Environmental Committee:

Jenny Lee Freebery – Chair

Secethia Boardley-Davis
Jim Bogden
Andy Goddard
Erin Heckles
Krista Lamoreaux
Joe Maisano
Annie Richards
Ford Schuman
David Sobers
Darran Tilghman
Carole Trippe
Wendy Wander
Kevin Denice – Washington College Liaison

Committee meetings are held every 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00pm on the 2nd floor of Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.

The public are welcome to attend committee Zoom meetings. To join Zoom please email jenneyelee09@gmail.com

Environmental Committee – Minutes & Agendas

Environmental Committee Newsletter Archive

Our Mission

The Chestertown Environmental Committee promotes careful stewardship, research, and wise use of natural and economic resources with the goal of achieving an improved quality of life for the community and future generations through sustainable initiatives. For more information contact us at chestertownenviro@gmail.com

Our Goals

  • Improve Chestertown’s natural environment through the incorporation of sustainable best practices for the Town’s land use and management, stormwater infrastructure, watershed stewardship, and tree canopy.
  • Strengthen the Town’s economy through initiatives that foster sustainable business practices, reinvestment in vacant storefronts, and green purchasing policies.
  • Encourage healthy living for the Town’s populace through the expansion of parks, walking trails, bicycle lanes, and wellness programs.
  • Reduce the Town’s carbon footprint through the expanded use of alternative energy systems, energy-saving practices, and recycling programs.
  • Vision, Goals, and Suggested Tactics based on community feedback collected throughout 2016-2017 environmental events
  • 2019 Environmental Events
  • Earth Day4/20: Earth Day Family fun and environmental programming at Memorial Row, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

  • 2018 Environmental Events
  • All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. This programming is intended to facilitate an ongoing conversation about environmental topics in our community.
  • Merchants of Doubt 2/1: Merchants of Doubt Spin doctors spread misinformation and confusion about global climate change.
  • How to Change the World 3/1: How to Change the World The early days of Greenpeace illustrate how to mobilize community.
  • Wasteland 4/5: Wasteland Garbage pickers in Rio de Janeiro become subjects mimicking famous paintings.
  • 5/3: Garbage Dreams A look into the lives of Egyptian trash collectors.
  • A Place at the Table 7/5: A Place at the Table Hunger poses economic, social and cultural implications for our nation.
  • Deeply Rooted 8/2: Deeply Rooted John Coykendall’s seed preservation inspires us to reconnect with the land.
  • Tapped 9/6: Tapped An exploration of the financial and ecological impact of the bottled water industry.
  • Hempsters 10/4: Hempsters Seven activists fight to legalize industrial hemp in the United States.
  • How to Let Go of the World 11/1: How to Let Go of the World A riveting account of the dramatic changes occurring due to climate change.
  • Racing to Extinction 12/6: Racing to Extinction Exposing the forces that are leading our planet to its next mass extinction.


  • 2016 Environmental Events
  • Download a flyer of all events in the 2016 Shore Homesteading series (PDF)
  • Energy Audit January 7: Ed Minch Are your energy bills hurting your wallet but your home is still cold? In this session you will learn the common sources of heat leakage and how to correct this problem.
  • Native plant for water quality February 4: Eric Buehl How homeowners can improve regional water quality by using rain barrels, rain gardens, native plants, and the proper use of pesticides.
  • Dirt the Movie March 3: Dirt: The Movie A story with heart and soul brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has.
  • Vanishing of the Bees April 7: Vanishing of the Bees Follows commercial beekeepers as they strive to keep their bees healthy. Bees pollinate a third of the food we eat but they are vanishing from their hives at an alarming rate.
  • Chasing Ice May 5: Chasing Ice Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the track of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet.
  • Aronia - Niche Crops June 2: Andrew Ristvey Discussion on niche crops with an emphasis on introducing aronia as a viable crop in this region. View feedback.
  • Conservation Landscaping July 7: Lyle Almond A review of CCLC’s Eight Essentials of Conservation Landscaping and aesthetic and ecological principles of woodland gardening.
  • Blue Gold August 4: Blue Gold Blue Gold wars of the future will be fought over water, not oil, as the source of cell life enters the center stage on the global political arena for control of our dwindling fresh water supply.
  • Just Eat It September 1: Just Eat It A food waste story. Americans toss and the equivalent of $165 billion in food annually.
  • Growing HerbsSeptember 20: Growing and Cooking with Herbs Join Master Gardener Sabine Harvey for a talk on how to produce, preserve, and use herbs to spice up home cooking.
  • Backyard EcosystemsOctober 1: Backyard Ecosystems Certified Horticulturalist Cindy King will share a presentation followed by a question and answer session.
  • Olamana GardensOctober 6: Olamana Gardens Get inspired by several do-it-yourself projects including worm cultivating, soil-blocking, and aquaponic garden designs. View feedback.
  • OktoberfestOctober 8: An Eastern Shore Oktoberfest Live music and children’s activities to benefit Colchester Farm CSA.
  • Wild HomebrewingOctober 12: Wild Homebrewing From apple cider to dandelion and elderflower wine, learn how to homebrew using foraged fruits and flowers with Tara Holste.
  • Composting October 17: Composting 101 Learn how to turn kitchen scraps, fallen leaves, and grass clippings into soil fertility with Master Gardener Denise Malueg.
  • Feast and FamineOctober 24: Feast and Famine: The Food System of the Mid-Shore Join this intensely interactive workshop to learn the realities of life here on the Shore, how the “system” really works, and what you can do to help.
  • Inhabit: A Permaculture PerspectiveNovember 3: Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective An introduction to permaculture, an ecological design method for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, and governance. View feedback.
  • The Versatile CabbageNovember 15: The Versatile Cabbage Explore the many variations of this easy-to-grow and highly nutritious plant family.
  • Alone in the Wilderness
  • December 1: Alone in the Wilderness Follow the mesmerizing story of Dick Proenneke, a man who ventures into the Alaskan wilderness to live a simple life in the natural world.
Join Us!
Anyone wishing to serve on a Commission or Committee should send a resume to Town Hall (118N Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland 21620) with a cover letter indicating which Commission or Committee that they would like to serve.
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