Principal Chief Dennis Coker, Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware, talks with DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin on a tour. /DNREC photo.

A Dozen New Properties Are Now Under Conservation Statewide

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control continues protect and conserve more land for the public to enjoy through the state’s Open Space Program. The program, created in 1990 by the Delaware Land Protection Act, has been a boon for public access to Delaware’s great outdoors and a greater appreciation of the state’s natural and cultural resources. Since 2022, DNREC has added 597 acres to the nearly 45,000 acres the department previously acquired through the program with combined state, federal and partner funds.

“The Delaware Open Space Program supports our conservation work with funding and donations to help us fill in crucial gaps with easements and acquisitions – one piece at a time – between protected properties,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “These properties may be as small as an acre or a hundred times that size but serve the same purpose connecting Delaware’s protected lands, wetlands and waterways, which often may be vital habitat for our state’s threatened or endangered species. These lands also support active outdoor recreation, from hunting and fishing to birdwatching and hiking trails.”

DNREC manages 17 state parks, 20 wildlife areas and dozens of public recreation access areas including trails, overlooks, boardwalks, fishing piers and boat ramps. Over the last year, the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation added seven new properties in key locations, totaling approximately 254 acres:

• Jaggers Conservation Easement – About 9 acres of wooded land adjoining the James Branch Nature Preserve and adjacent to Trap Pond State Park is included in the February 2022 easement. The property expands the protected lands within the James Branch watershed and preserves its scenic, natural and aesthetic values.
• Rocky Run Ventures LLC Property – Two acres in New Castle purchased in May 2022 expanded Brandywine Creek State Park and helped protect forested lands.
• The Lenape Conservation Easement – A conservation easement on 11 acres in Kent County was donated in June 2022 by The Conservation Fund. The easement protects land adjacent to Delaware State Parks’ Fork Branch Nature Preserve. In addition, The Conservation Fund donated the ownership rights to the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware. The Lenape have been stewarding the lands including the removal of invasive species.
• Ward Property – 39 acres in Sussex County purchased in July 2022 expanded Trap Pond State Park and protected land adjacent to the James Branch Nature Preserve. With this property saved from development, there will not be a threat of failing onsite wastewater treatment systems discharging into Pepper Branch, a tributary of James Branch that connects with the Nanticoke River.
• Greenly Property – 98 acres purchased in Kent County in February expanded Killens Pond State Park and helped protect the corridor between Killens Pond and Browns Branch. Forested wetlands on this property provide imperative habitat for the federally-listed endangered plant species Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata).
• DelDOT Custodial Resolution – 10 acres of wetlands in Kent County transferred in March to DNREC from DelDOT expanded Fork Branch Nature Preserve in Dover.
• Jestice Property – Trap Pond State Park was expanded in March through the purchase of an additional 85 acres of agricultural and forest land in Sussex County. Protecting these forested wetlands that flow downstream into the James Branch Nature Preserve is an imperative for ensuring healthy water quality.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife also added six new properties, totaling approximately 343 acres, improving public access, protecting sensitive areas and expanding and connecting existing wildlife areas.

• Meyer Property – 155 acres in Kent County purchased in May 2022 expanded and improved public access to the Blackiston Wildlife Area in northwestern Kent County.
• Cataldi Property – 166 acres in northeastern Kent County purchased in August 2022 expanded the Tony Florio Woodland Beach Wildlife Area near Smyrna. The forested wetland includes tidal wetlands and freshwater ponds that will be maintained.
• Fortney Property – Four acres in Kent County purchased in September 2022 expanded the Tappahanna Wildlife Area and provided increased public access to existing state-owned lands.
• Duffy Property – Four acres purchased in New Castle County in October 2022 expanded and connected two tracts of the Eagles Nest Wildlife Area and helped protect forested wetlands.
• Shockley Property – 13 acres in Sussex County acquired in December 2022 via donation expanded the Assawoman Wildlife Area and helped protect tidal marsh in Assawoman Bay.
• Ewing Property – One crucial acre in Kent County purchased in February gave the state ownership of the access road and adjacent lake frontage on the north side of Garrisons Lake, for which DNREC previously only held an access easement.

DNREC is one of several partner agencies with the Delaware Open Space Program, which also includes the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of State Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. More information is available at de.gov/openspace.

The Lenape Conservation Easement and other DNREC Open Space properties are also featured in a new article, Exploring Delaware’s Open Spaces, published in Outdoor Delaware online magazine.

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. 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: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Delaware Natural Resources Police, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Cpl. William Adkins congratulates the overall Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament winner, Brody Spencer of Sussex County. /DNREC photo

More Than 200 Young Anglers Statewide Enjoy Casting a Line

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control today announced the winners of the 37th annual Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament. Hosted by the Delaware Natural Resources Police, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, the event was held Saturday, June 3, at three locations across the state, with more than 200 youth anglers casting their lines at Ingrams Pond in Sussex County, Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County, and Lums Pond in New Castle County.

Tournament weighmasters on-site at each pond weighed catches for participants ages 4 through 15 as they competed for each county’s top catch and age group titles, as well as the title of overall state winner. The overall winner and Delaware Natural Resources Police Youth Fishing Tournament champion this year was Brody Spencer, age 11, of Dagsboro, who caught 8.52 pounds of fish in Ingrams Pond in Sussex County. The largest fish of the tournament was caught by Kent County winner Bristol Brown, age 10, of Lewes, who landed a 5.6 pound largemouth bass that added to her total of 6.87 pounds of fish at Akridge Scout Reservation near Dover.

This year’s overall statewide winner and county winners will be invited to a special trophy ceremony on Governor’s Day at the 2023 Delaware State Fair in Harrington. The Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation.

New Castle County Winners

At Lums Pond in New Castle County, Michael Hopkins was the day’s overall winner with a total of 3.47 pounds of fish. Other New Castle County winners were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Miles Hopkins, 2.77 pounds
Second place – Fiona Awesome, 2.25 pounds
Third place – Mason Healey, 2.03 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Mackenzie Healey, 1.53 pounds
Second place – Griffith Jordan, 1.28 pounds
Third place – Alexis Talley, 0.94 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Theodore Perez, 2.21 pounds
Second place – Tyler Harvell, 1.81 pounds
Third place – Aiden Talley 1.19, pounds

Kent County Winners

Other Kent County winners at Akridge Scout Reservation, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Arianna Chaves Torres, 5.47 pounds
Second place – Beau Lindale, 3.72 pounds
Third place – Kohen Marvel, 2.78 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Dominic Webb, 6.36 pounds
Second place – Carter Mast, 3.37 pounds
Third place – Collin Mesinger, 3.19 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Evan Knutsen, 3.92 pounds
Second place – Brennan Ring, 3.43 pounds
Third place – Gianna Velazquez, 2.02 pounds

Sussex County Winners

Other Sussex County winners were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Tristen Wertz, 1.89 pounds
Second place – Ella Elliott, 0.55 pounds
Third place – Piper Vannicola,0.30 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – John Timmons V, 2.96 pounds
Second place – Caden Timmons, 1.39 pounds
Third place – Gary Shepherd, 0.86 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Owen Laux, 5.80 pounds
Second place – Alayna Adkins, 0.47 pounds
Third place – Landon Elliott, 0.08 pounds

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,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Charter School of Wilmington Team A won the school’s 21st straight Delaware Envirothon championship today at DNREC’s Aquatic Resources Education Center on the Delaware Bayshore near Smyrna. Left to right are team members Mukta Kantak, Tiffany Situ, Zavior Brown, Dhriti Tattari and Amber Wong. DNREC photo

Charter’s Team A Claims School’s 21st Straight Victory
in Statewide High School Environmental Competition

Charter School of Wilmington Team A is the winner of the 2023 Delaware Envirothon competition held today at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Aquatic Resources Education Center on the Delaware Bayshore near Smyrna. The latest state Envirothon championship marks Charter School of Wilmington’s school’s 21st win in the event’s 28-year history, highlighted by an unbroken winning streak in the Envirothon competition since 2002. Newark Charter High School The Thneed for Speed came in second place, while Odessa High School FFA placed third in the Envirothon competition.

A program of the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts and sponsored by DNREC, the annual environmental education competition is open to high school students statewide.

“Our high school students are today’s environmental leaders. This is helping to show their knowledge and continue to learn,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Congratulations to all the competing team members who applied their environmental knowledge to planning and presenting their inventive solutions to present-day environmental situations.”

The 16 competing Envirothon teams representing nine high schools and one 4-H club statewide – Calvary Christian Academy, Charter School of Wilmington, Middletown High School FFA, Newark Charter School, Odessa High School FFA, Polytech High School, Smyrna High School FFA, Sussex Central High School FFA, Sussex Tech High School FFA and Peach Blossom 4-H Club/Lake Forest FFA – worked hard all school year to prepare for the 2023 event held at the Aquatic Resources Education Center managed by DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Each team answered questions, reviewed specimens, and took measurements in topics dealing with aquatic ecology, soils/land use, wildlife, forestry, air quality and the current environmental issue of “Adapting to a Changing Climate.” Teams also had to give a 7-to-10-minute oral presentation of a scenario based on the current issue. After more than three hours of testing, Charter School of Wilmington Team A was crowned the 2023 state champion. The first-place team will represent Delaware at the 2023 National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Envirothon to be held at Mount Allison University in Tantramar (Sacksville), New Brunswick, Canada from July 23 to 29.

Each member of the winning team earned a $500 scholarship from the Delaware Envirothon and other prizes. The winning team will also receive an award plaque for their school. The second through seventh place teams received more than $1,300 in special team awards and cash prizes.

Prizes in the form of gift cards and ribbons were awarded to the top seven teams. The official results are as follows:

• First place – The Charter School of Wilmington Team A: Mukta Kantak, Tiffany Situ, Zavior Brown, Dhriti Tattari and Amber Wong
• Second place – Newark Charter High School Thneed for Speed: Noah Ali, Samita Bomasamudram, Andre Gill, Anna Gliwa and Sidrisha Sarbajna
• Third place – Odessa High School FFA: Zach Binnie, Joseph Delaney, Kalena Diaz, Marco Lucia, and Nate Sutton
• Fourth place – Peach Blossom 4-H/Lake Forest FFA: Ava Gallo, Aidan Garey, Brenna Geidel, Mason Hay, and Justus Moritz
• Fifth place – Polytech High School Dirt Diggers: Zoe Goodbred, Julianna Korup, Eve-Alexa Mobely, Chloe Smith, and Sadie Vaughn
• Sixth place – Odessa High School The Under Ducks: Kaelin Desrosiers, Natalie Holdren, Bruce Macolley, Taylor Mahoney, and Ella Vandervort
• Seventh place – Calvary Christian Academy Climate Heroes: Carolyn Laskey, Tiara Nichols, Dawson Shahan, John Thomas, and Michelle Thomas

Since its inception, the Delaware Envirothon has awarded $64,000 in scholarships to 135 students. The event is hosted by the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD), a voluntary, non-profit association that coordinates conservation efforts statewide to focus on natural resource issues identified by Delaware’s three local districts.

In addition to DNREC, the Delaware Envirothon is also sponsored by the Delaware Solid Waste Authority, the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Delaware Department of Agriculture – Pesticide Management Section, FMC Corporation, and the New Castle Conservation District.

More information about the annual event can be found at delawareenvirothon.org.

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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Gov. Carney joined DNREC staff, city of Dover workers and volunteers from local business and organizations for an Earth Day cleanup at Mirror Lake in Dover, commemorating a precedent-setting environmental cleanup 10 years ago by DNREC that garnered national acclaim. /DNREC photo

Governor John Carney joined state and city employees ahead of Earth Day today to remove invasive plant species and dead vegetation at Mirror Lake in Dover. The event was organized by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the city of Dover 10 years after a successful environmental cleanup and habitat restoration at the site was undertaken by DNREC’s Watershed Assessment and Management Section and WATAR (Watershed Approach to Toxics Assessment and Restoration) team.

The 2013 cleanup used an innovative carbon technology to sequester (bind) carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and remove them from the ecosystem in Mirror Lake. The work helped to improve the natural beauty of the lake, increase the lake’s ecological function, and made the fish there safer for human consumption.

“The Mirror Lake restoration project was an opportunity for our community to come together to tackle important environmental and water quality concerns,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank DNREC and the city of Dover’s continued efforts to monitor and improve the health of this beautiful lake.”

“What was accomplished at Mirror Lake, though smaller in scope, was monumental as a springboard for similar projects to be conducted by our WATAR team, and others across the nation, since 2013,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “I am proud in knowing that DNREC was an early adopter of this promising remedial technology, and that we now confidently use it in other areas of the state where appropriate to help us continue making gains with water quality and in restoring fish and wildlife habitat.”

Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen said, “Mirror Lake speaks to Dover’s civic pride. Over the last decade it has evolved into a beautiful event venue that includes private weddings. We are thankful for the partnership with DNREC and the state of Delaware in achieving it, while being able to maintain the beauty of Mirror Lake for the neighbors and our community.”

With Mirror Lake continuing to rebound from longtime environmental ills as it empties into the St. Jones River, the wetland now plays an important role in improving water quality in the St. Jones Watershed, which spans the southern half of Kent County and Delaware’s capital city, including nearby Legislative Hall and the Tatnall Building housing the Governor’s Office, and DNREC’s downstate campus in the circa 1863 Richardson & Robbins Building which borders Mirror Lake.

The environmental cleanup at Mirror Lake in Dover garnered national acclaim through use of a first-of-its kind activated carbon product called SediMite™. The project also was featured in an article in the scholarly Journal of Environmental Engineering, co-authored by several project participants, including two DNREC scientists. Titled “Full-Scale Application of Activated Carbon to Reduce Pollutant Bioavailability in a 5-Acre Lake,” the article noted that between 2013 and 2018 the project achieved approximately 80% reduction in PCB concentrations in sediment porewater, which is the water trapped between grains of sediment in the bottom of body of water. The study also documented an approximate 70% reduction in PCB concentrations in Mirror Lake’s resident fish.

DNREC scientists are currently working with project partners to develop a plan for a comprehensive 10-year post-remediation study of Mirror Lake carbon project, to include sediment, porewater, surface water and fish tissue sample analysis. Results from the study are planned to be released concurrently with DNREC previously planned fish tissue monitoring of the entirety of the St. Jones River system in the fall of 2024.

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. Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances ensures Delaware’s wastes are managed to protect human life, health, safety and the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

Unanticipated problems with a dam improvement project at Mud Mill Pond near Marydel has pushed the reopening of the pond’s DNREC-managed boat ramp back to July. /DNREC photo

The Mud Mill Pond boat ramp and adjacent ramp parking lot near Marydel in Kent County will remain closed into July due to construction activities associated with Mud Mill Pond dam improvements, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife manages the boat ramp and adjacent parking lot.

Unanticipated problems at the Mud Mill Pond dam have extended the construction timeframe beyond the original estimate of a February project completion – which was to coincide with the boat ramp’s reopening.

Anglers who fish from a boat or shore from public fishing access areas can alternatively use the nearby Derby Pond boat ramp near Camden or Garrisons Lake boat ramp near Smyrna.

For more information regarding the boat ramp closure, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries section at 302-739-9914.

For more information regarding dam construction activities, contact the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Dam Safety Program at 302-834-5557.

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,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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