ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is introducing a new public nomination process for the prestigious Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay Award. The award honors people who have contributed to the health and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.
First established by Governor J. Millard Tawes in 1959, the award is Maryland's highest recognition for lifetime achievements in Bay conservation. The updated process seeks a wider range of nominations.
According to the DNR, the change was inspired by the legacy of Vincent Leggett, a historian and community organizer who passed away in November. Leggett, named an Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay in 2003, was key in preserving African American maritime history and advocating for Black watermen. His helped get $5 million in state funding to transform Carr’s Beach in Annapolis into a public park, preserving a historically significant Bay-front property.
“The Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay is among the most important awards we bestow in Maryland, and we want to make sure we’re receiving nominations from every part of the state that encompass the diversity of people and activities that improve the Chesapeake Bay,” said Josh Kurtz, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.
Nominations will close on March 31 and will be reviewed by a committee of department staff volunteers. The Governor and Department plan to announce the 2024 award winners by June 1.
Past recipients of the award include Captain Eldridge Meredith, a waterman and charter captain who worked on the Bay for 80 years; Tom Horton, a journalist and Bay photographer for over four decades; and John Page Williams, an environmental educator with 46 years at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.