Portion of Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier to Close as Part of Ongoing Structural Analysis

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has closed the last 145 feet of the 1,300-foot Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation decided to close this portion of the World War II-era pier as part of an ongoing annual structural analysis. The annual engineering review is ongoing and will produce a detailed evaluation of the entire structure once complete. This study includes an underwater review of the pilings by a dive team.

The extent of repairs needed or when this portion of the pier will reopen is unknown at this time. Multiple pier repair projects have been completed over the past 15 years, including removing a portion of the pier in 2012. The most recent large project was in 2021, when multiple pile jackets were added to select pilings. The pier is well beyond its life expectancy.  

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, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

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Registration Now Open For 2024 Junior Solar Sprint

A competitor readies a racer for the 2023 Junior Solar Sprint competition. Registration for next year’s Sprint is now open with a deadline of Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 for entering a team in the competition set for April 18 on the campus of Delaware State University in Dover. /DNREC photo

 

Annual Competition Tests Students’ STEM Skills, Creativity

 

Registration is open for the 2024 Junior Solar Sprint, a statewide competition for students in grades five through eight to build and race solar-powered model cars in a challenge of creativity, engineering and speed.

The annual competition is co-sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy and the Delaware Technology Student Association (TSA).

The 2024 Junior Solar Sprint competition will take place April 18 on the campus of Delaware State University in Dover.

Middle schools across the state can register up to two teams of two to four students each. Registration is free, and the Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy provides participating schools with two starter kits, each including a solar panel, motor and wheels.

“The Junior Solar Sprint provides students with the opportunity to apply real-world problem-solving in a fun and educational atmosphere,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Every year we are amazed by the creativity of the participating teams that spend months designing and building their solar-powered vehicles.”

Interested educators should visit de.gov/solarsprint for additional information on the 2024 event, including the registration form and guidelines. The deadline to register Junior Solar Sprint teams is Friday, Jan. 12, 2024.

Schools are not required to have a TSA chapter in order to participate. Additional questions can be directed via email to JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov or by phone at 302-735-3480.

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, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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Many Delaware Hunting Seasons to Open in November, Including General Firearm/Shotgun Deer, Waterfowl and Small Game

Delaware deer hunters will be afield hoping to harvest a white-tailed trophy buck when the state’s general firearm deer season – known to hunters as the shotgun season – opens Friday, Nov. 10. /USFWS photo

 

Cottontail Rabbits, Ring-necked Pheasant, and Bobwhite Quail Seasons All Set to Open Monday, Nov. 20 Across State

Many Delaware hunting seasons are to open or are already open this month, including the popular November general firearm deer season, also known as the shotgun season, which runs from Friday, Nov. 10 through Sunday, Nov. 19, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Duck, Canada goose and other hunting seasons open later in the month on Nov. 20.

Meanwhile, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife is clarifying season dates for small game, due to incorrect dates listed in print copies of the 2023/’24 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide on the seasons for cottontail rabbits, ring-necked pheasants, and bobwhite quail.  Hunting season for all three species will open on Monday, Nov. 20 – instead of Nov. 21 as indicated the print version of the hunting and trapping guide. The online version of the guide has been updated to reflect the correct dates for small game seasons.

Dates for all hunting seasons opening in November are:

  • Raccoon and opossum (hunt only): Nov. 1 through Feb. 29, 2024*
  • Red fox (hunt only): Nov. 1 through Feb. 29, 2024
  • Deer general firearm/shotgun: Nov. 10 through 19, including all Sundays
  • Tundra swan (by special permit ONLY): Nov. 11 through Jan. 31, 2024
  • Woodcock (first season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25
  • Ducks (including sea ducks), coots and mergansers (second season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25
  • Bobwhite quail: Nov. 20 through Jan. 6, 2024
  • Mourning dove (second season split): Nov. 20 through Jan. 31, 2024
  • Ring-necked pheasant (male only): Nov. 20 through Feb. 3, 2024
  • Cottontail rabbit: Nov. 20 through Feb. 29, 2024
  • Canada goose (first season split): Nov. 20 through Nov. 25

*Raccoon and opossum hunting seasons are closed during the November youth/non-ambulatory deer hunt and the November general firearm/shotgun deer season. Special hunting hours for raccoon and opossum during the December antlerless, January handgun/straight-walled pistol-caliber rifle, January general firearm/shotgun and January muzzleloader deer seasons are 7 p.m. until midnight.

More information on hunting seasons and wildlife areas is available in the 2023/2024 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide at de.gov/hunting. More information on hunting licenses, the state waterfowl stamp and the Conservation Access Pass is available at de.gov/huntinglicense.

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 owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. 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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Delaware Wetlands Conference Returns in 2024 – Registration Now Open

The 10th Delaware Wetlands Conference will be held Feb. 6 and 7, 2024 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. Registration for the biennial conference presented by DNREC is now open, with discounted early bird fees good through Nov. 29. /DNREC photo

 

Registration is now open for the 10th Delaware Wetlands Conference to be held Feb. 6 and 7, 2024 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. The biennial conference is presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and organized by the DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program. 

Early-bird registration – with discounted admission fees – can be submitted online and by the United States Postal Service through Nov. 29. Registration closes Jan. 19, 2024. Opportunities are available to sponsor and exhibit at the conference – not only to support wetland science and education in the Mid-Atlantic region, but also as an opportunity to gain visibility with important leaders in the field of wetlands science.

“Wetlands play a vital role in our everyday lives by reducing climate risks and protecting our communities by increasing resiliency to flood and storm impacts, as well as providing nurseries for critical juvenile species. Wetlands also help boost our economy by supporting commercial fisheries, generating green jobs and encouraging eco-tourism,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “It is important that we continue to foster an atmosphere that supports the exploration and dissemination of wetlands science. This conference brings together a broad group of people to share the latest information about our wetlands and to plan for the future of these important natural resources.”

The two-day event showcases the importance of wetlands in Delaware and across the Mid-Atlantic region. The conference brings together scientists, educators, natural resource managers, planners, county, state and federal representatives, and community leaders. As has been the conference’s calling card since it was initially held in 2001, attendees will gain insight into current research on tidal and non-tidal wetlands, the value of the region’s wetlands, and the impact that managing them for environmental benefits has on the community. More than 400 experts and enthusiasts from the region and beyond are expected to gather at the biennial conference.

The conference agenda for both days will include invited speakers, networking time, and presentations during concurrent sessions. Attendees including undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit oral and poster presentations that 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.

Online registration and information about the event, including sponsorships and the preliminary agenda is available at 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. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

 

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Delaware Natural Resources Police Kick Off Holiday Toy Drive

Sgt. Rebecca Salmon, Delaware Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit, delivers toys for last year’s Toys for Tots campaign. Donation boxes for this year’s campaign will be in place by Nov. 3 to accept donated toys for holiday gifts to underprivileged children statewide. /DNREC photo

 

Officers to Collect Toy Donations for Less Fortunate Kids

With the holiday season just around the corner, the Delaware Natural Resources Police will begin collecting toys on Friday, Nov. 3. These toys will be distributed as gifts to children in local communities through the local branch of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.

The Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys appropriate for children of all ages and distributes them as holiday presents to underprivileged kids in communities across the country. DNRP officers from each of the three units – Fish and Wildlife, Environmental Crimes Unit, and State  Parks – are once again leading this holiday effort.

Toys will be accepted through Sunday, Dec. 10 in Kent and Sussex counties and through Wednesday, Dec. 8 in New Castle County. Toys can be taken to the following drop-off locations with Toys for Tots donation boxes:

  • All Delaware State Park offices statewide, including the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington and the First State National Historical Park in New Castle County, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Delaware Natural Resources Police office in Sussex County at 23530 Campbell Circle, Georgetown, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, or for the dates and locations of upcoming events where toys also can be donated, contact officers listed below from the three Delaware Natural Resources Police units:

General information can be found at toysfortots.org. Or, the public can also go online to make monetary donations in Delaware.

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, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

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