Gov. John Carney, DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Director Ray Bivens along with DNREC Chief Communications Officer Nikki Lavoie and her son Christopher enjoy the new Heronry Overlook at Fort Delaware State Park on Pea Patch Island.

Gov. John Carney joined Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin Friday to celebrate and tour the largest capital investments made to Fort Delaware State Park.

Visitors to Fort Delaware State Park now have a smoother ride from the Pea Patch Island pier to the fort after the tram path was reconstructed. They will also experience more durable trails and a revamped ADA-accessible heronry observation platform, known as the Heronry Overlook, in the Pea Patch Island Nature Preserve. The new screened pavilion provides an inviting space for groups to have lunch during their visits or for family reunions and other celebratory events.

“The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation has done a great job preserving this historic site and bringing it to life for the public. Today we celebrate improvements made around the fort that enhance that user experience,” said Gov. John Carney. “These improvements mean that the public can enjoy the fort for years to come. A visit to Pea Patch Island is a great experience and I encourage all Delawareans to see this unique park.”

The ride along the newly resurfaced tram path is a defining Fort Delaware experience. Once guests arrive to the island via the Delafort ferry, they are transported via covered tram along the path and enjoy scenic views of the island’s salt marsh and wildlife as they approach the historic fort.

The previous Heronry Overlook needed to be rebuilt to improve safety. The new structure is strong, safe and inviting, and includes a ramp to make it accessible for all visitors. Getting to the Heronry Overlook to see some of these incredible sights is a more pleasant experience now with trails resurfaced with stone.

The island is also home to the Pea Patch Nature Preserve and one of the most popular wading bird nesting areas on the East Coast. It supports nine species of herons, egrets and ibis, with an estimated 1,200 nesting pairs.

“The improved visitor access and amenities on this island were among our highest priorities at the state park,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Our Division of Parks and Recreation is the largest keeper of historic buildings in the state. Our work today expands on generations of preservation efforts by park stewards and ensures Fort Delaware will remain a historical destination for generations of visitors to come. These projects enhance the exclusive educational opportunities Fort Delaware gives its visitors, and I hope many Delawareans take advantage of this unique learning experience on Pea Patch Island.”

Also included in the project was a new maintenance building to keep equipment out of the weather, which can be brutal on the island. As stewards of the fort’s history, the division employees a historic mason who can remedy any damage to the fort’s brick from normal aging. The mason completed more than 2,000 hours of work at the fort over the last two years.

Design and construction for the project cost just more than $4 million and was provided by a matching grant from the U.S. National Parks Service Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Delaware Community Foundation Pea Patch Island Endowment and Parks Facility Rehabilitation Funds from the state’s capital budget.

Fort Delaware is a living history museum where visitors can experience life during the Civil War with first-person interpreters dressed in period clothing. Visitors can step back into the 1860s and experience the improved park amenities Wednesdays through Sundays from April 30 to Sept. 25.

Fort Delaware is operated in partnership with the Delaware River in Bay Authority, which operates the Delafort ferry that transports passengers between Delaware City, Fort Delaware and Fort Mott, N.J.

Fort Delaware is open on weekends only through June 11, and from Wednesday through Sunday starting June 14. Reservations are required to visit the fort. Go to destateparks.com/History/FortDelaware to reserve tickets and for information. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 877-987-2757 until 9 a.m. on the departure date.

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: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@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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Bellevue, Fox Point and Fort Delaware State Parks, and First State Heritage Park, have new leaders. Pictured here is Bellevue Hall at Bellevue State Park.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is pleased to announce three new Delaware State Parks leaders. Mika Drake is now the superintendent at Bellevue and Fox Point state parks, Nicole Worthley is the new cultural conservation program manager at the First State Heritage Park and Mark Wise has been named superintendent of Fort Delaware State Park.

“We are proud to welcome Mika, Nicole and Mark into their new roles with Delaware State Parks,” said DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Director Ray Bivens. “Their backgrounds have prepared them with great leadership skills that will be invaluable to their respective parks, staff and visitors.”

Mika spent four years with Vermont State Parks before she started her career with Delaware State Parks. At White Clay Creek State Park, she held the positions of park patrol officer, camp director, park naturalist and seasonal assistant superintendent before she became assistant park superintendent at Lums Pond State Park. She then became park superintendent at Fort Delaware State Park prior to transferring into her present role as park superintendent at Bellevue and Fox Point state parks. Mika is a graduate of the America State Parks Leadership School and serves as president of the Delaware Recreation and Parks Society Board.

Nicole previously worked for Parks as a seasonal interpreter at Fort Delaware State Park from 2013 to 2015. She then worked for the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, where she served in several roles as seasonal and lead interpreter at the New Castle Court House Museum and the Historical Collections move technician for the C.A.R.E. team. Nicole now manages the historic and cultural sites of Delaware’s first urban “park without boundaries” in Dover.

Prior to his role as superintendent of Fort Delaware State Park, Mark worked at Alapocas, Wilmington, Bellevue and Fox Point state parks as a volunteer and intern manager. Before his time with Delaware State Parks, he spent more than 30 years in the private and non-profit sectors, during which time he directed all operational aspects of paper converting plants, and managed volunteer recruitment and education, fundraising and sporting events.

Mark, Mika and Nicole are responsible for all daily operations at their respective state parks, including supervision, scheduling and evaluation of staff; coordination of maintenance and visitor service programs; development and continuation of relationships with partners, adjacent landowners and community groups; and fiscal, programmatic and infrastructure planning.

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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The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has closed Fort Delaware State Park until Friday, June 4, to repair the Delafort ferry that transports visitors to the fort. The ferry is in need of repair due to an unforeseen mechanical issue. A second boat brought in as a temporary replacement to the Delafort also had mechanical issues.

Those with tickets to visit Fort Delaware during this timeframe can choose to receive a full refund or tickets for a future date.

The Delafort is operated under contract with the Delaware River and Bay Authority to provide ferry transportation to Fort Delaware and For Mott, N.J. For more information about visiting Fort Delaware, go do www.destateparks.com.

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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DELAWARE CITY – Fort Delaware State Park will host Escape Fort Delaware: The Disloyalty Files on September 14 and 28, 2019 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased for $50.00 online or by phone by calling 877.987.2757.

 Escape Fort Delaware is a program during which participants receive a hands-on education of how they could find their way out of the Fort if they had been arrested on the presumption of committing a disloyal act. The event is an immersive experience for partners and groups to learn Delaware history while also having fun.

This program is open for everyone with no prerequisite. Further questions about the program can be directed to the Fort Delaware park office at 302-834-7941.

 For more information, visit the Fort Delaware website or contact Monique Tamang, marketing intern, Fort Delaware/Fort DuPont State Parks, 302-834-7941.

Media Contact: Jayme Gravell, DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation, 302-739-9112 or