Nineteen DNREC Programs and Initiatives Set to Participate in UD’s Annual Coast Day

Exhibits, Activities Will Highlight Department’s Work

Nineteen different programs and initiatives spread out across the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control are scheduled to provide outreach, education and activities during the University of Delaware’s annual Coast Day event set for Sunday, Oct. 1.

Coast Day highlights how UD scientists, staff and students are gaining a deeper understanding of ocean environments and helping to serve coastal communities. Coast Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Delaware’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus, 700 Pilottown Road, Lewes.

More than 30 different vendors will have exhibits at the event, and another 30 vendors will feature ocean- and coastal-related research.

DNREC’s tent will feature a mixture of informational brochures, educational materials, giveaways and activities. In addition, DNREC’s Coastal Section will announce the winners of the Delaware Ocean and Bay Photo Contest at 11:30 a.m. in the DNREC tent.

“Our Department interacts with Delawareans every day on a range of natural resources and environmental matters, from hunting and fishing licenses to clean water and air, climate change concerns, and our outstanding Delaware state parks system,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Coast Day provides us an opportunity to showcase the work we are doing across all our divisions to ensure the stewardship for and sustainability of our state’s resources now and for future generations.”

DNREC divisions scheduled to participate in Coast Day and their areas of expertise include:

Air Quality

  • Air Quality Index

Climate, Coastal and Energy

  • Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative
  • Climate Action Plan
  • Clean Transportation – Information on clean transportation initiatives, giveaways, educational materials and activities for children and adults.
  • Ocean Photo Contest
  • Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan
  • Energy Programs
  • Energy Policy/ Governor’s Energy Advisory Council

DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation

  • Delaware State Parks, including Cape Henlopen State Park
    Fish and Wildlife
  • Mosquito Control Section
  • DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center

Waste and Hazardous Substances

  • Delaware Recycles Initiative
  • Delaware Brownfields Program

Water

  • Well permitting and real-world equipment display
  • Wetlands and Waterways Section Permitting

Watershed Stewardship

  • Shoreline and Waterway Management Section
  • Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program
  • Nonpoint Source Program
  • Shellfish and Recreational Water Program

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, InstagramX (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

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

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DNREC showcases Delaware’s coastal and natural resources on Oct. 6 at Coast Day in Lewes

LEWES – Delaware’s coastal and natural resources will be featured from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 6 at DNREC’s Coast Day education tent between the Smith and Cannon buildings on the campus of the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment at 700 Pilottown Road, Lewes, DE 19958.

Coast Day is the university’s annual outreach event that attracts thousands of visitors from Delaware and throughout the region to showcase the latest in ocean science and conservation.

“Coast Day celebrates Delaware’s coastal resources and brings together partners who are committed to preserving our beaches, waterways, tidal marshes, farmland, upland forests, bay, and ocean for future generations,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Coast Day visitors will get a close-up look into the science and technology that is being used and developed to help make important decisions about our natural resources in Delaware and around the globe.”

DNREC’s tent features the agency’s diverse programs that help conserve and protect Delaware’s natural resources and encourages public participation through hands-on activities and educational games that appeal to both adults and children. DNREC has exhibited at Coast Day since the event’s inception in 1976.

This year, a variety of DNREC exhibits with games and giveaways will highlight Delaware’s coastal and natural resources, including:
Shoreline and Waterway Management Section’s Dune Sign Contest winners display, floodplain mapping tool, and dredging survey

  • The Delaware Bayshore Initiative’s mini-theater and DuPont Nature Center’s touch tank
  • DNREC volunteer opportunities at the EcoCafe
  • The Delaware Shorebird Project
  • DNREC Recycling Program information and sorting activity
  • Outdoor Delaware magazine
  • Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center and Fort Miles programs
  • Resources for the public on ocean science from Delaware Coastal Programs
  • Air quality monitoring equipment demonstrations
  • Information on bats and white-nose syndrome with audio of bat calls and videos from the Species Conservation & Management Program
  • Mosquito Control Section‘s tips for knocking out pests
  • Wetlands conservation activities for the whole family
  • DNREC’s Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances will provide information on Brownfields Development and Heating Fuel Underground Storage Tank Closure Assistance programs.

For more information on the event, visit https://www.deseagrant.org/coast-day.

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

Vol. 49, No. 241


DNREC Shoreline & Waterway Management Section promotes ‘design a sign, protect a dune’ awareness contest

DOVER – DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section is holding a “Keep Off the Dunes” signage contest, inviting the public to submit eye-catching and effective original artwork and messaging to remind beachgoers of the importance of protecting Delaware’s vibrant but fragile dune system.

Delaware’s Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay coastal dunes are vital in the state’s defense against coastal storms and extreme weather events. Dunes are also important natural habitats for plants and animals. To keep dunes strong enough to help protect our environment and the ecosystems they support, Delawareans need to protect the dunes by staying off of them. DNREC emphasizes this message by posting beach signs to encourage beach-goers to use provided crossovers along the dune system to avoid damaging the dunes.

For Keep Off the Dunes sign contest rules and additional information, please visit https://de.gov/dunesign. Deadline for entries is Sept. 2. Winners will be announced and their entries displayed at University of Delaware’s Coast Day Oct. 6. The winning artwork in the contest may be reproduced as signs and placed near dunes along Delaware’s coastline.

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

Vol. 49. No. 169