Like so many others in the environmental community, we were saddened by the recent passing of Nick DiPasquale. Many of us at ShoreRivers knew Nick in his role as Director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program, and then our friendship grew when he retired and joined ShoreRivers first as a policy advisor and then as a Governing Board member. Nick shared his extensive expertise in Chesapeake restoration and environmental policy and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with this pillar of our community. ShoreRivers staff reflect on their time with Nick:
“I first met Nick at the annual Watershed Forum in Shepherdstown, sometime in the early 2010s. I was new to my position as Chester Riverkeeper and new in my environmental career, and Nick had recently been appointed the Director of the Bay Program. On a late afternoon walk in the woods, I ran into Nick, also enjoying some quiet time in nature away from the conference. We walked together and he shared with me recent studies out of Japan showing that spending time among trees measurably improves your physical and mental health. His genuine joy at the idea of ‘tree bathing’ and his clear pleasure in sharing the science behind it with me was a wonderful and powerful encounter as a young professional. I was awed and so appreciative of his time and wisdom.” — Isabel Hardesty, ShoreRivers Executive Director
“‘Nicky D’ was a great friend and one of the kindest and gentlest souls you could ever meet. He went out of his way to help ShoreRivers in our formative years, when many environmental organizations were courting him for board service just after his retirement in 2017. It was like getting Sandy Koufax or Babe Ruth to help coach your little league team; he brought credibility and science to the fledgling ShoreRivers when he joined our board in 2018. Nick loved helping others and educating anyone on the environment and on just how important balance in nature is. I will always remember Nick very fondly; I think he was the only person I know who flew the Earth Day flag at his house every day. So long Nick, let us know what kind of kayaks they have up there.” — Jeff Horstman, former ShoreRivers Executive Director
“I first met Nick when I invited him to present to the Legacy Institute for the Environment classes I was facilitating at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. It was a long shot call for me but he said yes! He presented each year for at least six years, and his last presentation was just after he officially gave notice of his resignation. He was able to speak freely, unattached to federal communication rules. He broke from his typical lecture and spoke from the heart as he shared his motivations for pursuing a career in environmentalism. He dug in deep to his emotional connections to the natural world and the whole class witnessed his passion as he cried through the last section of his talk. I will never forget the words he spoke and always admired him for taking time away from his ‘BIG’ job to come to meet with our little class of 20 and share how the Bay was being managed.” — Courtney Leigh, ShoreRivers Membership Manager
“A number of years ago, Nick joined a bus tour we hosted highlighting agricultural restoration projects around the watershed. At the time I hadn’t yet met the Director of the Bay Program, and Nick was so humble that I didn't know it was him until afterward when someone told me! In the world of environmental restoration and protection, we could all benefit from being like Nick, or being inspired by Nick.” — Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers Choptank Riverkeeper
“My husband, Ben, and I were excited to see a green ecology flag hanging from the house of our new neighbors on Queen Street and even more impressed when we learned that neighbor's credentials. It turned out that we had won the neighbor lottery with Nick and Becky. These goodhearted folks always welcomed the joyful noise of our children and worked to make their home and our community better. With all of his accomplishments, Nick was always kind, approachable, and generous with his knowledge, whether it was about the restoration workforce or basement insulation. On one of my very first days at ShoreRivers, we went out to plant oysters on sanctuary reefs, and I was assigned to the crew on the pontoon boat Summer Breeze, which included Nick and Becky. They brought humor and hard work to the task, but most of all I remember their evident affection for one another. I thought that day (and still do) that I hope Ben and I will be that way in our next phase of life: young at heart, enjoying shared work, and singing along to Summer Breeze." — Darran White Tilghman, ShoreRivers Director of Community Engagement
“I always think of Nick with a smile on his face. His dependable good cheer and unfailing support for environmental advocacy and our work at ShoreRivers meant so much to all of us. He will be missed by so many who treasured his friendship.” — Kristin Junkin, ShoreRivers Director of Operations & Finance
Nick’s resume was impressive, but beyond his professional accomplishments, he was an incredible friend and mentor. We send our love to his wife, Becky, and the rest of his family as we collectively mourn this great loss to our community.