Event name: Field Trip to Horn Point Laboratory and Blackwater Wildlife Refuge

Event time and place: April 19, 2025 in Cambridge, Maryland

For my excursion during the spring semester, I traveled to the eastern shore of Maryland and visited Horn Point Lab as well as the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. It was very insightful as I learned very vital information about this coastal area and the environmental mission of these centers. First I will be discussing the different research initiatives at Horn Point Lab. Then I will get into the vision of the Blackwater refuge. Horn Point Laboratory, in Cambridge MD, has many different initiatives that they focus on in hopes of keeping the ecosystem around it in thriving conditions. In this report I will be talking about three of their main projects. The first and most prominent one in my opinion is oyster restoration in the Chesapeake area. The bay area has been dealing with a massive decline when it comes to oyster populations due to over harvesting, disease, and habitat loss. The lab's mission has been to manage their oyster hatchery which is one of the largest on the east coast. They have been producing large amounts of oyster spat and they monitor their growth and survival rates in different habitats. The second initiative is dealing with nutrient pollution and hypoxia in coastal waters. Excessive nutrient runoff, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture and urban areas, leads to eutrophication. This process depletes oxygen in the water, creating "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive. The lab’s Chemical Oceanography group employs advanced techniques, including autonomous sampling systems and mass spectrometry, to study nutrient transformations and oxygen levels in water columns and sediments. The third initiative that I will be discussing is dealing with microplastic pollution in the Choptank River Watershed. The issue with microplastics is that they are tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size. They pose risks to marine life and can enter the food chain, affecting ecosystem and human health. The lab utilizes a Short-wave Infrared Radiation (SWIR) microscope to detect and identify various types of microplastics in water samples. Additionally, drones equipped with high-definition cameras survey larger plastic debris along shorelines


A picture of me beside the mountain of oyster shells!
Now I will be discussing Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. This is a network of lands and waters managed specifically for the protection of wildlife and habitat for the continuing benefit of the environment. This drive helps as a form of outreach to educate people about their local environment by giving them the opportunity to see live and in person evidence of how our ecosystems are changing day by day. The evidence that shows the adaptation of the sea levels are seen through the “ghost forests” that were viewed on our tour. These standing dead trees in the sinking land are reminders that the area was a forest not long ago. As these trees die, they have become dry and brittle, ultimately causing them to burn and become even more desolate. As sea levels rise and land subsides, many low-lying forests are drowning and converting to tidal wetlands.

A picture of the ghost forests at Blackwater Refuge Center!
To get their cause out to the public, both institutions have to reach out to the public somehow. Horn Point Lab does this by offering 90-minute walking tours of its research campus, providing visitors with insights into ongoing projects related to Chesapeake Bay restoration. These tours include visits to the Oyster Culture Facility, where attendees can observe oyster spawning and learn about aquaculture practices. ​The Blackwater Wildlife Refuge also offers free guided birding tours, allowing visitors to learn about local bird species and their habitats. These tours are scheduled throughout the year and are open to the public, enhancing community connection to local wildlife. Both institutions also hold youth programs that gets the younger generation involved and interested as well.