PUBLICITY, EDUCATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND 

 PERCEPTIONS 



Notable improvements have occurred in the availability of reliable information 

 about Chesapeake Bay, media attention, and in the involvement of its many publics 

 in the processes of management. The Chesapeake Bay in Maryland — an Alias of 

 Natural Resources, presenting extensive material in readable narration and excellent 

 graphics, is widely used in schools as well as by scientists and managers ( Lippson, 

 1973). An Environmental Atlas of the Potomac Estuary contains similar graphics, 

 detailed summary of many aspects of this sub-estuary, text-like presentations on the 

 physical, chemical, and especially the biological aspects of estuaries in rich detail, 

 and a set of folio maps on cultural landmarks, topography, sediments, aquatic vege- 

 tation, benthos, spawning region migrations, wastewater, and boat waste discharges 

 (Lippson et al.. 1980). This is the finest estuarine treatment of this type. No single 

 complete description and interpretation of Chesapeake Bay has yet been achieved, 

 but interest has been expressed. 



Movies, slide shows, booklets, and other formal educational materials are 

 increasingly available, as are newsletters, brochures, and periodic information from 

 citizens' groups, agencies, and commissions. Some school systems have units on 

 Chesapeake Bay. Frequent press attention is given to news and views about the Bay, 

 and major features appear from time to time in local and regional papers, on tele- 

 vision, and in the National Geographic and other magazines ( Fisher, 1980; Hoffman, 

 1979; Kanigel. 1979; Perkinson et al., 1973). These usually deal with specific 

 problems ( Kepone, nuclear power plants), appreciation of the Bay, the simultaneous 

 fragility and resilience of the ecosystem, active programs, or general assessment of 

 conditions and needs. 



Public involvement is substantial in several forums. The Chesapeake Bay Foun- 

 dation (a member organization). Citizens' Program for Chesapeake Bav (an um- 

 brella for groups), and the Maryland and Virginia Conservation Councils are highly 

 active. The Chesapeake Bay Program includes one of the largest federal investments 

 in public participation, supporting extensive forums, mini-grants, information ex- 

 change and a Citizens' Steering Committee to advise on the program (Wells et al., 

 1979; Davis, 1980). 



Public opinion on water quality problems and otherenvironmental issues is being 

 assessed. Pollution was considered in 1971 to be of the greatest importance among 

 Bay problems, especially from domestic wastes, industrial wastes, pesticides, and oil 

 spills. Marylanders rated air and water pollution as serious environmental problems 

 in 1979, with water pollution the more critical (Baltimore Environmental Center. 

 1980). A Sea Grant-sponsored telephone survey in 1979 found pollution to be the 

 overriding concern of the citizens sampled with 69 percent ranking it first in relation 

 to Chesapeake Bay ( Florestano and Rathbun, 1980). Seventy-two percent disagreed 

 with the statement that the Bay is in good shape. Eighty-four percent feared that an 

 increase in waterfront industry would injure air and water quality. Vigorous punish- 

 ment for dumping and pollution was supported. Among other results, the authors 

 concluded that interest groups are generally in consonance with citizens' opinions, 

 that few citizen users know about the active interest groups, and that many "interest 

 groups" are in fact quite small sets of people organized to convey their views to 

 agencies and to the media. An additional survey indicated that air and water 

 pollution are of the greatest concern in Maryland, that industrial wastes are thought 

 to be the major cause of water pollution, that nuclear facilities on the Bay were 

 opposed by a majority, that citizens are uncertain whether improvements in 

 environmental conditions have occurred in the past 10 years, but that they expect 

 improvement in the next 10 (Rathbun and finder, 1980). 



38 



