DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center to Reopen April 2

Open April through September, the DuPont Nature Center draws visitors to enjoy views of the Mispillion Harbor and its wildlife. /DNREC Photo

Division of Fish and Wildlife Facility Offers New Educational Exhibits
and Commanding Views of the Mispillion Harbor

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will welcome visitors to the DuPont Nature Center at the Mispillion Harbor Reserve when the center reopens for the 2025 season Wednesday, April 2. The DNREC facility managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following days:

April: Open Wednesdays and Saturdays only
May through August: Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, closed on Sundays and Mondays
September: Open Wednesdays and Saturdays only (The center is closed from October through March.)

In the spring, the DuPont Nature Center’s large deck overlooking the harbor offers wildlife watchers an unparalleled view of the spectacle of spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, including federally listed threatened red knots that depend on horseshoe crab eggs to help fuel their 9,000-mile journey to the Arctic. More information on horseshoe crab and shorebird viewing is available from the DuPont Nature Center at de.gov/dnc.

Inside the center, visitors will find exhibits that describe the environmental and historical importance of the Mispillion Harbor and view saltwater tanks showcasing a diversity of aquatic species. This year, the center will be showing off brand new exhibits to engage visitors, helping guests connect even closer with our local aquatic species. Along with educational exhibits, the center hosts a variety of programs that focus on the Delaware Bay ecosystem and the wildlife that can be found there.

The center also offers live views of nesting osprey and wildlife visiting the area through its osprey cam and Mispillion Harbor cam. Both live cams can be viewed at de.gov/dnc.

DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center is located in the heart of Delaware’s Bayshore Region at 2992 Lighthouse Road, near Slaughter Beach, east of Milford. Admission to the center is free and open to the public. For general information about the center, call 302-422-1329 or visit de.gov/dnc. For inquiries about the center’s programs and operations, email patrick.ruhl@delaware.gov or call 302-422-1329.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Winners Announced for the 14th Annual State Employee Art Exhibition

More than 40 employees receive recognition for their artistic excellence

Dover, Del. (March 24, 2025) – Creativity and artistic expression were on full display at the 14th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition, where employees and their families shared their talents with the community. Hosted by the Delaware Division of the Arts, this highly anticipated exhibition ran from February 25 – March 21, 2025, at the Arts Center/Gallery at Delaware State University in Dover. With an impressive 209 submissions from State of Delaware employees and their immediate family members, the exhibition provided a platform to celebrate creativity, recognize artistic excellence, and highlight the diverse talents within the state workforce.

The winners were officially announced on March 9, 2025, at a special awards ceremony held at the Delaware State University Arts Center/Gallery. The event drew an audience of 300 attendees, including state employees, family members, and community supporters. Attendees heard from Governor Matt Meyer, Secretary of Human Resources Yvonne Anders-Gordon, Delaware Division of the Arts Director Jessica Ball, and Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton, who all shared inspiring remarks about the importance of the arts in fostering creativity, connection, and innovation within the state workforce.

“This exhibition is a testament to the immense creativity within Delaware’s state workforce and their families,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “Art has the power to inspire, connect, and strengthen communities, and it’s wonderful to see how these employees bring that creativity into their professional and personal lives.”

“Providing an opportunity for state employees and their families to showcase their creative work fosters an appreciation for the arts in unexpected places,” said Kristin Pleasanton, Deputy Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “The enthusiasm and talent on display this year were truly inspiring, and we are honored to celebrate these artists.”

The exhibition was more than just a competition; it was a showcase of artistic passion and innovation. Through a range of mediums—painting, photography, sculpture, works on paper, craft, and mixed media—participants demonstrated the power of visual storytelling. Beyond the awards, the event fostered a sense of community, underscoring the importance of the arts in professional and personal life.

Submissions for the 15th Annual State Employee Art Exhibition will begin to be accepted in mid-December 2026. For more information on next year’s deadlines (when posted), visit the Division’s website.

A gallery of winning artwork can be found here.

2025 Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition Winners:

(Click names to see their artwork)

Best of Show ($400): Brianna Shetzler, Department of Education, Clayton

Art Education Award ($200): Nawal Noon, Department of Education, Newark

People’s Choice Award:

Online: Kayleigh Vodvarka, Department of Education, Bridgeville

In-Person: Rick Slocum, Department of Health and Social Services, Smyrna

Special Awards:

Abstract: David Chambers, Voices (2024, Painting), Department of State, Smyrna

Landscape: Jung Marie Kim, Department of Education, Middletown

Monochrome: Cassie Hilliard, Department of Education, Magnolia

Pets: Sandra Henning, Department of Education, Frederica

Marine Life: Annabelle Taylor, Delaware Technical and Community College, Georgetown

Portrait: Sharif Sadiq, State Housing Authority, Seaford

Professional Category:

First Place ($350): Donald Doheny, Department of Education, Bridgeville

Second Place ($250): Cindy Morris, Department of Education, Hockessin

Third Place ($150): Sallyanne McLaughlin, Department of Education, Greenwood

Honorable Mentions: Caitlyn Rudolph (DOE, Vineland, NJ), Marciana Esteves (DHSS, Milford), Rick Burrow (DOE, Camden-Wyoming)

Intermediate Category:

First Place ($350): Elizabeth Chen, Department of Education, Middletown

Second Place ($250): Chloe Hannah, Department of Education, Camden

Third Place ($150): Michael L. Conlan Jr., Department of Health and Social Services, Wilmington

Honorable Mentions: Logan Farro (DHSS, Greenwood), Hyo Lee (DSU, Dover), Grume Abraham (DOT, Newark), Sydney Horton (OMB, Dover)

Amateur Category:

First Place ($350): Maureen McCambridge, Department of Education, Houston

Second Place ($250): Brady Lamers, Department of Finance, Middletown

Third Place ($150): Akane Miyazawa, Department of Education, Middletown

Honorable Mentions: Ben Ables (DOE, Georgetown), Ashley Jensen (DOE, Camden), Adenike Davidson (DSU, Dover)

Teen Category:

First Place ($150): Sophie Rissmiller, Department of Education, Coatesville, PA

Second Place ($100): Nathanael Taylor, Department of Education, Milton

Third Place ($50): Kendall Hill, Department of Education, Middletown

Honorable Mentions: Kamora Jones (DOT, Wilmington), Chase Puszkarczuk (DOE, Wilmington), Leah R. Cooper (DOF, Milford), Kaitlyn Ritts (DOE, Greenwood)

Youth Category:

First Place ($150): Elly Wendel, Department of Education, Wilmington

Second Place ($100): Leah Citron, Department of State, Wilmington

Third Place ($50): Izzabella West, DNREC, Camden

Honorable Mentions: Christopher Saxton Jr. (DNREC, Camden), Hannah Parnell (DOE, Wilmington), Norah Parnell (DOE, Wilmington), Sabrina Rambo (DNREC, Harrington)

$Professional_Sheltzer-Brianna_Carryiing the World

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

About the National Arts Program

At the National Arts Program, we empower organizations across the country to host art exhibitions that showcase the creativity of their employees and families. By fostering a strong and inclusive community that builds confidence, encourages risk-taking, and values self-expression, we grow and strengthen workplaces and communities. We ensure that creativity is recognized and validated, sometimes for the first time, with prizes, scholarships, and awards programs. Learn more at https://nationalartsprogram.org/.

DNREC to Host Public Meeting on Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Plan

The ASMFC’s Horseshoe Crab Management Plan is to be discussed at a March 27 public meeting /US Fish and Wildlife Service photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, through the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, will host a public meeting on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) horseshoe crab management plan Thursday, March 27. The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901. Information about attending the meeting virtually can be found on the ASMFC website.

The ASMFC seeks public input on proposed changes to the plan that would allow the ASMFC Management Board to set specifications for male-only harvest of horseshoe crabs for multiple years. Also to be discussed are options for managing male-only harvest limits, seasonal harvest restrictions, and horseshoe crab harvest caps for Maryland and Virginia.

The proposed changes came out of an ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives workshop in Lewes last year that brought together stakeholders – including commercial harvesters, conservationists, biomedical representatives, and fishery managers – to explore management objectives for the Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crab fishery.

For more information about the public meeting, call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov;

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Youth-Only Day to Open Upstate Trout Season Saturday, April 5 on New Castle County Streams

A rainbow trout – of which thousands, some upward of 2 lbs., are to be stocked in Delaware trout streams. /DNREC graphic: Duane Raver

Designated Trout Streams to be Closed to All Fishing from March 22
Until Youth Day, With Traditional Trout Opener Set for Sunday, April 6

Delaware’s 2025 upstate stream trout season will open for youth under age 16 at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, followed by the opening of the regular trout season for all anglers a half-hour before sunrise the next day, Sunday, April 6, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Fishing will be allowed on youth opening day from 7 a.m. to a half-hour after sunset and from a half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset thereafter, unless otherwise restricted by area rules.

White Clay Creek, Red Clay Creek, Christina Creek, Pike Creek, Beaver Run, Wilson Run and Mill Creek all will be stocked by the DNREC Fisheries Section prior to the season with thousands of rainbow and brown trout – including trophy-sized fish weighing two pounds or more as an added attraction for anglers. Trout stocking is planned to continue weekly at White Clay Creek and periodically at the other upstate streams during April.

To improve the atmosphere around Delaware’s trout fishing season openers, stocked trout streams are closed to all fishing from Saturday, March 22 through Friday, April 4 to accommodate trout stocking, eliminate incidental hooking of stocked trout, and to allow the fish time to get acclimated to their new waters.

Anglers planning to fish the upstate trout streams should note the following rules and regulations:

A Delaware fishing license is required for anglers aged 16 and older, unless an angler is exempt.
A Delaware trout stamp is required for those aged 16 and older, unless an angler is exempt.
A Delaware young angler trout stamp is required for youth ages 12 through 15.
A trout stamp is required to fish for trout until June 30, unless an angler is exempt.
The daily possession limit is six trout, except inside the designated fly-fishing-only sections of Red Clay and White Clay Creeks, where the daily possession limit is four trout.
A fly fishing-only section of Red Clay Creek from Yorklyn Road approximately 0.4 miles downstream to the Auburn Valley State Park boundary was established in 2023.

Proceeds from the purchase of Delaware trout stamps are used to help purchase trout for stocking the next year. The popular fishery is also supported by federal Sport Fish Restoration funds administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that are generated from anglers purchasing fishing equipment.

Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps are sold online and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit de.gov/licensing. For more information on trout fishing in Delaware, visit de.gov/trout.

For more information on fishing in Delaware, including in-season trout stocking dates, see the 2025 Delaware Fishing Guide. An online map of Delaware’s trout streams from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife can also help anglers pick their spots for trout-fishing outings.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov;

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DNREC Accepting Community Water Quality Improvement Project Grant Proposals

Tidewater Park in Laurel benefitted from a DNREC Community Water Quality Improvement Grant /DNREC photo

Grant Awards to Range from $25,000-$75,000; Deadline for Submissions in Competitive Process is April 29

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is again encouraging nonprofit groups, conservation districts, community organizations and homeowners’ associations to submit project proposals to be considered for matching grant funds from DNREC’s Community Water Quality Improvement Grants program.

Funding for grant award projects in this cycle is expected to range from $25,000 to $75,000. Projects recommended by DNREC staff for funding through a competitive grant process will be presented to the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council. Applicants may submit up to two project proposals per grant cycle. Project guidelines and the grant application can be found at de.gov/envfinance.

Community Water Quality Improvement Grants assist in implementing projects or programs that improve water quality on developed lands with specific watershed improvement plans and strategies. Programs and projects selected for these grants must demonstrate innovative and sustainable methods, techniques, and/or practices for water quality improvements, with cost-effective and measurable results.

Eligible projects may include:

Enhancement or restoration of water quality within an impaired watershed
Community stormwater management improvements in existing developments in partnership with municipalities
Non‐regulatory or voluntary plans involving pollution control strategies, watershed-based restoration plans, whole basin management preliminary assessments, or community‐based stormwater permits.

Past projects that received Community Water Quality Improvement Grant funding have included: a green roof installation; living shoreline installation and marsh enhancement to stop erosion; a stormwater retrofit project featuring a wetland and bioswale to manage stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; stream bank restoration to reduce erosion and sedimentation; and green stormwater improvements.

Grant proposals should be submitted by email to NPS.grants@delaware.gov, with “Community Water Quality Improvement Grants” in the subject line. Emailed proposals must be less than 10MB. All grant proposals must be received by DNREC close of business (4:30 p.m. EDT) Tuesday, April 29.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Environmental Finance team administers Delaware’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, making funding available to municipalities, the private sector, nonprofit organizations and individuals. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.