DOVER – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control recently acquired 41 acres of land adjacent to the Fork Branch Nature Preserve in Dover. The property includes agricultural fields, wetlands and young forest, and adds to the only nature preserve within a municipal boundary in Delaware.

The new acquisition is located at the corner of Dennys and Kenton roads, and is the last major portion of open land acquired by the State from the children of late Dr. James and Anne McClements: Mary Jane, Nancy, Jimmy, Walter and Bill. The Fork Branch Nature Preserve was created when Dr. McClements sold 247 acres of his land at a significant discount to the State in 2003. His children donated an additional 5.62 acres to the State in 2019. This latest property will be known as the Terry and Tom Burns Tract to acknowledge Tom’s longstanding friendship with the McClements family and important role in facilitating the protection of these lands.

DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin said Dover is fortunate to have nearly 300 acres of open space that is home to a mature forest.

“We have a hidden gem right here in Dover thanks to the McClements family and the efforts of the Kent County Conservancy,” he said. “The addition of the Burns Tract to the existing preserve protects valuable natural resources in this growing area.”

The Burns Tract was funded with $900,000 from DNREC’s Open Space Program of which the McClements family returned $90,000 to the preserve’s permanent endowment for maintenance.

The Kent County Conservancy, a local non-profit land trust, worked with DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation, Tom Burns, and the McClements family to make this purchase possible.

“Of all the lands the Division of Parks and Recreation and the Conservancy had identified for protection, this parcel was the one that was most threatened,” said Charles Salkin of the Conservancy. “The existing Anne McClements Woods portion of the Fork Branch Nature Preserve is an ecological gem.”

In addition to mature trees, the Preserve is home to extensive freshwater wetlands and habitat that supports an impressive variety of wildlife.

“Jim and Anne McClements were very committed to preserving the natural integrity of these woodlands,” said Tom Burns, realtor and advisor to the family, “So this final piece of the puzzle is really an enduring tribute to them.”

Media Contact: Shauna McVey, DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation, 302-739-9220.

LEWES – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has rescheduled repairs to the Gordons Pond elevated boardwalk at Cape Henlopen State Park for Monday, Feb. 10 and Tuesday, Feb. 11, due to inclement weather. Construction was originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 6.

The closure is due to necessary repairs to the boardwalk’s railing. Access to the boardwalk where it meets the trail on the north and south points will also be closed during this time. The popular boardwalk is located at the beginning of the trail near the Biden Center and the Herring Point parking lot.

DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation plans to repair the railing where it has pulled away from the rest of the boardwalk over the years to keep it safe for use. To repair the railing, bolts must be driven through supports under the bridge to keep the railing in place, which requires decking to be removed.

All other Cape Henlopen State Park trails will remain open during the repairs. For a map of the park’s trails, including the Gordons Pond Trail, stop by the Park Office or go to https://destateparks.com/Beaches/CapeHenlopen.

LEWES – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will close the Gordons Pond elevated boardwalk along the Gordons Pond Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park on Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 6 for repairs to its railing. Access to the boardwalk where it meets the trail on the north and south points will also be closed during this time.

The popular boardwalk is located at the beginning of the trail near the Biden Center and the Herring Point parking lot, between the 2 and 2.5 mile markers if traveling north along the Gordons Pond Trail. If traveling south, the boardwalk is located between the .5 and 1 mile markers.

DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation plans to repair the railing where it has pulled away from the rest of the boardwalk over the years to keep it safe for use. To repair the railing, bolts must be driven through supports under the bridge to keep the railing in place, which requires decking to be removed.

All other Cape Henlopen State Park trails will remain open during the repairs. For a map of the park’s trails, including the Gordons Pond Trail, stop by the Park Office or go to destateparks.com/Beaches/CapeHenlopen.

The Madagascar Exhibit is part of the Brandywine Zoo’s recently approved Master Plan and will be the largest capital improvement in the zoo’s history. The Master Plan focuses on improved animal welfare and guest experiences, species of conservation concern, and the inclusion of more mixed-species exhibits.

“This exhibit will increase the sustainability of the zoo and the endangered species we care for,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. “The Madagascar Exhibit and other planned upgrades will bring our guests close to rare animals and provide crucial lessons about how humans can lessen their impact on species extinction.”

The zoo will be closed to the public throughout the winter months during the initial stages of construction.

Brandywine Zoo Director Brint Spencer said combining three species of lemurs and the Radiated Tortoise into one exhibit will create a more active space.

“Having multiple animals sharing a habitat provide natural social enrichment for the animals as they interact with each other and make the exhibits more interesting for the visitors as they watch these interactions,” he said.

“Ninety-four percent of lemur species are endangered or critically endangered,” he said. “It is wonderful to see the Brandywine Zoo participate in these Species Survival Plans to help maintain an insurance population for generations to come.”

Zoo Re-imagined Capital Campaign

To help support the new exhibit with additional habitat and facility updates, the Delaware Zoological Society just launched a three-year, $5 million Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign alongside the Madagascar Habitat construction.

The Zoological Society capital campaign will help fund an entryway, updated exhibits, and a wetlands exhibit. Most of the new habitats, buildings, and viewing areas are available for sponsorship.

For more information about or to donate to the Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign, visit brandywinezoo.org/reimagined, email reimagined@brandywinezoo.org, or call 302-571-7788, extension 206.

or call 302-571-7747.

NEWARK – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources (DNREC) is pleased to announce Laura Lee as the new superintendent of White Clay Creek State Park (WCCSP). Laura was previously superintendent of Auburn Valley State Park, which she helped develop since it was dedicated as the newest state park in 2018.

Laura started her State Parks career in 1991 at Fort Delaware, where she worked as both a seasonal interpreter and a cultural resources assistant. She then served as director of the Iron Hill Museum from 1995 to 2008, before returning to the DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation as the interpretive program manager at Fort Delaware and then moving on to Auburn Valley State Park.

Also, DNREC recently added 32 acres to WCCSP along the Route 896 side of the park; the acreage is comprised of mature forest, meadow and agricultural lands near the Krantz Hill Farm and will protect important wildlife habitats. The newly acquired land was funded with approximately $2.6 million from the Delaware Open Space Program (OSP) making it the largest land acquisition for the state park since 2003.

The Delaware Open Space Council recommended this land for acquisition in its June 2019 meeting. Since 1988, the OSP has provided nearly $62 million to add 2,210.7 acres to WCCSP through open space preservation.

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