Entries Sought for Ocean Photo Contest

DNREC photo: Errol Ebanks

 

Winner to be Featured in Outdoor Delaware Article

To celebrate the ocean and the countless benefits it provides us, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is seeking entries for a Delaware Ocean Photo Contest.

June is National Ocean Month and June 8 is World Ocean Day. Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long have proclaimed June as Ocean Month in Delaware.

DNREC’s Delaware Ocean Photo Contest runs from June 8 through August 31, and the winner will be featured in an Outdoor Delaware article.

As a coastal state, Delaware depends on the ocean and marine resources for its economic prosperity, particularly in terms of tourism, commercial fishing, recreation and shipping industries. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Economics: National Ocean Watch data, the total economic value of Delaware’s ocean-related activities is estimated at approximately $1.4 billion annually.

In celebrating all the benefits the ocean contributes to our lives and livelihood, the DNREC contest seeks photos that show a personal connection to the ocean.

“The state’s rich history has direct ties to the ocean, culturally, economically and as a destination for millions of visitors each year,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Protecting and preserving these resources through active stewardship is essential to ensuring their viability for generations, and this photo contest is one way that we can help increase awareness of the importance of the ocean to Delaware.”

Potential photo contest subjects may include, but are not limited to, marine wildlife and habitat, recreation, fishing and marine transportation. Complete rules and a photo release form are available online.

All images must include the photographer’s name, a short description of what is shown in the photo, where and when the photo was taken. Submitted entries must include a completed photo release form. A legal parent or guardian must complete the release form for contestants under the age of 18. The deadline for submissions is 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2023.

Photographs must have been taken within the state of Delaware, or offshore of Delaware, and they must be original, previously unpublished and created solely by the submitting entrant(s). Only photos that meet the criteria, along with a completed release form, will be eligible.

Entries will be judged for composition and theme. Preference will be given to clear, good quality photographs.

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 Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, jamesw.lee@delaware.gov

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DNREC displays Delaware’s coastal and natural resources on Oct. 7 at Coast Day in Lewes

LEWES – Delaware’s coastal and natural resources will be showcased Sunday, Oct. 7 at DNREC’s Coast Day education tent on the campus of the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment in Lewes. Coast Day, which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is the university’s annual end-of-summer event that attracts thousands of visitors from Delaware and throughout the region.

“Coast Day celebrates Delaware’s coastal resources and brings together partners who are committed to preserving our beaches, waterways, tidal marshes, farmland, upland forests, bay and ocean for future generations,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Coast Day visitors will get a close-up look into the science and technology that is being used and developed to help make important decisions about our natural resources in Delaware and around the globe.”

In addition to DNREC’s education tent between the Smith and Cannon buildings, the Department’s R/V First State will be docked with other research vessels and available to tour. DNREC’s tent features the agency’s diverse programs designed to conserve and protect Delaware’s natural resources and encourages public participation through hands-on activities and educational games that appeal to both adults and children. DNREC has exhibited at Coast Day since the event’s inception in 1976.

This year, a variety of DNREC exhibits with games and giveaways will highlight Delaware’s coastal and natural resources, including:

  • Equipment used by Shoreline and Waterway Management;
  • The Delaware Bayshore mini-theater;
  • DNREC volunteer opportunities at the EcoCafe;
  • Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Operation Game Theft Trailer;
  • The Delaware Shorebird Project;
  • The Clean Transportation Incentive Program with a trivia game wheel;
  • Marine debris research and interactive Environmental Perspectives website;
  • The Recycling Program’s “Bin It to Win It” game;
  • Fossils, minerals, and coastal aquifers;
  • Outdoor Delaware magazine, with free copies and special edition critter trading cards;
  • Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center and Fort Miles;
  • Bats with the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Species Conservation & Management program;
  • The Mosquito Control Section;
  • Wetlands; and
  • Septic systems.

For more information on the event, visit www.decoastday.org.

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

Vol. 48, No. 268


DNREC postpones Delaware Coastal Cleanup to Sept. 22 due to weather concerns

The logo for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ControlDOVER – Due to uncertain weather conditions related to Hurricane Florence, the 31st Annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup will be postponed to the rain date of Saturday, Sept. 22, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced today. The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at all sites as previously planned for Sept. 15, unless volunteers have been otherwise notified.

“With the possibility of adverse weather conditions still in the forecast, we are taking the precaution of postponing the Coastal Cleanup for the safety of our volunteers,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We hope our volunteers will be able to join us on Sept. 22, and that we will have a better opportunity to accomplish our goal of cleaning up our beaches, waterways, and watershed areas statewide.”

Sponsored by DNREC, the cleanup spans 49 sites in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties, including river and ocean shorelines as well as wetland and watershed areas.

For more information about the Delaware Coastal Cleanup, please visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/coastal-cleanup/, or contact Joanna Wilson, Delaware Coastal Cleanup coordinator, at 302-739-9902, or joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

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

Vol. 48, No. 248


Stretches of ocean beach to reopen at DNREC’s Cape Henlopen State Park

LEWES – DNREC’s Divisions of Parks & Recreation and Fish & Wildlife announced today that stretches of ocean beach between Gordons Pond and Herring Point, and beachfront along the ocean side of The Point on Cape Henlopen, will reopen Sept. 1, following the conclusion of beachnesting bird season. The beach is now accessible for fall surf-fishing, and in time for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

These areas have been closed to the public since March 1 for the benefit of threatened and endangered beachnesters and migratory shorebirds, including red knot, piping plovers, oystercatchers, least terns and other species.

The bay side of The Point will remain closed until Oct. 1 to give refuge to the many species of migratory birds that pass through Delaware on their way to overwintering grounds to the south.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


Stretches of ocean beach reopened at Cape Henlopen State Park

Piping plover nesting season concludes with 13 fledglings this year

CAPE HENLOPEN STATE PARK – DNREC’s Divisions of Parks & Recreation and Fish & Wildlife announced today that stretches of ocean beach between Gordons Pond and Herring Point and beachfront along the oceanside of The Point on Cape Henlopen have now reopened following the end of a piping plover nesting season that produced 13 plover fledglings in Delaware. The last Gordons Pond Piping Plover chick recently fledged, allowing fencing erected to prevent disturbances to any beach-nesting birds in the area to be taken down. The beach is now accessible for fall surf-fishing, and in time for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The bay side of The Point will remain closed until Oct. 1 to give refuge to the many species of migratory birds that pass through Delaware on their way to overwintering grounds to the south, said Anthony Gonzon, Division of Fish & Wildlife biodiversity program manager.

Although the beach-nesting bird breeding season has ended, surveys for the rare plant seabeach amaranth are continuing. Seabeach amaranth is a federally-threatened plant species under the Endangered Species Act. Searches of likely amaranth habitat are conducted in Delaware three times a year: in late July, mid-August and late August/early September.

This year, all of the known amaranth plants are located at The Point, with more than 30 plants observed since surveys began in July. No plants have been found between Gordons Pond and Herring Point, usually the most reliable location for finding them, but many of the plants on The Point have appeared outside of the typical fenced section of the dunes and overwashes, well above the high tide line.

Due to the annual variability of distribution of seabeach amaranth plants, an additional temporary fenced section along the ocean side of The Point has been installed parallel to the ocean and will be removed once these annual plants disperse their seed – likely to occur within three to four weeks. This temporary closure will allow the amaranth plants to complete their life cycle and help to sustain the plant population within Cape Henlopen while still allowing access to The Point by permitted vehicles for surf fishing.

With seabeach amaranth in mind, DNREC has closed dunes and overwashes to any human activity to protect sensitive and rare habitats. DNREC advises that surf-fishing vehicles should avoid parking in the restricted area in front of the temporary fencing, but may drive through on the beach along the ocean side of the fence. In addition, surf-fishermen should be aware that higher tides may be experienced during the next week. The possibility exists that surf fishing vehicles could be stranded when this occurs.

For more information, please contact Paul Faircloth, Cape Henlopen State Park superintendent, at 302-645-8983, or Anthony Gonzon, Division of Fish & Wildlife, at 302-735-3600.

About the piping plover
The piping plover was listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1986, and the Division of Fish & Wildlife is responsible for its protection in Delaware. Under a binding agreement and subsequent species management plan that DNREC made in 1990 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the federal agency with oversight of this ESA-protected species, piping plover nesting areas at Cape Henlopen State Park are closed annually to the public to protect the shorebirds from disturbance during their nesting season which usually runs from March into September. This includes the Point and smaller areas around Gordons Pond. The closure has been successful, increasing the number of piping plover nesting pairs from a low of two pairs to a high of nine pairs, and must include feeding habitat as well as nesting areas. Piping plovers feed on small invertebrates that inhabit the intertidal zone near their nesting territories. Chicks are not fed by their parents, but rather are led to the shoreline to forage while the adults keep watch for potential threats. Allowing pedestrian traffic in the intertidal zone adjoining nesting areas would disturb the vital link between nesting and foraging habitat and risk adverse stress or mortality to the chicks.

About the seabeach amaranth
The seabeach amaranth is an annual plant the formerly ranged from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Rediscovered in Delaware in 2000 after a 125-year absence, this plant has been found on Delaware’s ocean beaches throughout Cape Henlopen State Park and Delaware Seashore State Park. Federally listed as threatened in 1993 under the Endangered Species Act, seabeach amaranth typically grows in open sand along the base of the primary foredunes or along undisturbed wrack lines high on the beach where seed may become trapped. Each year, plants may reoccur in the same locations or appear in new locations as a result of shifting sands and seed dispersal from varying weather conditions over the fall and winter seasons. As an annual plant, amaranth completes an entire life cycle in a single year’s growing season, flowering in mid to late summer, dispersing seed in late August and early September.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 323