Chesapeake Bay Recognized as a Hope Spot for Nature, History, and Community

June 2, 2025

The Transquaking River feeds into Fishing Bay near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, MD. Photo courtesy of Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program (2018).

[CHESAPEAKE BAY, USA] – The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world, has been officially designated a Mission Blue Hope Spot. Hope Spots are areas recognized for their exceptional ecological, cultural, and historical value, and this new designation celebrates the Chesapeake Bay’s biodiversity, deep Indigenous heritage, and the broad coalition of community efforts driving its ongoing restoration.

Home to more than 3,000 species of plants and animals, the Chesapeake Bay is vital to life along the Atlantic Flyway. Its diverse habitats—from oyster reefs and tidal wetlands to underwater grass beds—shelter iconic species such as the endangered Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii, Caretta caretta), and provide vital spawning and nursery grounds for ecologically and economically important fish like striped bass (Morone saxatilis), river herring (Alosa spp), and menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus). The name “Chesapeake” is derived from the Algonquian Chesepiooc, meaning “great shellfish bay”, a testament to the enduring connection between water, land, and culture. 

“This Hope Spot will not only advance scientific research and community engagement but also provide a platform for inclusivity, bringing together diverse voices to protect this rich and vital ecosystem,” said Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue. “The designation will complement existing conservation efforts, driving further collaboration among governments, nonprofits, and local communities to ensure that the Bay thrives for generations to come.”

Mission Blue is pleased to congratulate all the individuals and organizations involved in the Hope Spot designation, and recognizes Hope Spot Champions The Explorers Club, represented by Constance Difede, and Dr. Stephen Tomasetti, director of the Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). A broad coalition of scientists, Indigenous leaders, educators, conservationists, and coastal communities have been working tirelessly to secure a thriving future for the Bay.

“The Explorers Club has always been dedicated to exploration at all levels from local to global and beyond,” says Constance Difede, reflecting the organization’s broad commitment to exploration. “The Hope Spot designation is the latest in the Club’s engagement in the Chesapeake Bay area, and provides renewed recognition of research and exploration into the important ecosystems, habitats and history of the Bay. The Club acknowledges and celebrates the efforts of the Indigenous communities, conservationists, and scientists and hopes that this new designation amplifies the ongoing critical work.”

“The Hope Spot designation is a timely recognition of both the Chesapeake Bay’s ecological significance and the broad coalition working to support its recovery,” Dr. Tomasetti said. “Our work — restoring oyster reefs and seagrass meadows, rebuilding shellfish populations, and partnering with coastal communities — aims to ensure the Bay remains a source of life, identity, resilience, and leisure. This designation furthers that momentum.”

The Chesapeake Bay holds profound cultural and historical significance. For over 13,000 years, Indigenous peoples have called these shores home. The Bay has witnessed pivotal chapters in American history—from the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to the perseverance of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, and the enduring maritime traditions of skipjacks and watermen.

A representative from the Rappahannock Tribal Nation shared: “Rappahannock means ‘where the river ebbs and flows’ and the tidal nature and rhythms of the Chesapeake is central to our culture and identity. Our people are intimately aware of the living spirit of these waters, as recently demonstrated by our tribal-wide vote to update our Tribal constitution to include rights of nature to the Rappahannock River, granting her the right to flow and flourish and our citizens the right to defend her from all threats.”

Today, the Chesapeake Bay faces complex challenges. Climate-driven sea level rise and warming waters, pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and declining water quality threaten the health of the ecosystem. While decades of restoration have led to important progress in wetland recovery, oyster reef restoration, and reductions in nutrient runoff, the Hope Spot designation is a timely and vital step to support the success of these ongoing efforts.

Chesapeake Bay Hope Spot will enhance long-term monitoring and support adaptive management through a collaborative model of restoration that combines modern science with traditional indigenous knowledge. Key initiatives like the Gwynn’s Island Ecological Survey Expedition and the oyster reef restoration partnership with the Rappahannock Nation will foster collaborative work engaging Tribal members, universities, and local communities to celebrate and strengthen the Bay’s many important social-ecological systems.

Public engagement will be key to the Hope Spot’s success, with expanded citizen science projects and World Oceans Week events focused on deepening awareness and connection across the Bay’s many communities. The designation is also expected to help mobilize new resources and bolster a unified restoration strategy that bridges science, policy, and community leadership. As federal funding cuts and escalating climate pressures threaten to slow progress, this recognition renews momentum and draws global attention to the Bay’s vital role in environmental health and cultural heritage.

“This is a window of opportunity to fully honor and support sovereignty, build tribal capacity to apply Indigenous knowledge and center respectful ethical space between western and Indigenous methodologies in the Chesapeake Bay Program to achieve more effective and inclusive outcomes,” notes the Indigenous Conservation Council.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation added: “The Bay is more than just a body of water, it is a lifeline for more than 18 million people who are connected to it through lived experiences, family legacies, and personal connections. These deep bonds fuel our shared passion to work together to heal our lands and waters, ensuring the Bay thrives for generations to come.”

With this recognition, the Chesapeake Bay joins a global network of Hope Spots—places that inspire action to protect the ocean’s most vital and threatened ecosystems. From ancient oyster reefs to modern migratory crossroads, the Chesapeake Bay’s story is one of resilience, connection, and hope for future generations.

About The Explorers Club 

Founded in New York City in 1904, The Explorers Club promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space by supporting research and education in the physical, natural and biological sciences. The Club’s members have been responsible for an illustrious series of famous firsts: First to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, first to the surface of the moon. Since its inception, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. The Explorers Club’s Research Collections includes artifacts, archives, a library and map room all with the mission to preserve the history of the Club and to assist those interested and engaged in exploration and scientific research. 

About Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center (PSSCEC), University of Maryland Eastern Shore

The Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center is a field laboratory and learning space that houses initiatives related to the conservation, restoration, and understanding of the natural ecology and living resources of Maryland’s coastal waters. The Center’s mission is to inspire and empower scientific leaders — both current and future — to drive collaboration and innovation in protecting, restoring, and sustaining Maryland’s diverse marine and estuarine ecosystems for a resilient future. Its location allows access to an array of bayside and underwater habitats that harbor vast biodiversity. Longstanding partnerships with state and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations enable the Center to coordinate and support on-the-ground actions, while integrating and applying the new knowledge yielded to the continued benefit of the Chesapeake Bay Region.