Join author and eco-poet, Hillary Gonzalez, for the release of their new collection of eco-poetry from Palewell Press, Where the Osprey Nest - featuring special guests: poet and sailor Emily Decker, Ecologist Kelsey Jennings, and a representative from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Where the Osprey Nest is a poetic love letter to the natural world–and a rallying cry for its defense. Rooted in the principles of climate justice, this collection draws attention to the vanishing habitats of species like the osprey, whose populations along the Chesapeake Bay are in alarming decline. Gonzalez, a queer and AuDHD birder, writes with aching tenderness and sharp clarity about what we lose when we allow our ecosystems to collapse. Composed entirely outdoors–in forests, marshes, and along shorelines–the poems evoke deep kinship with wild spaces and the creatures who call them home. From meditations on ospreys and herons to reflections on grief, healing, and interdependence, Where the Osprey Nest asks readers to listen, to remember, and to act. These poems remind us that we are not separate from nature–we are nature, and if we are to survive, we must rise in defense of the living world.
Hillary Gonzalez (they/she) is a Baltimore based queer, disabled, and AuDHD poet, activist, birder and wildlife photographer. They are the Vice President of the Baltimore City nonprofit, Sacred Parks and Waterways–an organization dedicated to preserving Baltimore City's parks and watershed for future generations, and the authors of Seasons (2025), and the ecopoetry collections, Wild Unfelt World (Gnashing Teeth Publishing, April 2026), and Where the Osprey Nest (Palewell Press, August 2026). They have been nominated for Baltimore Magazine's Reader's Choice Best Poet of Baltimore (2026). Their poems have been published in numerous publications, including South Broadway Press, Canid Press, RAGE Zine, and in anthologies by Bi+ Book Gang, Yellow Arrow Publishing, Loblolly Press’ anthology: Understory vol. 1, a fundraising anthology for the victims of Hurricane Helene, The Body Archive by Cosmic Daffodil Journal, In Praise of Despair, an anthology for disabled artists and writers by Beyond the Veil Press, and their visual poem, "The Sound of Spring," was accepted by The Maryland Film Festival (2026), in their Vertical Shorts category.
Emily Decker is a Baltimore-based poet, actor, and singer. Her debut chapbook, Homing: Poems, was published in 2025 by Yellow Arrow Publishing. She is a 2026 Pushcart Prize Nominee, and her poems have appeared in Yellow Arrow Journal, Full Bleed, Hole in the Head Review, and Campfire Stories: Chesapeake Bay. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and a master's in teaching secondary English Education from Georgia State University. In addition to writing, Emily enjoys dabbling in the Baltimore theater scene and serves on the leadership team for Manor Mill Playhouse in Monkton, MD. Her other loves include sailing and exploring the nature of the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. You can find Emily online at emilydeckerpoetry.com and on Instagram @emadeck.
Kelsey Jennings (they/she) is a PhD student studying the human aspects of wildlife conservation. She has worked with local, state, and national organizations on many issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor recreation; equitable participatory science; support for state fish and wildlife agencies; and private lands conservation for birds. Kelsey holds a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Tech. She has worked as an environmental educator, bird trainer, and outreach specialist to increase access to conservation and outdoor recreation for all. Their debut non-fiction feature, Inclusive Nature, will be published in Fall 2026 with Johns Hopkins University Press. When not behind a computer, Kelsey is an avid birder in and out of Baltimore, vegan foodie, and 90s/early aughts TV enthusiast. Find her across platforms @conservationkels.
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay brings together communities, companies, and conservationists to improve our lands and waters.
With offices in Annapolis, MD, Lancaster, PA, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA, the Alliance implements local programs that connect people to their local rivers and streams.