HARRINGTON, Del. – Shawn Patrick Mitchell of Greenwood, a recent graduate of Sussex Tech who plans to study wildlife and fisheries at Frostburg State University, received the Delaware Forestry Association’s 2018 scholarship at the Delaware State Fair last week. Agriculture Secretary Michael T. Scuse and Governor John C. Carney were there to present the ceremonial check to Mitchell as his parents David and Melissa looked on. Once he earns his bachelor’s of science degree, Mitchell hopes to be a game warden or park ranger one day.

Mitchell already has a long list of achievements for which to be proud. A National Honor Society member at Sussex Tech, Mitchell achieved honor roll for every marking period—earning a cumulative GPA of 93.8. He has been very active in the 4-H program, serving as Vice-President of the State Teen Council for Delaware 4-H as well as President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of the Sussex County 4-H Junior Council. He has also been actively involved in athletics as a member of the freshman, J.V., and varsity lacrosse teams at Sussex Tech.

“I would like to return to Delaware after I earn my degree. I love being outside and I want to help preserve our parks for future generations to enjoy,” Mitchell said.

According to C. Douglas Crouse, State Program Leader for Delaware 4-H and Youth Development, Shawn has demonstrated the qualities needed to be a leader and a mentor:

“Shawn has shared his leadership skills as a counselor at many 4-H camps, including our State Environmental Camp. As a counselor for several years, Shawn serves in a role to assist younger members in helping to guide them and share knowledge that can be interesting and important to them. He is a people person and has great skills working with younger members. Shawn is an excellent role model and mentor for these younger youth and is well-respected by his peers, ” Crouse said.

HARRINGTON – Today at the Delaware State Fair, Governor John Carney and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin honored 31 Delawareans and groups of all ages for their environmental leadership, innovation and dedication.

“This afternoon, we recognized a broad cross section of Delawareans who contribute to the conservation of our natural resources and the stewardship of our environment,” said Secretary Garvin. “We congratulate these volunteers, organizers, photographers, and anglers – conservationists and environmentalists all – for their work that brought us here today, and look forward to their future contributions.”

Awards presented were: four individual and two group Young Environmentalists of the Year, nine Outstanding Volunteers, three Youth Fishing Tournament winners, winners of this year’s Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests, and three winners of the new Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest.

“These awards underscore how every Delawarean can have an impact in protecting and conserving our natural resources, while also raising awareness for environmental stewardship,” Governor Carney said. “I’m also inspired by the award winners’ dedication to making the state a better place to live by their time and talents, and proud to recognize them for their environmental leadership and innovation.”

The complete list of the 2018 DNREC Awards recipients:

Young Environmentalists of the Year

Elementary School: As a third grader at Dover’s Holy Cross School, Grace Coyle, 8, founded a nature club during recess, with different environmental activities each day, such as observation day on Mondays, trash cleanup day Tuesdays, and “free choice day” on Fridays. The group of about 13 also began getting together with their families outside school. Their pledge includes: “I pledge to the Nature Club that I will not damage nature, litter, stomp on bugs or kill animals. I will keep the environment clean.”

Middle School: Shay Wilson, 13, a 7th grader at Saint Anne’s Episcopal School in Middletown, started a research project to assist Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge with studying the monarch butterfly population at the refuge. Shay worked with refuge biologists to survey populations and improve monarch habitat. She presented her results and conclusions at the Delaware Environmental Education Association Conference and the Saint Anne’s Science Fair. Shay also volunteers in the annual horseshoe crab surveys at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

High School: As a junior at MOT Charter School, Caroline Dowd of Townsend has a lengthy resume of Girl Scout conservation projects with Smyrna’s Troop 975, including a large community tree-planting project in 2015. In 2017, Caroline began work on her Gold Award project: planning, organizing, and planting a riparian buffer on 14 acres along Cypress Branch, a new addition to Blackbird State Forest. She devoted 118 hours over 10 months to the project, which culminated in 476 volunteers planting 8,700 oak and 100 persimmon seedlings at the site over two days in March.

Special Recognition: At age 5, Charli Evans of Laurel already understands that what we put into the earth is what we get out of it. A “lover of all living things,” she grows sunflowers, avidly participates in recycling and composting, and raises chicks and ducklings. Last summer, she planted sunflowers, tended them, and harvested the seeds to feed the squirrels and birds over the winter.

Special Recognition Group: Strawless RES, Rehoboth Elementary School. Fifth graders Savannah Montgomery, Alexandra DeEmedio, Melanie McKean, and Sawyer Brockstedt founded a movement at their school to “go strawless” and make a positive impact on Delaware waterways – and soon expanded their drive into the community and businesses. Following a presentation by the group, Rehoboth Beach Commissioners are considering ways to encourage the whole city to go straw-free.

Special Recognition Group: FLL Aqua Dories, comprised of Magnus Culley, Kaitlyn Dunphee, Elaine Ko, Benjamin Wootten, Grace Wootten, and Jessica Wu, grades 5-9, HB duPont Middle School/Caravel Academy/A.I. DuPont High School/Charter School of Wilmington. The Aqua Dories participated in Delaware’s FIRST Lego League (FLL) regional and state tournaments in 2017-2018 under the theme “Hydrodynamics.” (FLL is a STEM program that challenges teams to both design and program a robot to complete a series of complex problems, and to research and present a real-world scientific problem.) After extensive research and visits with area experts to determine problems involving the human water cycle, the Aqua Dories designed the Direct Observation, Remote Information – or DORI – meter. The team wanted to create a device that promotes awareness about what goes into people’s drinking water. They built a working prototype, which can be installed in a stream or pond to measure water qualities such as temperature, pH and electrical conductivity. The DORI meter monitors these characteristics and transmits data using the cellular network at a fraction of the cost of existing water monitoring systems.

The Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards are presented annually to Delaware students who have worked to protect, restore or enhance our state’s natural resources. For more information, contact Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, or email joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

DNREC’s Outstanding Volunteers of the Year

Youth Conservation/Restoration: For his Eagle Scout project, Jonathan Ray designed and supervised construction of two new deer stands using volunteer labor and donated material at White Clay Creek State Park. The stands were specifically built for hunters who have permanent physical disabilities that limit their mobility.

Youth Group: Middle schoolers from Campus Community School’s First State Club in Dover contributed a total of 1,216.5 hours to First State Heritage Park this school year. They volunteered at events including First Saturdays and 18th Century Market Fair, which drew more than 3,500 visitors. In May, the club presented programs to more than 1,200 fourth graders; the students also spend time on training, research, and preparing presentations. The club also recently received a Governor’s Youth Service Award for their excellent work.

Administration & Coordination: Ernie Felici, former president of the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation, has organized an annual run that raised $20,000 this year for the Tower 3 restoration project. He also coordinates a run with all proceeds going to Children in Nature, and helped found the Friends of Holts Landing.

Conservation: Since December 2017, dedicated Brandywine Zoo apprentice Kelsey Deneen has truly stepped up, performing animal husbandry duties, preparing animal diets, engaging visitors with keeper talks, and assisting with maintaining exhibits and grounds, all with a smile, plenty of team spirit, and a “can do” attitude five days a week.

Conservation Group: The Delaware Mobile Surf Fishermen support DNREC on various efforts such as beach driving classes, beach grass planting, and special events such as the Children’s Fishing Derby on the Cape Henlopen Pier and a Special Olympics day at the beach. They recently worked with Delaware state parks to address overcrowding of vehicles on multi-use beaches and encouraged local legislators to support additional Ranger positions for Delaware Seashore, Fenwick Island and Cape Henlopen state parks.

Environmental Education: Described as “incredibly reliable and a great interpreter,” volunteer educator Bill Cook leads evening programs several nights each week during the summer at Delaware Seashore State Park, including Wild Crab Chase and the Amphitheatre nature programs.

Research: Outreach volunteer Kim DeLeon assists the Brandywine Zoo in several Traveling Zoo programs each month, especially with the A.I. duPont Nemours Children’s Hospital program, and is phenomenal with young children. She also works with staff on fieldwork for the Urban Wildlife and Kestrel Nestbox Monitoring community programs.

Friends Group: Trap Pond Partners are a dedicated group that supports Trap Pond State Park with special events such as Healthy Kids Day, Halloween Howl, and the Summer Concert series. They also organize their own events to raise money for the Park, such as the Bike Rally, Jeep Jamboree, and the increasingly popular Beer and Wine Festival. Recently, their contributions have helped to build a new playground at Trap’s campground.

Business Partner: The Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company has provided excellent decontamination service to support DNREC’s Emergency Response Team and law enforcement partners for approximately 15 years. They respond to all incidents, mostly meth labs, in Kent County, providing copious amounts of manpower, a rescue team, and performing decontamination of responders and those being detained by law enforcement, as well as providing stand-by decontamination services at NASCAR races and Firefly.

DNREC offers a wide range of year-round volunteer opportunities for all ages. To learn about how you or your group can volunteer, visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/volunteer/.

Youth Fishing Tournament

First place: Elise Britton, 14, of Middletown, statewide winner and New Castle County winner for the second year in a row, caught the most fish, including a 7.94-pound carp, on June 3 at Lums Pond.

Second place: Adrianna Gott, 11, of Viola, Kent County winner, caught 7.01 pounds of fish in the Akridge Scout Reservation pond near Wyoming.

Third place: Luke Hitchens, 11, of Dagsboro, Sussex County winner, caught 4.54 pounds of fish in Ingrams Pond near Millsboro.

Held annually on the first Saturday in June, the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Fishing Tournament was established in 1986 to introduce young people to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation.

Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests

Angela Garcia of Smyrna won the Hunting Photo Contest for “At the End of the Day,” featuring her husband Paul and son Dominic on their boat during a hunting trip in Little Creek. Angela’s photo appears on the cover of the 2018-2019 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Chad Betts of Milton won the Fishing Photo Contest for his photo titled “Small Boat-Big Fish,” featuring his son Cohen holding his striped bass catch on Delaware’s Inland Bays. His photo appears on the cover of the 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide.

For information on the upcoming 2018/19 contests, click Fish & Wildlife photo contest.

Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest

Native Plants:
First place: Earl Blansfield of Milford, for his photo of thistle weed at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Second and third place: Michelle Walfred of Lewes.

Native Wildlife:
First place: Earl Blansfield of Milford, for his photo of a short-eared owl in flight at Fowler Beach, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge; also second place for his photo of a great egret.
Third place: Stacey Steinberg of Port Penn.

Landscapes and Waterscapes:
First place: Tammy Kearney of Seaford, for her photo of a sunset over the Nanticoke River in Seaford.
Second place: Eric Carter of Milton.
Third place: Earl Blansfield

New this year, DNREC’s Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest portrays the beauty of Delaware’s diverse environment while acting as a vivid reminder that everything happening on land within the state’s watersheds also directly affects what happens in our waterways and to our wildlife. The contest was open to all photographers, with images from any of Delaware’s watersheds accepted as entries. Judges were looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s landscapes, waterscapes, native plants, and native wildlife. To see the photographic work of the winners and finalists, visit www.delawarewatersheds.org.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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More photographs from the 2018 Delaware State Fair are available on Flickr.

DOVER, Del. — Many Delaware youth and adult exhibitors are ready to showcase their agricultural exhibits at this year’s Delaware State Fair. Along with rides, food, and games, the state fair is a great opportunity for fair-goers to learn more about agriculture – Delaware’s top industry.

“I encourage everyone to join our staff down at the Delaware State Fair – one of the best fairs in the United States – to learn about Delaware agriculture and all it does for our consumers and our economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse.

More than ninety-nine percent of Delaware’s 2,500 farms are family-owned. Delaware farmers produce a variety of agricultural products on 500,000 acres of farmland, including corn, soybeans, wheat, poultry and livestock, and fruits and vegetables. All of the state’s agricultural commodities can be experienced simply by visiting the barns and buildings along Holloway Street, from the front of the Fair by Quillen Arena all the way back to the 4-H/FFA Building (The Centre) and The Delmarva Building.

As a long-time participant at State Fair, Secretary Scuse offers this advice to newcomers attending this year:

“If you have never been to the Fair, you really need to step inside the 4-H/FFA Building to see

how truly talented our young people involved in these organizations are. At some point, you are going to want to stop into the Department’s Ag Commodities building to learn how to cook with Delaware Grown produce, try your hand at plowing a field on our interactive farm games, and talk with people who are involved in agriculture. Finally, walk through the livestock barns to see the wide variety of animals that our young people are showing. Take time to ask questions and learn where your food comes from. Getting to see a dairy cow up close helps make the connection that milk comes from a cow and doesn’t start its journey to your table at the grocery store.”

Attendees can also get a glimpse of the equine industry throughout Fair. Exhibitors will be participating in English and Western classes, showmanship, showing horses in hand, and driving. Harrington Raceway is one of three tracks in Delaware that offers horse racing. On Thursday, July 26, fair-goers are invited to attend harness racing in the M&T Bank Grandstand with a 7 p.m. post time. With more than $550,000 in total purses, the race program will be headlined by four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund final events for 3-year-olds as well as program staples like the Governor’s Cup, which features some of Delaware’s top horses, ages three years and older. Governor John Carney will be on hand to present the trophy to the winner.

There is so much to see and do at State Fair, but do not let that be your only summer destination. More than 127,000 acres of farmland is permanently preserved throughout the state for future generations. Hop in the car and take a road trip to explore some of the quaint towns and villages to see the beauty agriculture brings to our landscape.

Take the opportunity to stop off at a local farmers’ market or on-farm market where there is a variety of fruits and vegetables in-season. This is another opportunity to connect with Delaware family farmers that take pride in growing the freshest produce. There is nothing like getting sweet corn or a peach that was just picked first thing that morning and is in your hand to eat just a few hours later.

“We want to continue to build a connection between our family farmers and the residents and visitors who enjoy eating Delaware Grown produce,” said DDA spokeswoman Stacey Hofmann. “I know I look forward to eating my share of fair food during the ten days, but including healthy food options in the mix is important to your well-being. Eating fresh fruit as a snack in between shows can help fuel your body. Try a light salad for lunch or dinner to stay refreshed during the hot days that we tend to experience during Fair.”

Planning on purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables ahead of time or even stocking up mid-fair is as is as easy as clicking on http://de.gov/buylocal to find a local farmers’ market or on-farm market. There will be plenty of Delaware-grown watermelon, peaches, berries, sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and more available in July. And if you are wondering what to make with all this good food, stop by the DDA Agricultural Commodities Building during fair to pick up our brand-new recipe collection.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, Chief of Community Relations, stacey.hofmann@delaware.gov, 302-535-6757

HARRINGTON (July 27) – Governor John C. Carney, Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Delaware Forest Service and honored the wildfire crew that just returned from two weeks battling blazes in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The crew, which left the First State on July 8 and returned on July 23, first tackled the 700-acre Wilson Fire near Meeker, Colorado – started by lightning on July 7. The firefighters then moved on to the Grizzly Fire before finishing up on the Dragon Fire – located just south of Rangely, Colorado. Delaware’s team included 17 state and federal firefighters from Delaware and three from West Virginia.

“The Forest Service has done unbelievable work over 90 years,” Governor Carney told the audience. “As we celebrate 98 years of the Delaware State Fair, we’ve got a lot of other milestones that are happening, including the recognition of Delaware’s state forestry service for 90 years of operation and their tremendous work.”

Photos from the event are available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/delforestservice or on Flickr at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/101649897@N02/

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the ceremony at the Delaware State Fair, state forester Michael A. Valenti presented a timeline of major accomplishments and highlights in the 90 years since the Delaware General Assembly established the state’s forestry department on April 25, 1927.

1927: Senate Bill 16 in the General Assembly establishes the State Forestry Department with the agency charged with fire control, state tree nursery, and demonstration areas. William S. Taber was appointed the first State Forester and served for 43 years until 1970.
1930: 173 fires burned nearly 30,000 acres. Six fire towers were erected beginning in 1931 and a system of fire wardens was established.
1936: The Gun Club property (844 acres) was purchased for $7,000 ($8.30/acre). Consisting of the historic Redden Lodge, it became the core area for Redden State Forest, now Delaware’s largest.
1939: American holly is named the state tree, due to its commercial importance and Delaware’s status as the “Holly Capital of the Nation.”
1941: The 672-acre Tybout Tract was purchased in southern New Castle County. It became the cornerstone of Blackbird State Forest, now more than 6,000 acres.
1959: The first Delaware Tree Farm was recognized (O.A. Newton and Son)
1970: DNREC takes over management of State Forests and fire control while DDA manages state nursery and landowner assistance
1974: House Bill 770 transfers all forestry functions over to the DDA
1994: State forestlands in southwestern Kent County recognized as Taber State Forest
1999: State Forests total about 10,000 acres
2017: The Delaware Forest Service has 23 staff members including six field foresters and two urban and community foresters. Delaware’s state forests now total just over 20,000 acres (thanks to funding from Delaware Open Space/U.S. Forest Legacy Program)

 

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HARRINGTON – Today at the Delaware State Fair, Governor John Carney and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin honored 30 Delawareans of all ages for their environmental leadership, innovation and dedication.

“This afternoon, we recognized a broad cross section of Delawareans who contribute to the conservation of our natural resources and the stewardship of our environment,” said Secretary Garvin. “We congratulate these volunteers, artists, organizers, photographers, and anglers – conservationists and environmentalists all – for their work that brought us here today, and look forward to their future contributions.”

Awards presented were: four Young Environmentalists of the Year, 13 Outstanding Volunteers, three Youth Fishing Tournament winners, winners of this year’s Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests, one Wetland Warrior, and six Rain Barrel Painting artists.

Here is a complete list of the 2017 DNREC Awards recipients:

Young Environmentalists of the Year
Middle School: For two years, Katheryn Givens, 14, of Newark, took a leadership role educating her fellow students through Kirk Middle School’s Recycling/Environmental Club, starting and maintaining a composting project and a plastic bag recycling program that gathered more than 10,000 bags, and playing an instrumental role in her school becoming the 2016 Recycle Bowl State Champion.

High School: An active beekeeper and Delaware Beekeepers Association member, Brandon “Bee Man” Pike, 17, of Middletown, shares his passion for educating others about bee management and sustainable practices to support bee health with his fellow students at William Penn High School as well as the community at large.

High School: Observing the trash and yard waste dumped in a wooded area near his home, Matthew Johnston, 16, of Newark, organized and fundraised for a volunteer community cleanup effort as his Eagle Scout Project, hauling out six pickup and two trailer loads of yard waste, planting 40 trees and 20 shrubs, marking out a walking trail and posting “no dumping” signs.

High School – Special Recognition: After researching and writing a paper about sustainable energy in Delaware, Lillian Peterson, 17, of Newark, met with legislators and DNREC Division of Energy & Climate staff to share her observations, careful analysis and ideas for the future of Delaware’s energy policy that showed her passion for the environment and great potential as a future environmental leader.

The Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards are presented annually to Delaware students who have worked to protect, restore or enhance our state’s natural resources. For more information, contact Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, or joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

Outstanding Volunteers of the Year
Youth Historical Education: Working towards his goal of becoming an archaeologist, Max Kichline volunteered 129.5 hours for the DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation’s Cultural Resources Unit in 2016. Known for his energy and creative problem-solving skills, Max worked everything from digs in the field with the Time Travelers program to artifact washing.

Youth Environmental Education: A passionate volunteer with special needs at the Brandywine Zoo since 2015, Tyler Manelski loves sharing his knowledge of the animals and their environment with visitors taking in zoo programs and on guided tours. Tyler hopes to pursue a career involving animals and the environment.

Youth Group: First State Club: Eighteen middle schoolers Campus Community School in Dover contributed a total of 873 hours to First State Heritage Park’s “Passports Through Time: Dover’s 300th Birthday” program, creating and performing short historical theater vignettes in costume and working with 450 fourth-graders in a three-day history program.

Administration & Coordination: Since 2015, dedicated and passionate volunteer Patrick Fallon has led the Brandywine Zoo’s camera club, personally contributing most of the photos used on the zoo’s website and in zoo publications, and attending many special zoo events.

Conservation: For more than 20 years, Mark Cameron has volunteered about 30 hours each spring assisting the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Trout Stocking Program and the White Clay Flyfishers to help make White Clay Creek State Park’s trout stocking program a huge recreational success.

Conservation Group: A newly-formed club based in Ocean View, Salt Air Gardeners of Bay Forest this year planned, planted and maintains the beautiful landscaping around Delaware Seashore State Park’s Indian River Life-Saving Station.

Environmental Education: A special education teacher who volunteered nearly 70 hours at the Brandywine Zoo last year, Anna Krueger helps interpret zoo exhibits for youth visitors to provide all with a meaningful experience, and assists with special events and professional development opportunities for zoo volunteers.

Environmental Education Group: For the past eight years, the Park Watch Surf Fishing Check Group has supported and promoted surf-fishing education in Delaware’s ocean beach state parks, assisting with surf-fishing and safety equipment checks, helping with driving on the beach classes and providing support at special events.

Recreation: Serving as president of Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, Stuart “Stupendous Stu” Schmidt has dedicated 680 hours to the park as of May 2017, including creation of a new website, improving the park’s Bike Barn program, and partnering with local businesses to add bike “fix-it” stations along park trails.

Research: A dedicated volunteer known for her excellent data collection skills, Julie McCall has led more than 180 volunteer activities since 2009 for the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Species Conservation and Research program, including amphibian, terrapin and beach nesting bird surveys, bat colony emergence counts and bat catches.

Research Group: Following a tragic carbon monoxide incident in New Castle County, DNREC’s Council on Boiler Safety assisted with drafting changes to Delaware’s boiler safety regulations requiring property owners to perform monthly and annual preventative maintenance checks of their boiler systems and to install smart-technology carbon monoxide detectors in boiler rooms that can shut down the boiler in an emergency. The Council also worked on safety procedures and regulations for Punkin Chunkin’s air cannons.

Friends: As a dedicated member of Trap Pond State Park Partners, Penny Denney is quick to take charge, spending about 20 hours a month volunteering at park events including the annual Bike Rally, Beer and Wine Fest and summer concert series.

Friends Group: The Friends of Killens Pond State Park take a leadership role in supporting the popular park, orchestrating the summer concert series, holding twice-monthly trail maintenance days and monthly weeding days for park flowerbeds, providing scholarships for educational programs and summer camps and assisting with special events.

DNREC offers a wide range of year-round volunteer opportunities for all ages. To learn about how you or your group can volunteer, visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/volunteer/.

Youth Fishing Tournament
First place: Elise Britton, 13, of Middletown, statewide winner and New Castle County winner, caught fish weighing a total of 25.22 pounds, including an 8.6-pound carp, at Lums Pond on June 3.

Second place: Dominic Garcia, 12, of Smyrna, Kent County winner, caught 10.33 pounds of fish caught at the Akridge Scout Reservation pond.

Third place: John Timmons V, 5 years old, of Georgetown, Sussex County winner, caught 4.19 pounds of fish caught in Ingrams Pond near Millsboro.

Held annually on the first Saturday in June, the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Fishing Tournament was established in 1986 to introduce young people to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation.

Hunting and Fishing Photo Contests
Shenna Bogetti of Dover won the Fishing Photo Contest for “Daddy & Daughter’s 1st Drum,” featuring her husband, Brian Bogetti and daughter Mackenzie fishing in the Delaware Bay. Shenna’s photo appears on the cover of the 2017 Delaware Fishing Guide.

Bo Wilkinson of Dagsboro won the Hunting Photo Contest for “Couples Retreat” featuring Morgan Anton after a successful waterfowl hunt on the Indian River. His photo appears on the cover of the 2016-2017 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide.

For information on the upcoming 2017/18 contests, click Fish & Wildlife photo contest.

Wetland Warrior
For 10 years, Pamela Vanderwende has led the Conservation Club at Phillis Wheatley Elementary School in Bridgeville, focusing on educating students on the importance of conservation and caring for our environment. Pam has raised more than $80,000 for outdoor projects on school property which serve as outdoor classrooms.

The Wetland Warrior Awards are presented annually by DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship to individuals or organizations that have acted to benefit Delaware wetlands through outreach and education, monitoring, restoration, or protection. For more information, click Wetland Warriors.

Youth Rain Barrel Painting Contest
First place: “Web of Life,” by Youth 4 Change. Artists are Faiza Chaudhry, Hiba Chaudhry, Suha Chaudhry, Adam Hubert, Hana Hubert, Merve Hekik and Mariam Patel.

Second place: Ashby Amory of Milford, for “Water Me Spinach.”

Finalists: Three groups of fifth graders from Newark’s Maclary Elementary School, for “Water Women,” “L.I.F.E.,” and “Masters.”

Adult Rain Barrel Contest
Sussex County resident Teri Edgeworth painted “What Goes In, Must Come Out,” to send the message that what goes into our waterways from creeks and rivers to the bay and ocean, must be cleaned out. Her barrel will be placed at Woodburn, the Governor’s Residence in Dover.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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