1. Agriculture on the Chesapeake From 1600 to present

2. 1600s Settlers discover tobacco and begin to grow it for export back to england. Virginia tobacco becomes the hot trend in Europe.

3. 1700s Wheat becomes important to colonies/states The area becomes known as the “breadbasket of the revolution” 1729 Baltimore is founded as a port to transport agricultural goods

4. 1800s FERTILIZER! (from bird poop) Baltimore becomes the site of fertilizer processing. The civil war increases demand for food.

5. 1900-Present As demand for produce increased with the population so did the need for agricultural land. By 1916 only 35% of Maryland’s forest remained. Transportation by railroad increases the agricultural importance of the Western US- The Chesapeake region shifts to Industry.

6. PROBLEMS Irrigation Fertilizer/Manure Pesticides Resurfacing

7. SOLUTIONS Cover cropping-reduces erosion & excess nutrients Livestock Management-keeping farm animals out of rivers and streams, redistributing manure. Buffers-Land between farms and waterways.

8. Industry 1800 to present

9. 1800s Baltimore port system grows increasing transport of materials into and out of the Chesapeake Bay Large factories begin to line the water in order to use the bay to cool their machines. Steel, sugar, fertilizer, breweries begin massive production for export.

10. 1900s Environmental problems begin to surface: fishkills, groundwater pollution, etc. The bay is at its worst. Lack of regulation on dumping in the bay makes the water horribly polluted for large portions near cities.

11. 1900s Air pollution, as well as water pollution begins to be regulated EPA and the CBF work to clean up the watershed Many initiatives focus on repairing past damage. Replanting oyster beds, removing/repairing leaking sewage systems, returning the water edge to a natural state

12. Present Current CBF initiatives cover agriculture and industry. Education programs (like this one) encourage students to respect the bay and its watershed. Looking at methods of sustainable growth for the populations along the bay. Housing development, etc.f