Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Blotter: Feb. 29 – March 6

Reminder for week: State wildlife areas, forests monitored for criminal activity

DE F&W Natural Resources Police logoDOVER – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Feb. 29-March 6 made 886 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including 21 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 55 complaints and issued 24 citations, four of which were related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

Incidents of note:

  • On March 4, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited a man and woman for one count each of lewdness in the C&D Canal Conservation Area near Delaware City. The woman also was cited for one count of criminal impersonation. Both were released pending court appearances in the New Castle County Court of Common Pleas at a later date.
  • On March 2, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Juan Y. Ramirez-Yerena, 20, of Selbyville, for resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass in an agricultural field near Selbyville. Ramirez-Yerena was video-arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2 in Rehoboth Beach and remanded to the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown. He remains in custody pending an immigration investigation.
  • On March 1, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited three men for one count each of loitering to engage in sexual conduct in Redden State Forest near Georgetown. All three have court dates pending at a later date in Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown.

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Wildlife Conservation: Operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (1)*, and trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (9).

Fisheries Conservation: Unlicensed fishing (3).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (1), and no sound-producing device on board (1).

Public Safety: Resisting arrest (1), possession of drug paraphernalia (1), criminal impersonation (1)*, loitering to engage in sexual conduct (3), lewdness (2)*, and criminal trespass (1).

* Citations issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

Are you AWARE?
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police reminds visitors to state wildlife areas, fishing ponds, boat ramps and piers and to state forests that these areas are multiple-use public recreational areas which are monitored for criminal activity.

“Public use of our state-owned wildlife areas and hunting, boating and fishing access areas and of state forests is intended for law-abiding anglers, boaters, hunters, birdwatchers and other outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy appropriate recreational outdoor activities,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “Criminal activities are not tolerated in these areas, including trespassing after hours, vandalism, drug and excessive alcohol use, illegal weapon possession or use and inappropriate public sexual conduct. Those caught abusing and misusing these areas through illegal activities will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The following rules also apply:

  • State wildlife areas, fishing piers and boat launching facilities and state forests are closed to the public from sunset to sunrise unless a person is actively and lawfully engaged in fishing, hunting or boating in accordance with state regulations and individual area rules.
  • Operating motor vehicles – including motorcycles, cars, trucks and SUVs – off established roadways in state wildlife areas is illegal.
  • Operating a motor vehicle that is not licensed for use on established public roadways – including ATVs – is prohibited both on and off-road on state wildlife areas.
  • Camping, swimming, target shooting (including paintball), fires, dumping and littering are prohibited in state wildlife areas.
  • Dog training is permitted only within established dog training areas or during open hunting seasons for the game animals that the dog is being trained to hunt.
  • Hunting is permitted only in specified areas and only during designated hunting seasons.
  • Firearms are prohibited on state wildlife areas from March 1 to Aug. 31, except during legal hunting seasons or as authorized by the Division of Fish & Wildlife.
  • All of these sites have a carry-in, carry-out trash policy.

For more information on individual wildlife areas, including the rules and regulations specific to each area, visitors are encouraged to consult Delaware wildlife area maps published by the Division of Fish & Wildlife. The maps are available in hard copy at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and also can be found online at Delaware Wildlife Area Maps.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at http://de.gov/ogt.

Media Contacts: Cpl. John McDerby, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 75


Gov. Markell cuts ribbon to open Brandywine Zoo’s new Eagle Ridge

DOVER – Governor Jack Markell, DNREC Secretary David Small, Delaware Zoological Society President Megan McGlinchey, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation Director Ray Bivens, state legislators and stakeholders joined together today for the ceremonial ribbon cutting that marked the opening of the Brandywine Zoo’s new Eagle Ridge area.

The Eagle Ridge improvement project, which broke ground in October 2015, has transformed the hilly, multi-story area surrounding the bald eagle and river otter exhibits, making it fully accessible for all visitors. With an attractive viewing platform and gently sloping walkway, Eagle Ridge offers visitors better views of the popular eagle and otter exhibits.

“The Brandywine Zoo is a Delaware treasure that appeals to both the young and the young at heart,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “It offers diverse exhibits and activities that engage its 100,000 annual visitors in unique educational experiences that connect them to our broader world. The completion of Eagle Ridge is another reason why the Brandywine Zoo is one of the best small zoos in the country.”

Eagle Ridge was made possible by Delaware State Parks’ zoo officials, the Delaware Zoological Society and a group of five state legislators – Reps. Gerald Brady, Stephanie Bolden and Charles Porter; and Senators Harris McDowell and Robert Marshall – who secured $100,000 in construction funds for the project.

“We are grateful to the legislators, the Delaware Zoological Society, and our many friends and stakeholders, for making Eagle Ridge a reality,” said DNREC Sec. David Small. “The partnership between DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation and the Delaware Zoological Society, along with our supporters in the legislature and many other friends, continues to set the zoo on a path to grow and expand in the future.”

“Eagle Ridge is a great addition to the Brandywine Zoo,” said Brandywine Zoo Director Gene Peacock. “It offers our visitors better views of our eagle and otter exhibits, while at the same time, providing better access to that area for all zoo visitors.”

Architect Bob Grove, the board treasurer of the Delaware Zoological Society, donated his design services for the project.

“Our heartfelt thanks go out to Bob Grove and our five legislative supporters for all their assistance with Eagle Ridge,” said Mike Allen, executive director of the Delaware Zoological Society, the non-profit volunteer organization which supports the zoo’s mission.

Zoo Director Peacock noted that Eagle Ridge is ready just in time for “Spring Opening Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, from 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., with a special member preview on Saturday March 12, from 9:30 – 10 a.m.

During the opening weekend, the zoo will offer visitors activities and learning stations centered on the zoo’s animals, and provide the opportunity to see new animals, including reptiles and a great horned owl. In addition, the Brandywine Zoo is home to a tiger, red pandas, golden lion tamarins, condors, llamas, and many other mammals, reptiles and birds.

Fees for the opening weekend are as follows: children 3-17, $3; children under 3, free; adults 18-61, $5; seniors 62+, $4; Delaware Zoological Society members with cards, free. The zoo has a full calendar of events, shows, workshops and camps available on its website, www.brandywinezoo.org or call 302-571-7747.

The Brandywine Zoo is managed by DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society. It is an accredited member of the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a distinction that marks its commitment to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors and a better future for all living things.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 72


Open House on Dover’s Fork Branch Nature Preserve proposed trail will be held on March 14

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation will host a public open house on the proposed trail plan for the Fork Branch Nature Preserve in Dover. The open house will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m., Monday, March 14 at the Dover Public Library, Meeting Room A, 35 East Loockerman Street, Dover, DE 19901.

The Fork Branch Nature Preserve is one of Dover’s last remaining natural areas – a 236-acre property that contains a unique stand of old growth American beech, a wooded stream corridor and several rare and threatened plant species. The Preserve is located at the corner of Kenton and West Denneys roads, along the Maidstone Branch in the St. Jones River Watershed.

The proposed new trail will be a 6-foot wide stone dust trail looping approximately 1 mile through the pristine Preserve providing opportunities to experience native fauna and beautiful landscapes. Visitors at the Open House can view the proposed trail plan and materials and provide comments to DNREC program staff.

More trails for walking, hiking, biking, jogging and related activities rank consistently as the highest outdoor recreation need identified by Delawareans throughout the state. In addition, trail networks promote healthy lifestyles and take cars off the road, reducing air pollution and traffic. The Fork Branch Nature Preserve Trail will offer an excellent opportunity for families and children to be outdoors, enjoy nature and be physically active.

This trail project is part of Governor Markell’s First State Trails and Pathways Initiative that expands a statewide network of new and enhanced trails and pathways for walking, biking, hiking and active living,

The meeting location, the Dover Public Library, is accessible to persons with disabilities. Any person having special needs or requiring special aid, such as an interpreter, is requested to contact DNREC by phone at 302-739-9210.

For more information on the Open House, contact Cindy Todd, Division of Parks and Recreation, 302-739-9210 or Cindy.Todd@delaware.gov.

Media Contact: Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center to reopen April 16

Volunteers sought for spring cleanup day April 2

Dupont Nature CenterDOVER – The DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve, a DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife facility located in the heart of Delaware’s Bayshore Region, will reopen on Saturday, April 16 after being closed for the winter. The center will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through the end of April. From May 1 through Aug. 30 spring and summer hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays. For the month of September, the center will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

Prior to opening day, the DuPont Nature Center will hold a spring cleanup day Saturday, April 2 with two shifts, 9 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Projects include some cleanup and repair of damage from winter storm Jonas, as well as work needed to reopen the center, such as exhibit and tank set-up, deck maintenance, rebuilding exterior stairs, clearing sand/debris from sidewalks, replacing sandbags, planting beach grass and cleaning the center and the surrounding grounds. Volunteers under age 18 must provide a parental consent form, and volunteers under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact Lynne Pusey at lynne.pusey@delaware.gov or 302-735-3600.

Perched on the edge of Mispillion Harbor at the intersection of the mouths of the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek, the DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve offers a variety of interactive exhibits, school tours and educational programs. Indoor freshwater and saltwater tanks allow a close-up look at a variety of aquatic species, from horseshoe crabs to diamondback terrapins.

In the spring, the center’s large deck overlooking the harbor offers wildlife watchers a front-row seat for the spectacle of spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, including the red knot, that depend on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their 9,000-mile journey.

The DuPont Nature Center is located at 2992 Lighthouse Road, near Slaughter Beach, east of Milford. Admission is free and open to the public. For general information about the center, please call 302-422-1329 or visit DuPont Nature Center. For inquiries about the center’s programs and operations, please contact Gary Kreamer, gary.kreamer@delaware.gov or 302-735-8665.

The DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve supports DNREC’s Delaware Bayshore Initiative, a landscape approach to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat, increase volunteer participation in habitat stewardship projects, enhance low-impact outdoor recreation and ecotourism opportunities, and promote associated environmentally compatible economic development. For more information, click Delaware Bayshore.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 46, No. 70


DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship to host free rain barrel building workshop March 19 in Blades

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship will host a free rain barrel building workshop at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19 at the Blades Town Hall, 20 West 4th Street, Seaford, DE 19973. All supplies will be provided and participants after completing the workshop will leave with their free rain barrel.

The workshop will begin with an overview of rain barrels including the benefits, do’s and don’ts, assembly and maintenance. The Delaware Nature Society also will share other techniques to help improve Delaware’s waterways. Workshop participants will receive free kits to convert plastic drums into rain barrels, with plastic drums donated by Dogfish Head Brewery and Coca-Cola. Participants will choose and assemble their barrel, with assistance available from DNREC staff.

The number of participants is limited and pre-registration is required, with free tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rain-barrel-building-workshop-tickets-22499188679

For more information about the rain barrel building workshop, please contact Philip Miller at 302-290-3578 or philip.miller@delaware.gov.

The rain barrel building workshop is part of “Reclaim Our River, Nanticoke Series,” a program designed to bring more water quality-oriented events, workshops and recreational opportunities to the Nanticoke Watershed. This program provides important information on techniques to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and other ways to improve water quality. The series also promotes public access to waterways and provides recreational opportunities as a way to connect residents to their waterways and inspire them to make improvements. For more information on the Reclaim Our River Program, click: http://delawarewatersheds.org/. For upcoming Reclaim Our River events, click 2016 Reclaim Our River Calendar of Events or Reclaim Our River Series Guide.

What is a Rain Barrel?
A rain barrel is a container that collects and stores water from roofs and downspouts for uses such as watering lawns, gardens, and house plants; cleaning off gardening tools; and washing your car. Rain barrels help lower your water bills, particularly in the summer months by collecting thousands of gallons of water a year. Rain barrels are also important for our environment because they help reduce water pollution by decreasing the amount of stormwater runoff reaching our streams and rivers. An average rainfall of one inch within a 24-hour period can produce more than 700 gallons of water that run off a typical house. This stormwater runoff picks up anything on the ground such as litter, excess fertilizer, pet waste, and motor oil, transporting it to storm drains that dump the untreated water directly into our waterways.

Media Contact: Philip Miller, 302-290-3578, or philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 46, No. 69