The Augustine Beach Boat Ramp near Port Penn and adjacent intertidal beach located on the south side of the existing rock groin will be periodically closed starting Thursday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Oct. 15 for maintenance dredging of the boat ramp access channel, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.

During this time period, 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 site parking lot will remain open for the duration of the dredging project.

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be complete, with full access restored, by Oct. 15.

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 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Delaware’s Sassafras Landing living shoreline, a joint project of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, has been recognized as one of the 2021 Best Restored Shores by the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA).

A method of shoreline stabilization and protection for wetlands, living shorelines absorb storm energy, build habitat and protect property while reducing the potential for shoreline erosion issues. They also filter pollutants to improve water quality.

ASBPA cited the project, located on DNREC’s Assawoman Wildlife Area in Frankford, as one that successfully improved the area’s resiliency to sea level rise by increasing protection to the “35-Acre Pond,” an impoundment on the wildlife area, restoring surrounding salt marsh, and reducing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the adjacent Miller Creek.

“We are pleased to receive this prestigious honor from the ASBPA,” said DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Environmental Scientist Alison Rogerson. “We determined the best approach was to use the environmental-friendly living shoreline technique when we began the project in 2018. Working together with CIB, we created a living shoreline that has increased the pond’s ability to adapt to rising sea levels, reduce pollution and create habitat.”

The project was completed in June 2019, with help from two dozen volunteers who planted 5,200 plugs of native marsh grass. Since then, the marsh grass has thrived and successfully weathered several coastal storms. The plants have thickened, wildlife have been spotted using the new habitat and the freshwater “35-Acre Pond” is protected from a breach by salt water.

“The living shoreline at Sassafras Landing will serve as one of the Center for the Inland Bays’ living shoreline demonstration sites,” said Chris Bason, CIB executive director. “These projects showcase a variety of living shoreline techniques, enhance wetland habitat, and provide opportunities to educate the public and marine contractors on the ecological benefits of using nature-based tactics to protect and restore eroding shorelines.”

DNREC collaborated with the Center and Cardno civil engineering services to design the project, and provided funds and materials including stone, rock, sand and plants, along with a construction crew from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship also provided design assistance, surveying and signage for the project.

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. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

About the Center for the Inland Bays
The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is a nonprofit organization established in 1994, and is one of 28 National Estuary Programs. With its many partners, the Center works to preserve, protect and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays and their watershed. Learn more at inlandbays.org.

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

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The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will begin construction this week on several projects at Fort Delaware State Park that will improve visitor experience. All areas of the fort normally open to the public will remain open. 

The $3.7 million project, funded by multiple sources, includes the following enhancements at the fort:

• The tram path, which brings all visitors from the pier to the fort, will be stabilized and resurfaced.
• Trails between the restrooms, fort, barracks and heronry will be constructed with aggregates to be durable and prevent soggy shoes.   
• The heronry observation platform will be rebuilt to be safe and inviting.
• A new maintenance building will be constructed for a better, safer space for staff to support public access to the cultural and natural resources of the island.
• A new screened pavilion will be constructed to provide suitable space for groups to eat lunch or gather.

Completion of these enhancements is expected in early 2022.

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 Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov or Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov.

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“Winter Hike at Dusk Near the Marsh” by James Blackstock

Contest Highlights Woodland Beach Wildlife Area

From May through mid-August, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invited photographers and nature lovers to submit their best photographs taken on the Tony Florio Woodland Beach Wildlife Area and the adjoining Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) near Smyrna. Now the results are in for this new annual contest.

To increase public awareness of the natural wonders of AREC and the surrounding wildlife area, children and adults were encouraged to visit the area to take and submit photographs of aquatic life, birds and other wildlife, scenic landscapes, and people enjoying the outdoors. The peaceful, scenic area is a destination along the Delaware Bayshore Byway that features two fishing ponds, trails, and a raised boardwalk with vistas across the tidal salt marsh to Delaware Bay.

Entries were accepted in three categories: birds, nature and people enjoying nature; and in three age groups: children under age 13, teens ages 13 to 18 and adults age 19 and older.

The 2021 winners are:

Children under age 13:
Nature — “Winter Tide” by Aurelia Thomas
Birds — “Portrait of a Blue Grosbeak” by Wyatt Humphreys

Teens ages 13 to 18:
Nature — “Rain Drops on Leaf” by Bella McDannell

Adults 19 and older:
Birds — “Ringed-neck Duck” by Sherry Abbott
Enjoying Nature — “A Different Perspective” by David S. Vallee
Nature — “Winter Hike at Dusk Near the Marsh” by James Blackstock

Winning photos are posted on the DNREC website and featured in DNREC’s Outdoor Delaware online magazine, de.gov/outdoorde. Judging was based on how well the photos represent the following criteria: things you can see and do at the Woodland Beach Wildlife Area, originality/creativity and universal appeal. The judging panel included DNREC educators at the Aquatic Resources Education Center.

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 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Broadkill Beach CoastSnap Station for citizen science photos

DNREC Encourages Community Science at Beaches and Marshes

As the summer comes to a close, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is encouraging community members and visitors to the First State to use their smartphones to help monitor environmental change.

DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship Shoreline and Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy recently installed five monitoring stations at three sites along Delaware’s beaches and at two sites comprising the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR).

Visitors to the beach sites can use a smartphone app called CoastSnap, while guests at the marsh and reforestation sites at DNERR can upload and send photos by email through Chronolog.

CoastSnap locations include Broadkill Beach, Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park, and the south side of Indian River Inlet in Delaware Seashore State Park. CoastSnap DE is a partnership among DNREC, the University of Delaware and Delaware Sea Grant, which funded the initiative.

Chronolog stations are located at the St. Jones Reserve in Dover and at the Blackbird Creek Reserve in Townsend. For both efforts, the photos will be used to create a timelapse project for helping to observe and document environmental changes.

Instructions on how to upload photos are displayed at each of the locations.

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

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