Augustine Beach Boat Ramp Temporary Closure Extended Through Oct. 28

“DNREC’s Augustine Beach Boat Ramp will be closed temporarily through Oct. 28 for completion of a channel dredging project.”

The Augustine Beach Boat Ramp near Port Penn and adjacent intertidal beach located on the south side of the existing rock groin will remain periodically closed through Oct. 28 to complete maintenance dredging of the boat ramp access channel, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Weather permitting for completion of the project, the ramp will reopen with full access on Oct. 29.

Until then, the boat ramp will be closed from 8 a.m. each Monday until 5 p.m. each Thursday, reopening from 5 p.m. each Thursday until 8 a.m. each Monday. The Augustine Beach Boat Ramp parking lot will remain open for the duration of the dredging project.

Boaters who regularly use the Augustine Beach Boat Ramp can alternately use the Fort DuPont Boat Ramp, located approximately five miles north in Delaware City.

For more information, please call the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

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 nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Delaware State University Project Seeks Input on DNREC Outreach

Two-Year Project Aims to Improve Public Engagement

Delaware State University (DSU) will host virtual town hall meetings next month as part of a two-year research project to determine ways the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) can improve public outreach and community engagement.

DNREC awarded the University a $249,773 grant earlier this year to conduct the research, which will focus on traditionally underrepresented communities. The virtual town halls will be held throughout the winter, beginning in November. The first two town halls will be held Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. Times are yet to be determined, but will be published at de.gov/dnrecmeetings.

For this research, Delaware State defines traditionally underrepresented communities as “either a group of individuals living in geographic proximity to one another or a geographically dispersed set of individuals where either type of group experiences common conditions such as low income, high and/or persistent poverty, racial, ethnic and minority residential segregation, linguistic isolation, distressed neighborhoods and disproportionate environmental stressor burden.”

DSU will research the Department’s external communications, review feedback from stakeholders, and evaluate the needs and limitations of its current and past outreach programs to effectively reach and engage underserved communities and determine where improvements may be made.

“DNREC has a long tradition of transparency and public engagement to ensure the wise management, conservation and enhancement of the state’s natural resources,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “But we can always do better. This partnership with the University and the resulting research will help us take our outreach efforts to the next level.”

Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen believes that the university will also benefit from the work. “The project will provide research assistantship and internship opportunities to undergraduate students in the University’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice while enhancing the outreach component of the core values of the university,” Allen said.

The goals of the research are:

to improve DNREC’s ability to conduct effective outreach regarding regulatory actions and policy development;
to create awareness of DNREC’s processes and initiatives to underserved communities in Delaware;
to develop robust methods by which DNREC can provide efficient and informative community-oriented education and outreach.

The principal investigators of the grant are Dr. Raymond Tutu, professor and chairperson, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice; Dr. Anwar Ouassini, associate professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice; and Dr. Laurin Parker, associate professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, Michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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Delaware Natural Resources Police Investigate Motor Vehicle Accident with Injuries at Abessinio Stadium

Delaware Natural Resources Police and Wilmington Department of Police are investigating a vehicle accident with serious injuries that occurred Friday afternoon at the Abessinio Stadium, located within Wilmington State Parks.

A 16-year-old Wilmington boy failed to maintain control of his 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee while reversing from a parking space. The Jeep, traveling in reverse, first struck two parked vehicles, a 2012 Hyundai Accent and a 2009 Cadillac Escalade. The Jeep then continued in reverse striking two individuals that were sitting on chairs behind the Escalade trapping a 65-year-old Dover woman under the Jeep.

The female victim had to be extricated from beneath the Jeep by Wilmington Fire Department personnel that arrived on scene. She was then flown to Christiana Hospital by Delaware State Police’s aviation unit. At this time, she is listed in serious but stable condition with multiple, non-life-threatening injuries.

The second victim seated in the parking lot is a 63-year-old Middletown man who was transported to Christiana Hospital by ambulance for leg injuries. He has since been treated and released.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 51-year-old Smyrna man, who was seated in his parked car was transported to Christiana Hospital for injuries to his leg and back. He has since been treated and released. A passenger in the Hyundai, a 68-year-old Smyrna man, was uninjured in the accident.

The driver of the Jeep was uninjured in this accident.

This accident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Cpl. David Redgraves at david.redgraves@delaware.gov.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Cpt. John McDerby, john.mcderby@delaware.gov

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DNREC Announces the 2022 Delaware Wetlands Conference

The Delaware Wetlands Conference brings together a wide range of interests – from scientists, natural resource managers and environmental professionals, to government representatives, community leaders and educators

The 10^th Delaware Wetlands Conference presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 1 and 2, 2022. Information about opportunities to sponsor the wetlands conference, and to exhibit and present at the conference can be found at de.gov/dewetlandsconference.

The DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program and the DNREC Coastal Training Program have planned the two-day event to showcase the importance of wetlands in Delaware and across the mid-Atlantic region. More than 400 wetland experts and enthusiasts from the mid-Atlantic region and beyond are expected to gather at the biennial conference to share the latest innovations in wetland research, conservation and outreach programs.

The conference brings together scientists, planners, county, state, and federal representatives, community leaders, educators, and natural resource managers. Attendees will gain insight into current research on tidal and non-tidal wetlands, the value of the region’s wetlands and the beneficial impacts that professional management of wetlands can have on a community. Each day will include poster sessions, networking time, and presentations during concurrent sessions. Oral and poster presentations cover wetland topics related to coastal resilience, soils, beneficial use, monitoring and assessment, remediation, stream and wetland restoration, wildlife, policy/legal considerations, green technology, mitigation, and hydrodynamics.

Wetlands play a vital role in everyday lives, protecting communities from flooding and erosion and boosting local economies through tourism and the seafood industry. Taking advantage of opportunities to sponsor, exhibit, and present at the conference not only supports wetland science and education in the mid-Atlantic region, but also gains visibility with important leaders in the field of wetlands professionals.

For more information on the 2022 Delaware Wetlands Conference, including how to register for it beginning Nov. 12, visit de.gov/dewetlandsconference.

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 Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Blackbird Creek Reserve Hosts Fall Festival

A craftsman plies his trade during a recent Blackbird Creek Fall Festival at the Blackbird Creek Reserve in Townsend. Blackbird Creek is part of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Family fun, food and entertainment await visitors to the 13th annual Blackbird Creek Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 16.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) hosts the festival at the reserve, along the banks of Blackbird Creek. The festival will take place rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Blackbird Creek Reserve, 801 Blackbird Landing Road, near Townsend.

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, consisting of the Blackbird Creek Reserve and the St. Jones Reserve in Dover, is part of a national system of reserves that protects more than 1.3 million acres of coastal land and water.

“The festival is a popular event that provides free fun for the whole family, while also providing opportunities to learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the Delaware Bay,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin.

The festival will feature traditional crafts, a chainsaw carver, hands-on learning about the estuary, canoeing, live music, food trucks and kids’ activities. Visitors may also browse the works of artisans, enjoy hayrides, go on a guided hike of the reserve and check out the educational exhibitors.

Families also can get a “passport” and earn a prize by visiting all the participating stations throughout the festival, learning about the natural resources and heritage of the Delaware Bay through games, demonstrations and challenges.

More information on the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival is at de.gov/blackbirdfestival.

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 Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, Michael.Globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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