Biologists track bay grass abundance for clues about water quality

I had been raising wild celery in my classroom with my middle school students as part of the "Bay Grasses in Classes" program since its beginning in 1998. This year we were unable to obtain the seeds and had to raise switchgrass, monkey flowers, and cone flowers, which we planted at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. Hopefully "Bay Grasses in Classes" will not disappear completely. Students who participate learn the value of these indicator species and become lifelong stewards of the Chesapeake Bay and her watershed.