DOVER − More than $20,000 of grant funding is now available to help Delaware’s volunteer fire companies fight wildfires in their communities. The Delaware Forest Service’s Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants are designed to help fire companies purchase the specialized equipment needed to meet the unpredictable threat of wildfires in fields, forests, open spaces, and marshes. Applicants can request up to $4,500 per year. Funds can be used to acquire items such as ¾-inch to 1-½ inch forestry hose, safety gear, brush unit pumps/skids, and hand tools. All grants require a 50-50 cost-share match in cash or in-kind services and priority will be given to applicants that have not received funding in the past three years. Last year, seven volunteer fire companies received $23,020 through the VFA grant program to purchase wildfire suppression equipment.

The 2018 Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Forms are available online in either  MS Word or PDF format. The application deadline is May 1. No email applications will be accepted. Forms should be mailed to: Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Forest Service, 2320 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901

For more information, contact: Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Forest Service Wildland Fire Program, (302) 698-4548, or Kyle.Hoyd@delaware.gov

Delaware’s volunteer fire companies are vital to the Delaware Forest Service because they provide much of the manpower and resources to fight wildfires in the state. In FY17, the Delaware Forest Service assisted 49 of Delaware’s 60 volunteer fire companies (82%) with wildfire suppression, loaning of equipment, or training.  During the same period, the DFS also responded to 13 wildfires on nearly 26 wooded acres and was on standby on over 100 brush and field fires. Upon request, the DFS can provide trained personnel, bulldozers equipped with fire plows to establish firebreaks, and wildland fire suppression tools such as fire rakes, hose, and collapsible backpack water tanks.

The Delaware Forest Service also maintains two fire equipment supply caches, one at Blackbird State Forest and one at Redden State Forest. In addition to these supply caches the Delaware Forest Service has two type 6 engines, three fire plows, and four UTVs with slip-in tanks that are available to help with wildfires.

The VFA grant program has proven to a cost-effective way to leverage limited federal funding. While grant applicants must provide at least 50 percent cost-share match in cash or in-kind services, many recipients provide much more – producing more than one and a half times the grant amounts. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program has funded more than 125 grants in excess of $320,000 over the past 11 years.

“Volunteer fire companies are very important to the Delaware Forest Service as well as communities throughout the First State. They are often the first on the scene to respond to wildfires in our fields and woods and marshes,” said Kyle Hoyd, Assistant State Forester and director of the agency’s Wildland Fire Program. “This grant program can help volunteer firefighters meet the challenge of wildfires by increasing access to specialized wildfire equipment and resources.”

TOWNSEND, Del. (March 1, 2018) – Volunteers of all ages are needed this month to help plant 8,800 hardwood seedlings along the Cypress Branch at Blackbird State Forest to provide scenic beauty, enhance wildlife habitat, fight invasive species, and improve water quality in the critical Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The planting will take place on Saturday, March 17, and Sunday, March 18, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at Blackbird State Forest’s Naudain Tract, 2076 Harvey Straughn Road, Townsend, Delaware 19734.

The weekend tree planting is a “rain or shine” event. Equipment, including shovels, will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather – wear boots or other work shoes, heavy-duty gloves and hats and bring insect repellent and sunscreen, if needed. Snacks will be provided and commemorative patches and T-shirts will be given to both youth and adult volunteers on a first-come, first-served basis.

The project is a cooperative partnership between the Delaware Forest Service, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Watershed Stewardship, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.

State Forester Michael Valenti said “Planting trees always helps improve our environment. Planting over 8,000 oak seedlings next to the Cypress Branch gives an added bonus of water quality protection and acorn production for local wildlife such as wild turkeys. We need enthusiastic volunteers to help Caroline Dowd complete this tree planting project in her bid to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award.”

Caroline Dowd is a student at MOT Charter High School in Middletown. The planting will help fulfill requirements toward her Gold Award, representing “the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, recognizing girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through remarkable Take Action projects that have sustainable impact in their communities—and beyond.” The project also continues a proud partnership between local scout groups and state conservation agencies: in both 2012 and 2013, Boy Scouts planted 4,000 trees each year at Blackbird State Forest.

“This tree planting is a unique opportunity for volunteers to create a positive and lasting change for Delaware’s forests,” said Marcia Fox of DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, “The new trees will restore wildlife habitat and advance the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative by promoting volunteer participation in habitat stewardship and preserving an ecologically-valuable area.”

The latest updates for the event are available at Caroline Dowd’s Gold Award Reforestation and Riparian Buffer Facebook Page.

Funding for the trees is provided by a grant to the Delaware Forest Service from the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship. The restoration of riparian forests is a key strategy for improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, recognized as a “national treasure” and the largest estuary in North America, covering 64,000 square miles in six states and the District of Columbia. The Cypress Branch in southwestern New Castle County is one of the headwaters for the Chester River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay that begins where Cypress Branch and Andover Branch join together in Millington, MD.

Blackbird State Forest covers nearly 6,000 acres in southern New Castle County and is also a stop on the historic Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.

Directions to the Blackbird Forest Tree Planting Site

• From the NORTH:
  Route 1 (TOLL): Take Rt. 1 South to Exit 136 toward Odessa (Rt. 299) and make a left at the light. At Rt. 299 (Main Street) in Odessa, turn right onto U.S. 13 South.
  U.S. 13: Take U.S 13 South until you reach Rt. 299 (Main Street) in Odessa. Proceed through the light (continue on U.S. 13 South).
• From Route 299 & U.S. 13: Continue on U.S. 13 south for 6.2 miles and then turn right onto Blackbird Forest Road (flashing light at the top of the hill). After 3.5 miles, turn right onto Oak Hill School Road. Continue for 2.9 miles and then turn right onto Harvey Straughn Road. Proceed for .3 miles and the destination will be on the left.

• From the SOUTH:
  Route 1 (TOLL): Take Rt. 1 North to Exit 119 (N. Smyrna). Make a right onto Route 13 South. Proceed .8 miles to Duck Creek Road and make a right at the light.
  U.S. 13: Take U.S 13 North until you reach Duck Creek Road north of Smyrna (just past Visitor Center and Smokey Bear sign on the right). Turn left at light for Duck Creek Road.
• From Duck Creek Road & U.S. 13:  Proceed west for .8 miles on Duck Creek Road and turn right onto Vandyke Greenspring Road. Continue on Vandyke Greenspring Road for 4.4 miles and turn left onto Harvey Straughn Road. In 2 miles, turn left to stay on Harvey Straughn Road. Proceed for .3 miles and the destination will be on the right.

Contact –
John Petersen, Delaware Forest Service, 302-698-4552, john.petersen@delaware.gov
Philip Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, Nonpoint Source Program, 302-739-9939; philip.miller@delaware.gov

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BRIDGEVILLE, Del. – The Delaware Forestry Association (DFA) will present its 2018 “Tree Farmer of the Year” award on Thursday, March 22, at its annual banquet and meeting at the Bridgeville Fire Hall, 311 Market Street, Bridgeville, Delaware 19933, (302) 337-7272. Tickets are $27 for adults, $13.50 for children ages six to 12, and free for children under six. Reservations are kindly requested by March 16.

Registration forms are available online in the current edition of the DFA Winter Newsletter. Checks should be made payable to the “Delaware Forestry Association” and sent to: Delaware Forestry Association, P.O. Box 344, Bridgeville, DE 19933. For more information, contact: Steve Ditmer (phone: 410-896-9283).

The 2018 DFA Meeting Agenda:

• 5:30 p.m. Registration & Social Hour
  – Silent Auction … remains open until 7:45 pm ***
• 6:30 p.m. Buffet-Style Dinner
  – Crab Cakes, Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Dumplings, Cole Slaw, Green Bean Casserole, Rolls & Butter, Dessert, Beverage
• 7:30 p.m. Welcome
  – DFA Business Meeting
  – Election of 2018-2019 DFA Board Directors
  – Delaware Tree Farmer-of-the-Year Award
  – Delaware Forest Service – Forestry Administrator’s Update
• 8:30 p.m. Wrap-up/Announcement of Silent Auction Winners/Adjourn
  
  *** If you can DONATE items to the Silent Auction, please bring them or contact a DFA Board Director

Delaware’s Tree Farm Committee is part of the American Tree Farm System, founded more than 75 years ago to recognize landowners who practice proper forest stewardship by developing comprehensive management plans for diverse objectives such as wood products, wildlife habitat, water quality, and recreation.

Highlights from the 2017 DFA Annual Meeting and Tree Farmer of the Year Award

The Delaware Forestry Association is also offering its annual $1000 scholarship to a student who chooses forestry or a related major at a two-year or four-year accredited college or university. Applications are due by April 1 and the winner will be notified by May 1. Students will be eligible for up to 4 years of undergraduate study, upon reapplying, meeting the requirements, and being selected. All applicants must show financial need and academic merit. All applicants shall be in the upper 25% of their class in high school and maintain at least a 2.75 grade point average in college, based on a 4.0 scale. Scholarship money can be applied toward tuition, room and board, or books. The money will be sent directly to the college in which the student is enrolled. All applicants must submit a short essay describing their personal goals and reasons they feel they are deserving of this award. Applicants may be requested for a personal interview by the scholarship committee. The successful applicant will receive his or her award on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington.

Application forms can be downloaded at: http://delawareforest.com/scholarship. For more information, contact: Sam Topper at (302) 856-2893 or sam.topper@delaware.gov.

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DOVER– The Delaware Forest Service is now accepting entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for grades K to 5—open to all public, private, and home school students. For the first time, this year’s theme is “Trees are Terrific…and Perfect for Pollinators!” The contest can teach students about the important role of trees in the well-being of both people and pollinators, such as bees.

In Delaware, Arbor Day is designated as the last Friday in April (April 27, 2018). Arbor Day was started in Nebraska in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton as an occasion to both celebrate and encourage the planting of trees.

• • 2018 Perfect for Pollinators (PDF)
  • 2018 Arbor Day Poster Contest rules (PDF)
  • Teacher Resources (Google Drive) at https://goo.gl/DcmMnj

Delaware communities can learn how to successfully apply for a 2018 urban forestry grant at an upcoming workshop at the Delaware Department of Agriculture on February 13 from 6 to 8 p.m.

DOVER – The Delaware Forest Service is holding an “Urban and Community Forestry Grant Workshop” on Tuesday, February 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.  at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, 2320 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901, (302) 698-4578. The event is free and open to the public, however, advance registration is required.

Attendees can sign up at this link: Urban and Community Forestry Grant Workshop Registration
Registration Contact: Sam Seo, Delaware Center for Horticulture, 658-6262, extension 112.

Urban forestry director Kesha Braunskill and The Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Sam Seo will discuss the 2018 urban and community grant program. All municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations can apply. Up to $40,000 in grants for tree planting, tree care, and tree management projects on publicly owned lands is available. Grants range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $5,000 in one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management. All applications require a 50-50 cost-share match in either cash or in-kind services such as volunteer hours.

Applications are limited to one project in one project category and will be judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. All projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority is given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and cities or towns that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution.

The grant workshop will discuss the 2018 urban grant guidelines and requirements, and include a question and answer session. Q and A can include: how to work with arborists and tree care contractors, and how to prepare a successful application.

For more information about the urban grant program, contact:
Kesha Braunskill, Delaware Forest Service (DFS) Urban Forestry Administrator
Office: (302) 698-4578, Kesha.Braunskill@delaware.gov