In modern times efforts to get oyster to get a foot hold in the Upper Bay have been a struggle, but there is plenty of archeological evidence to suggest this was not always the case. Learn how American Indians fished the Bay for thousands of years in a virtual presentation at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. The Zoom webinar will address how Chesapeake environments and cultures have changed, and investigate a few archaeological clues about what we could do differently today. Feb. 3, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. $10 for non-members. More info and registration.

The Oyster Recovery Partnership’s free winter webinar series will be discussing how oysters are being impacted by global climate change – and how they can potentially help mitigate climate change’s effects in the Chesapeake Bay. Hear directly from ORP’s Coastal Restoration Team how oyster restoration is accomplished in the Chesapeake, and learn everything from how restoration areas are identified to how monitoring is done when the reefs are completed. Feb. 9 and Mar. 2. More information and registration.

The Audubon Naturalist Society will lead this 3-mile round-trip walk along the C&O Canal’s towpath from Sycamore Landing ISO seven species of woodpeckers that frequent our woodlands this time of year. Of course, any and all birds encountered along the way will also be of interest. This walk will move farther and at a faster pace than the Society’s usual bird walks. Members $30; nonmembers $42. Feb. 27, 8:30 am to 11:00 pm; C&O Canal National Historical Park, Poolesville, MD. More information and registration.

Yes, there are over 50 species of native orchids in Maryland. Join Seneca Creek guides who will help you look for the two that are frequently found in the park during the winter, the puttyroot and cranefly orchids. The leafless trees forests allow orchids to produce leaves in winter; in summer the blooms are leafless. Cranefly is common in this area, but puttyroot is quite elusive. Learn more about the puttyroot (including a photo of its leaf) from the Virginia Native Plant Society. Once you know where they grow, you can return in the summer and look for the flowers. Jan. 30, 2:00 pm; Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg, MD More information and registration.

Join the Sierra Club for a hike in PVSP from the swinging bridge to the Sawmill Branch Trail and Buzzards Rocks trails. This hike is approximately 3 miles. It has several steep sections and downed trees to cross over. There is a $2 fee per car to enter PVSP. Feb. 5, 10:00 am; Patapsco Valley State Park, Arbutus, MD. More information.

You can help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s rivers by participating in Mason Neck's Grasses for the Masses program. As a volunteer you will grow wild celery, an important underwater grass, in your home and then plant the grasses at Mason Neck. A healthy patch of underwater grasses provides food and habitat for animals like fish and crabs, reduces shoreline erosion, and improves water quality by slowing the current and helping sediment filter out of the water column. To participate all you need to do is to attend an orientation at the park and pick up your supplies. There is an $25 cost for the Grasses Kit. (All supplies must be returned to the park on Planting Day, May 22.) Orientation days are Jan. 15, 22, 30, and Feb. 5, 6, 12, 13. Registration is required. More info and registration.

Celebrate winter at the Clearfield, Pennsylvania YMCA's annual Winter Festival. This year's events will hopefully include a 5K run, Ice Fishing Basics, Learn to Skate, snowshoeing, Ice Harvesting, Snow Box Derby, Frozen Salami Sling, Winter Birding, Almost Naked Mile Run, and the Polar Bear Swim. The YMCA will have food and drinks available each day. Times and events may change; please check with the YMCA or Park Office for a schedule of events as the festival nears. Jan. 29, 10:00 am and on Jan. 30 the fun begins at 12:00 pm; Parker Dam State Park, Penfield, PA. More information.

An exciting new exhibit is opening at the National Museum of the American Indian, featuring works from internationally acclaimed artist Preston Singletary, a Tlingit American. Through an immersive, multisensory experience, Raven takes visitors on a journey of the transformation of darkness into light. In addition to Singletary's striking glass pieces, the exhibition features storytelling paired with original music, coastal Pacific Northwest soundscapes, and projected images. The exhibit will run from Jan. 28, 2022 to Jan. 29, 2023. Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight.

You’d better bring your A game – this Cornell Lab duck and waterfowl quiz is tough. But if you don’t do well, you can always take their Be a Better Birder: Duck and Waterfowl Identification course.

Head out on the water and learn firsthand the experiences of Captain John Smith's Voyage on NOAA's Chesapeake Bay interpretive Buoy System. CBIBS provides real time weather and environmental information, as well as a glimpse into living Chesapeake Bay History. You can also download the app for your Android or iPhone from the website. Note: some buoys may be offline with no data currently available.

Take a virtual tour of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail from your computer or mobile device! To help you plan your trip before you go, the Chesapeake Conservancy partnered with Terrain360 to bring you virtual tours of the trail’s great rivers. Sit back and virtually explore the Elk, James (sponsored by the James River Association), Nanticoke, Northeast, Patapsco, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock, Sassafras, Susquehanna, and York rivers. Check out some of the Chesapeake’s special places like Werowocomoco, Fones Cliffs, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Mallows Bay. We hope to eventually bring you a virtual tour of the entire Chesapeake Trail! Explore the Chesapeake's great rivers on our website.