Grants can help Delaware volunteer fire companies fight wildfires
Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Sussex County | Date Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2018
More than $20,000 in grants is now available to help 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 $4500 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.
Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission names Associate Steward and Safety Steward for 2018
Department of Agriculture | Newsroom | Date Posted: Friday, March 9, 2018
Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) Chairman W. Duncan Patterson announced at the Commission meeting on March 8, 2018 that two candidates, Cynthia L. Smith and Robert E. Colton had been selected for the positions of Associate State Steward and Safety Steward respectively. “Both of these individuals have a deep respect for the racing industry and the people involved in racing,” said DTRC Executive Director John F. Wayne. “They will fit in well, maintaining the high level of regulatory oversight that the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission expects and deserves.”
Public hearing for DNREC, DDA proposed firearm regulations set for Monday, March 12 in Dover
Department of Agriculture | Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Fish and Wildlife | Division of Parks and Recreation | Date Posted: Thursday, March 1, 2018
DNREC and Department of Agriculture will conduct a joint public hearing Monday, March 12 on proposed regulations for possessing firearms in Delaware’s state parks and wildlife areas and state forests.
Volunteers needed to plant trees on March 17 and 18 at Blackbird State Forest, enhancing the Chesapeake Bay
Department of Agriculture | Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Watershed Stewardship | Forest Service | New Castle County | Date Posted: Thursday, 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 enhance the 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 and wear boots or other work shoes. Snacks will be provided and commemorative T-shirts and patches 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.
Delaware Forestry Association annual meeting is March 22 in Bridgeville; Scholarship applications due by April 1.
Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Newsroom | Sussex County | Date Posted: Thursday, February 22, 2018
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 6 to 12, and free for children 6 and under. Reservations are kindly requested by March 16.
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.
