at the edges and downstream of agricultural fields, and works with trusted advisors and farmers to implement practices in field to keep nutrients growing food and out of our waterways.  This improves water quality in local streams and rivers and downstream into the Chesapeake Bay.

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Maryland/DC

TNC Maryland’s work in the Chesapeake Bay helps restore wetlands, forests, and coastal habitats across the estuary, which is especially critical in a state where roughly 90% of its more than 7,000 miles of shoreline borders the Bay.

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New York

From the Bay’s northern headwaters, TNC works in New York to protect and restore aquatic habitats, supporting healthier ecosystems throughout the watershed.

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Pennsylvania

TNC helps restore wetlands, floodplains, and streams at the edges and downstream of agricultural fields in Pennsylvania, and works with trusted advisors and farmers to implement practices in field to keep nutrients growing food and out of our waterways.  This improves water quality in local streams and rivers and downstream into the Chesapeake Bay.

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Virginia

In Virginia, TNC supports large‑scale oyster reef restoration and is restoring wetlands, floodplains, and streams in agricultural landscapes and fringing the Chesapeake Bay. 

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West Virginia

In West Virginia—part of the Bay’s Appalachian headwaters—TNC focuses on restoring forests, streams, and wetlands to improve clean water flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

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Select a point to explore Return
A map showing the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and how it overlaps with the Appalachians. Delaware Maryland/DC New York Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia
Aerial photograph features winding tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.

The Chesapeake Bay: TNC’s Newest Global Foodscape

The Chesapeake Bay was recently named as a priority landscape for TNC’s Global Regenerative Foodscapes strategy.

Learn More

The stories below highlight the variety of ways that TNC is working across Delaware, Maryland/DC, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay.

Icon with blue background and 3 oysters

Restoring Oysters

Bringing Back an Icon

An oyster farmer wearing a mask holds an oyster in hand, showing it to the camera.

SOAR: Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration

Helping oyster farmers impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn by purchasing surplus oysters and placing them on nearby oyster restoration projects.

Close up view of a large pile of loose oyster shells. The shell halves are massed into a pile, some showing the smooth white interior surface with a dark round mark where the oyster was attached.

Oyster Restoration in Virginia

Aggressive oyster reef restoration efforts are bringing a vital natural and economic resource back to Virginia waters.

A looping video showing a man driving a boat to and from an oyster bed, and pulling oyster cages out of the water and into the boat.

Aquaculture by Design Chesapeake Bay

Can oyster aquaculture help make the Chesapeake Bay cleaner, faster?

Icon with green background and image of wheat

Sustainable Farming

Promoting Clean Water

The sun sets behind grain silos near Cambridge MD.

Agriculture in Maryland

Engaging with Maryland's largest industry to keep nutrients on our farms and out of our waterways.

A farm is seen in the distance behind a field with long green grass.

Agriculture in Pennsylvania

Partnering with local farmers to ensure clean water, thriving habitats, and sustainable food sources.

Close view of two hands holding soybeans on the vine. Only the person's hands are visible. They are surrounded by healthy green plants.

4R Nutrient Stewardship

The PA4R Alliance brings together diverse partners to help farmers achieve Chesapeake Bay water quality goals.

An aerial view of a farm house in between green and brown fields.
Hammer Creek Estate In Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, farmers Mitchel and Ashley Zimmerman raise corn and soybeans along with a few cattle. © The Nature Conservancy
A green tractor and yellow vulture spreader trailer move along a green field injecting of liquid manure.

Discover the Benefits of Manure Injection

Every poop counts! Learn how manure injection and nutrient management planners are helping farmers maximize manure nutrients and reduce nitrogen fertilizer costs.

Chesapeake Bay Farmers on the Forefront (3:58) This video celebrates a diverse group of Chesapeake Bay farmers who go above and beyond to use best farming practices that are both good for the environment and good for their bottom lines.
Icon with blue background water droplet

Reducing Stormwater

Reducing Stormwater

A person with a red umbrella on a rainy night in Washington, D.C.

Planning for a Rainy Day

Washington, D.C., combines regulations with a new credit market to keep polluted stormwater out of its rivers.

By Jenny Rogers

A rain garden placed in Mount Olivet cemetery acting as a barrier between graves and a winding road. The rain garden is full of pollinator-friendly plants.

Ten Years in, D.C.’s Stormwater Credit Market is Thriving and Still Growing

Ten years ago, Washington D.C. established the Stormwater Retention Credit (SRC) market, a first-of-its-kind approach to stormwater management.

A great blue heron hunts for fish on the Chesapeake Bay.

Green Infrastructure for Cities

NatureVest aims to help cities accelerate their use of green infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff.

Icon with green background and a heron standing next to cattails

Restoring Wetlands

Restoring Wetlands

The sun sets over the Pocomoke River, creating bright hues of purple and orange in the sky and reflecting along the water. A wooden dock sits to the right of the river.

The Pocomoke River: A Wild & Scenic Connector of Nature and Community Across Delmarva

Discover how the Pocomoke River, one of the wildest and most scenic waterways on the East Coast, connects communities, supports conservation and showcases the natural beauty of the Delmarva Peninsula.

Aerial view of the Pocomoke River. The narrow river channel is bisected in two places by wide cuts in the earthen berms that hem the river in and hold it back from the surrounding forested floodplain.

Freeing a Trapped River

Celebrating 10 years of restoration, partnership and the largest ecological restoration in Maryland’s history.

By Severn Smith | lastUpdated lastUpdated

Sunrise over Holt's Creek. Aquatic vegetation floats in the foreground. Puffy white clouds are reflected on the water's surface. Low marsh grasses meet a line of trees.

In Water We Trust

The Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund marks a quarter century of restoring wetlands and streams.

By Daniel White

A wetlands area of low grasses and thick tall trees. A fallen log creates a border between the open wetland area and scrub forest.

Pocomoke River: Restoration and Partnership

A healthy Chesapeake Bay is in our grasp. Partnership and collaboration is critical to restoring wetlands and floodplains at a meaningful scale.

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Tackling Climate Change

Tackling Climate Change

View of the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

Maryland's Legislative Priorities

We're striving for a greener, more resilient Maryland through policy solutions that work for people and the planet.

The sun rises over a forested mountain range. Rolling green ridges dominate the foreground and roll away to the horizon. White mist rises from the valleys in the distance.

Climate Solutions

Advancing innovative, science-based solutions that match the urgency of the climate crisis.

Views from this rocky outcrop look west onto the Shenandoah Valley and north to Shenandoah National Park.

Climate Change

Protecting and restoring healthy natural systems in Virginia to withstand a changing climate and rising seas.

Learn More

Protecting Land to Protect the Bay

Nassawango Creek Preserve Maryland's Nassawango Creek flows southward into the Pocomoke River, a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. © Alan Eckert Photography
New Point Comfort Strategically located on a peninsula jutting into the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia's New Point Comfort is a key stopover point on the Atlantic Flyway. © Dana Blackmer Photography
Middleford North Preserve This Delaware preserve hugs a portion of Gravelly Branch, a last undisturbed portion of the Nanticoke River watershed, one of the bay’s most productive tributaries. © Harold Malde
Frenchman's Bluff Preserve At the northern extent of the bay watershed, this New York preserve overlooks the Chemung River, a tributary of the Susquehanna River. © Mathew Levine/The Nature Conservancy
Choptank Wetlands A survey of natural areas conducted by the Smithsonian Institution ranked this Maryland marsh system as one of the most important Chesapeake Bay natural areas. © Mark Godfrey / TNC
Great Falls Park At Virginia's Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. © Devan King / TNC
Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain The 353-acre preserve on Pennsylvania's Kittatinny Ridge is part of the Susquehanna River watershed. © Eric Krukowski
Nanjemoy Creek The "green thumb" of the Potomac River and one of Maryland's most pristine watersheds. © Alan Eckert Photography
Dragon Flats Widely considered Virginia's most pristine blackwater stream, Dragon Run widens to form the Piankatank River, a key site for our oyster reef restoration efforts. © Andy Lacatell / TNC
Bear Rocks Preserve Situated high above the Canaan Valley of West Virginia, this preserve is located in an area that acts as part of the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. © Kent Mason
Robinson Neck Preserve Upland forests provide an important buffer in the protection of these Maryland marshes and the entire Chesapeake Bay. © Matthew Wroblewski / flickr Creative Commons CC by 2.0
Cumberland Marsh The preserve protects a pristine marsh habitat on Virginia's Pamunkey River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. © Daniel White / TNC
Pike Knob Preserve This preserve in West Virginia's Central Appalachians is located in an area that acts as part of the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. © Kent Mason
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Resources

Cover of the 2024 Chesapeake Bay case for support.
Chesapeake Bay: The Case for Support

Help us reach our 2030 goals for a healthier and more resilient Chesapeake Bay.

Download
Cover of the Regenerative Agriculture info brochure.
Regenerative Agriculture

The health of the Chesapeake Bay is intricately linked to the health of more than 83,000 farms that operate in its watershed.

Download

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