The Delaware Public Archives was proud to join with Nanticoke Indian Tribe Chief Natosha Norwood Carmine, members of the Delaware General Assembly, and more than 125 guests and friends as they unveiled a new Delaware historical marker on Monday, November 15, 2021. The new Indian Mission School historical marker details the school that was founded by the Nanticoke Indian Tribe that established the school in the 1920s, and is located on the Nanticoke Indian Center grounds in Millsboro, Delaware.

Photos from the Dedication:

LAUREL – The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program – Nanticoke Series, in partnership with the Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, will host two free presentations in March on saving the monarch butterfly, gardening for butterflies, and the importance of clean water.

The presentations will address the monarch butterfly population’s decline of more than 90 percent worldwide over the past 20 years. This is a critical environmental loss, since flowering plants depend on pollinators, including butterflies, to reproduce. Pollinators enable flowering plants to purify water and prevent erosion, through roots that hold the soil in place, and provide foliage that buffers the impact of rain.

On March 2, butterfly enthusiast Mike McFarlin of Milton will speak about his efforts to help repopulate Delaware’s monarch butterfly population, by raising hundreds of them each summer. In addition, he will explain how attendees can volunteer as stewards, and adopt an area of land that supports pollinator habitat.

The second presentation, on March 30, will be led by Alice Mohrman of the Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center and focus on gardening for butterflies. She will also provide tips on how to landscape yards with attractive native plants that support wildlife habitat, and help reduce waterway pollution.

A limited number of free milkweed seeds will be available to participants, along with information on activities that support clean water. Attendees also will learn about the 2020 Reclaim Our River–Nanticoke Series, which offers numerous opportunities to learn techniques for keeping local waterways clean. Participants are encouraged to arrive early.

Both presentations will begin at 6 p.m. at the Laurel Library, located at 101 East 4th Street, Laurel, DE 19956.

For more information about the presentations, contact Alice Mohrman at 302-422-0847, or alice@delawarenaturesociety.org. For more information on the Reclaim Our River Program, contact Philip Miller at 302-608-5468, or Philip.miller@delaware.gov.

Contact: Phil Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Nonpoint Source Program, 302-608-5468, philip.miller@delaware.gov

DOVER – Delaware’s Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 in the DNREC Auditorium, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

The Council will discuss American shad restoration in the Nanticoke River as well as current and proposed upgrades to the Ommelanden Hunter Education Training and Shooting Range facilities. For more information, including the meeting agenda, visit the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/56966.

For more information on Delaware wildlife, please call the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912. For more information on Delaware fisheries, please call DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

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

Vol. 48, No. 257

BLADES –The fifth annual Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta – presented by the Town of Blades in conjunction with DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program, Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, and the Nanticoke River Sail & Power Squadron – will cast off Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Nanticoke River Public Marine Park, 26 North Market Street, Blades, DE 19973. Sign-in and registration begin at 11 a.m., with judging of boats’ appearances at noon, and races starting at 12:30 p.m.

The Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta is open to anyone who’s willing to build a boat from recycled cardboard and paddle it approximately 200 yards to the regatta finish line. First-place awards will be given for winners of races in five different categories: individual, youth, teens, family, and organizations or businesses. Special awards will be given for “Pride of the Fleet,” “Most Whimsical Boat,” and “Team Spirit.” Also, spectators will be asked to pick a “People’s Choice” award winner, while a special “Titanic Award” will be given for the “Most Dramatic Sinking!”

Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta registration fees are $20 per entry before July 28, and $30 per entry from July 29 to Aug. 4. Participants can also register the day of the event. Boats may be any size, shape or design, but must be made of recycled cardboard. Boats should be painted with multiple coats of any one-part polyurethane or enamel paint. Boat decorations may be removed after judging, and prior to the race start.

Participants are encouraged to challenge others to race in the Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta for one-on-one bragging rights. After all the races are completed, skippers of cardboard boats may challenge another skipper and their boat to a race. Both challengers pay a $15 fee for a challenge race, and challenges can only be issued between cardboard boats entered in the same regatta categories.

The event also includes music, food, and beverages, and opportunities to learn from the Reclaim Our River (ROR) partnership about how to protect Delaware’s waterways. The ROR-Nanticoke Series is devoted to bringing monthly events, workshops, and recreational activities to the Nanticoke Watershed. The series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with Delaware’s waterways and provides important information on water quality that can help in protecting aquatic resources.

The ROR partnership also welcomes event sponsors, with proceeds going toward event costs, river restoration, and water quality education. Sponsorships begin at $50.

To register for the event, and for rules and other information, please visit https://blades.delaware.gov/events/672/5th-annual-recycled-cardboard-boat-regatta/.

Contact: Philip Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, Conservation Programs Section, 302-290-3578, or email philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 48, No. 200

LAUREL – Laurel Riverfront Park will be the setting of the second-annual Eco Paddle as part of the Reclaim Our River (ROR) Nanticoke Series, a program offering monthly events, workshops, and recreational activities designed to raise water quality awareness in the Nanticoke Watershed. DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, the National Parks Conservation Association, Delaware Nature Society, Abbotts Mill Nature Center and Nanticoke Watershed Alliance invite kayakers and canoeists to come to the Riverfront Park in Laurel Delaware where the ROR partnership will be exploring a portion of Broad Creek. The Eco Paddle takes place Saturday, June 25, with a rain date the next day.

Experienced paddlers and first-timers alike are welcome to bring the family and learn about wildlife, water quality, and the river’s history while floating on the water. After the paddle, there will be a barbecue and viewing of exhibits from the ROR partnership. The event lasts from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and the $5 registration fee (plus $1.12 credit card fee) includes food and beverages, along with kayak or canoe rental, if needed. All are welcome to participate, but space is limited. Register here to reserve a spot in a canoe or kayak.

Participants are reminded to be prepared to have fun! Site leaders will brief paddlers on basic safety measures to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own canoes and kayaks; however, equipment can also be provided. The Eco Paddle is a family-friendly event, and kids are welcome. However, all participants less than 18 years old must have a waiver signed by an adult, and participants less than 15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Waivers will be provided onsite.

Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather and wear clothes they won’t mind getting wet. Lunch will be provided, but participants should bring a water bottle for their thirst while paddling. All donations collected help cover the costs of food and equipment.

One of the most iconic and scenic rivers in the Chesapeake, the Nanticoke River Water Trail spans a 26-mile segment of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail through Delaware and Maryland. In 1608, Captain John Smith explored the river, and named it the Nanticoke after the Native Americans who lived along its banks. Today, the 725,000-acre watershed supports a diverse range of wildlife and more rare plants than any other landscape in the Chesapeake. The event will educate residents on techniques used to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment pollution entering Delaware’s waterways.

The Reclaim our River Nanticoke Series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with their waterways and provides important information on water quality to help protect aquatic resources. Additional sponsors include the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, Nanticoke River Sail and Power Squadron, and Survival Products.

For more information on the Reclaim Our River Program, visit www.delawarewatersheds.org

Media Contacts: Phil Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, 302-672-1149 or philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 46, No. 208