‘That kid’ was raised on the waters of Barnegat Bay in New Jersey, fishing with her father, sailing, windsurfing, and crabbing from a very young age. “We’d go seining every day,” she says. “My dad spent a lot of time with us, getting me SCUBA certified as soon as I could (she was 12) so we could dive right off the boat.” At college in St. Louis, Lyons was placed in a program aimed at female leadership training. Paired with the director of research at the St. Louis Zoo as her mentor, Lyons began working with endangered species as an undergraduate. The experience imprinted upon her a deep respect for the interconnected nature of all living things, and after graduating she went into the field of marine mammal behavior. Alongside raising three
ELLE BASSETT South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper, Arundel Rivers Federation “I was lucky, like every other Annapolis kid,” says Elle Bassett, the Riverkeeper for the South, West, and Rhode Rivers. Growing up near Thomas Point with parents who were boaters, ‘playing outside’ meant ‘playing on the water’ for Bassett. Commuting to elementary school meant walking over the Eastport Bridge. She learned to fish from her father, a passionate sport fisherman who always made sure she had a spot on his boat. When it was time for Bassett to attend college, she attended Washington College on the Eastern Shore. While she initially pursued English language arts, taking an
environmental science class changed her life’s direction. “I learned to ask how economics, society, and religion all interact with the environment,” she says. “It’s all a spiderweb, and everything can be related back to the waterways. I had always dreamed of not having a desk job, but that course was eye opening, in that it made me realize I could turn my passion into my career.” That career involves centering the Chesapeake Bay watershed in important dialogues. “I make sure that the South, West, and Rhode Rivers have a voice in every conversation, [and] a seat at every table,” she says. This advocacy involves planting trees and monitoring water quality, but Bassett also reviews new laws, identifies areas for restoration work, and tracks how building developments will affect the waterways. “We all live here
children, Lyons has always worked in the fields of marine advocacy. She’s partnered with groups such as the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, Dolphin Watch, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to raise awareness and create nature-based solutions that improve the health of the Bay. “For a while, I coordinated a team of volunteer pilots to take media, nonprofits, and other groups up to experience environmental issues from the air,” she says. “In the Chesapeake, we did a lot of work on algae blooms and CAFOs (controlled animal feeding operations). Typically, you can’t see what’s going on from the road, but you can from the air. You can see waste going right into the water, running straight to the Bay.” Lyons specializes in using nature to create solutions. She
Photo courtesy of Elle Bassett
can tell you how many gallons of Bay water a single oyster will filter, and what potentially harmful elements a tree’s leaves will pull from the air. So when she was approached by the Surfrider Foundation, she immediately saw the next step in her career. “I first learned about Surfrider when I was a graduate student at Duke,” she says. “I knew about their work cleaning beaches and bringing awareness to water pollution. In 2022, they reached out to me about expanding their work on the East Coast, and hired me to be their East Coast Regional Director.”
for a reason, and lots would say the connection to water is one of the main drivers. I protect that, and let others know how they can do the same.” She sees a significance in raising her family with a deep respect for the water, knowing what her parents gave her. “The first time I was on a boat, it was with my dad. And now I’m taking my three-year old son out. I’m full circle.” SHANNON LYONS East Coast Regional Director, Surfrider “I always knew I wanted to be a marine biologist,” Lyons says. “I was that kid.”
16 | THE MOTHERLODE
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