New Director Named for DNREC’s Division of Community Affairs

Matthew Ritter, Long-time Department Staffer, Appointed to Oversee DNREC Law
Enforcement Arm Environmental Crimes Unit, Other Community Service-Related Offices

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin has announced the appointment of Matthew Ritter as director of the DNREC Division of Community Affairs – a DNREC division that spans community-related government services sections, including the Delaware Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit, the DNREC Public Affairs team, and the Offices of the Community Ombudsman and the Small Business Ombudsman.

Ritter has served 18 years with the Department, most recently as an environmental program administrator for DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation. In his new position, he succeeds Pat Emory, who recently was appointed director of the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife.

“Matt Ritter has the rounded background in natural resources and the environment that we value at DNREC, especially given the breadth of our mission and the diverse focus of our regulatory oversight,” said Secretary Garvin. “During my time with the Department I’ve had many opportunities to work with Matt on a number of high-profile issues and always been impressed by his ability to meet any challenge and see it through.”

After joining DNREC in 2004 as a seasonal parks interpreter, Ritter worked his way up through the state parks system under the Division of Parks and Recreation to positions of operations administrator and administrator of planning, preservation and development. As parks’ operations administrator, he oversaw Natural Resources Police Park Rangers, one of three law enforcement units within DNREC.

As director of the Division of Community Affairs, Ritter will oversee another Delaware Natural Resources Police arm, DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit, which enforces the state’s environmental laws and regulations. His new role within the Department also calls for directing DNREC’s Public Affairs team, providing assistance to businesses and communities, and acting as a liaison with the General Assembly.

Ritter was integral in the Division of Parks and Recreation’s capturing two National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) National Gold Medals – with Delaware not only notable as the smallest state park system to win the award, but for having won it twice. He also led the division in receiving accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) – making the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation one of only three state park systems in the nation with CAPRA accreditation. Ritter is a graduate of Frostburg (Md.) State University, having earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries and a master’s degree in education.

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, InstagramTwitter or LinkedIn.

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

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DNREC to Host Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan Public Meeting

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will host two public meetings to discuss the Brandywine Trail improvement project, which began construction on Feb. 27, on Wednesday, March 15, at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. at the Blue Ball Barn in Alapocas Run State Park, Wilmington.

Those who are unable to attend and have questions on the improvement project or trail plan can visit destateparks.com/contact and select “Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan” from the Delaware State Parks location drop-down menu.

The improvement project is part of the Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan, which was created to guide trail investments and improvement for the next 10 years and approved after a multiyear planning process in June 2022. Public participation was a core component in developing this plan. Discussions were held with representatives of trail and park user groups regarding the trail plan. The plan was also presented at multiple public meetings, including open houses in 2015 and 2019 and a Council on Greenways and Trails meeting in May 2022.

About DNREC

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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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DNREC to Close The Point at Cape Henlopen for Beachnesting Season

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will close The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park, including a stretch of ocean and bay beach, Wednesday, March 1. Since 1993, The Point has closed annually for most of the spring and summer for the benefit of threatened and endangered beachnesters and migratory shorebirds, including red knots, piping plovers, oystercatchers, least terns and other species.

The Point’s nesting habitat on the ocean side will reopen to the public Sept. 1. The bayside beach will remain closed until Oct. 1 for use by shorebirds migrating south for the winter. 

The DNREC Divisions of Parks and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife, and Watershed Stewardship have worked together since 1990 to implement a management plan to help grow shorebird populations 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 Enjoy the natural diversity of Delaware’s 17 state parks. 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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Delaware State Parks Fee Season Begins March 1

 The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation went back to annual passes with pictures for 2023. This year’s pass features Fort Delaware State Park on Pea Patch Island. Situated in the middle of the Delaware River, Fort Delaware was initially constructed in the mid-1800s to protect Wilmington and Philadelphia from enemy attack.

 

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reminds visitors to Delaware State Parks that 2023 entrance fees will be in effect starting Wednesday, March 1 through Nov. 30.

State park entrance fees for vehicles registered in Delaware are $4 at inland parks and $5 at ocean parks. Fees for out-of-state vehicles are $8 at inland parks and $10 at ocean parks. Entrance fees will remain in effect through Nov. 30, which is the normal fee season end date.

Daily park entrance fees may be paid via credit-card machine at most park locations, where fee attendants are on duty or via self-registration envelopes provided at park entrances that are then placed in designated secured drop boxes.

Annual passes are a convenient way to access Delaware State Parks for the entire fee season. Multiple types of annual passes are available, including resident, non-resident, active-duty military and veterans. Those who purchase annual passes online will receive a virtual pass that can be used up to 30 days from the date of purchase until the actual pass is received via mail.

Residents who receive certain types of public assistance can contact their case worker(s) for an assistance pass at a discount. Active duty military personnel who are stationed in Delaware also qualify for pass at a reduced rate, and all public libraries in Delaware offer an annual pass that can be checked out for free by library cardholders.

The Delaware State Parks corporate and group annual pass gives employers and groups a way to promote health and wellness. More employers than ever are utilizing these passes for their staffs and a record number were sold in 2022. This pass provides employees and groups, including athletic teams, with discounted annual passes for statewide park access all season long. It also includes exclusive benefits for end-of-the-year outings and personal discounts for camping or cottage stays.

Annual and two-year surf fishing permits provide year-round drive-on access, including peak weekends and holidays. Off-peak surf fishing permits provide year-round access, excluding peak weekends and holidays from May through Labor Day weekend. Both surf fishing permit decals enable the vehicle to gain entrance into the other state parks without paying the daily entrance fee. A reservation will be required for permitted vehicles to access any of the seven Delaware State Parks multi-use drive-on beaches during peak time periods.

Revenue generated from sales of passes and permits is used to manage 17 state parks, the Brandywine Zoo and more than 26,000 acres of state park lands. Park users generate 65% of the revenue utilized to operate and maintain the parks. The revenue is used for trail maintenance, environmental and recreational programs, visitor amenities, guarded beaches, management of campgrounds, cabins and more.

To purchase an annual pass or surf fishing permit, go to www.destateparks.com/Know/PassesTagsFees.

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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Stretch of Brandywine Trail to Close for Improvements

Work Part of New Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that a section of the Brandywine Trail will be closed until early May for improvements. This is the first project to be implemented from the recently approved Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan.

The trail will be closed from Rockland Road to Rocky Run Bridge, which is along the trail. The small parking lot at the Rockland Road trail head will be closed for construction equipment. Closures will be marked with signage and updates will be posted to the Brandywine Creek State Park Facebook page.

The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation will pave and complete drainage repairs to the trail, which lies over an old roadbed that was once paved with macadam. The volume of water that flows off neighboring developments and downward over the Brandywine Trail causes stone debris to wash into the Brandywine Creek. This project is approximately $475,000 from Statewide Trails and Pathways funding. The trail plan also calls for resurfacing the Brandywine Trail from Thompson’s Bridge Road to the state park’s boundary line with First State National Historical Park in the near future.

“This work will minimize material that washes from the trail into Brandywine Creek during heavy storm events and allows greater access to people with disabilities,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Hardening a trail surface is never our first choice, but this is the best option for a sustainable riverside trail that can withstand the harsh weather and high usage.”

Nearly 90,000 walks, hikes, runs and bike rides are taken along the Brandywine Creek State Park’s portion of the Brandywine Trail annually. This shared-use trail is a segment of the Northern Delaware Greenway, which traverses several state and county parks in northern New Castle County. Trail-related activities are the No. 1 outdoor recreation activities in Delaware to fulfill public needs and trends, according to the 2018-2023 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

The Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan was created to guide trail investments and improvement for the next 10 years. Public engagement began in October 2015 with an open house, followed by input from a stakeholder working group and a survey for members of the public. After COVID-19 delayed plan progress, the final draft was presented at public meetings to the Delaware Parks and Recreation Council’s in February 2022 and the Council on Greenways and Trails in May before final approval by the division June 1, 2022.

The plan includes surface improvements to achieve a higher level of sustainability for 8.4 miles, or 50%, Brandywine Creek State Park’s trails. The division also aims to increase accessible trails in the park by 2.2 miles. Other goals in the plan are to ensure the trail system is safe, minimize impact to high quality habitats, and reduce erosion and associated issues.

The division will also commence work on a separate project at the park later this year to replace the existing Thompson Bridge composting pit toilet facility with a new concrete building. Once complete, the bathroom will be ADA-accessible and have flushless vault toilets, engineered ventilation, comfortable lighting, a modern interior and an exterior that fits the setting. Closures in that area will be minimal, limited to weekdays and announced via Facebook.

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. Enjoy the natural diversity of Delaware’s 17 state parks. 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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