DNREC, Iron Hill Museum in Newark Celebrate New African American History Trail

A new African American History Trail at the Iron Hill Museum was funded by a DNREC grant. DNREC photo

With today’s unveiling of a new African American History Trail on the grounds of the Iron Hill Museum and Science Center in Newark, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the 1923 schoolhouse that houses the museum and the unique story of the free Black community that formed on Iron Hill in the 1830s. The trail – along with a new Monarch butterfly waystation and a project that removed invasive plants from the grounds to help clear the way for them – was funded by a Community Environmental Project Fund (CEPF) grant from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

“The CEPF grant program was created to support community environmental restoration projects. This project encompasses a broad spectrum of DNREC’s mission, from historical and cultural education and environmental justice to natural habitat restoration, invasive plant removal and supporting the life cycle of Monarch butterflies,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Today, we also recognized Eagle Scout Cameron Mills, the volunteer who built and installed the trail’s sign posts. DNREC is proud to support and be part of the Iron Hill Museum’s important work.”

“The African American History Trail allows the Iron Hill Museum to broaden its interpretation of the schoolhouse by including the under-recognized history of an independent, long-standing free African American community of landowners on Iron Hill, placing it into the context of a society in which free and enslaved Blacks co-existed before the Civil War. The families remained strong through the post-war periods of reconstruction and the era of segregation, where every-day struggles for economic and educational justice was supported by community church, and family,” said Debbie Keese, museum board member and researcher. “It is hoped that today’s families visiting the site will be able to make comparisons between past and present-day politics, social norms, family structures, and educational practices while inspiring thoughtful discourse about issues of equity and justice, both social and environmental, in a safe, comfortable, and beautiful space.”

The Delaware Academy of Science was established in 1968 with the purpose of promoting science in the First State, and to support their work established the Iron Hill Museum in the former Iron Hill School 112C, one of 87 schools built throughout the state by Pierre S. du Pont to educate Black children in the 1920s. Today its mission continues to promote and preserve scientific education including natural history, archaeology and anthropology of the area, technology, service, museum collections, programs, and community collaborations. A science center was added in 2016, with the schoolhouse now focused on the Black school experience and history of the area and the people who lived there, including Native Americans, free and enslaved African Americans, miners and farm laborers. The museum received a prior CEPF grant for a Pollinator Garden and Education Project.

The Community Environmental Project Fund was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 2004 to provide funds to support environmental restoration projects in communities that were damaged by environmental pollution. The legislation authorizes DNREC to establish a grant fund by withholding 25% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations. These funds are returned to the communities where the violations occurred as competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to support community environmental projects. Eligible community environmental projects are pollution mitigation, environmental enhancement recreational opportunities. More information about the program can be found on the DNREC website at de.gov/cepf.

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

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Presentations on Attracting Pollinators to Help Yards and Gardens Thrive Set for March 6 and 27

The Monarch butterfly is a welcome pollinator for gracing any yard or garden with its presence. Attracting them is also mutually beneficial for this majestic butterfly whose numbers have fallen off due to loss of habitat, herbicide use along their migratory routes and impacts of climate change. Photo courtesy of James Davis.

Hosted by DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship in Laurel

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will host two free presentations in March on techniques for attracting butterflies, birds, and other pollinators to suburban yards and gardens and helping them to thrive and flower.

The presentations, part of the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program – Nanticoke Series, in partnership with the Delaware Nature Society and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, will be given at the Laurel Public Library on March 6 and 27. They will be led by Carol Stephens, a Delaware Master Naturalist by way of a science-based natural resource training program jointly coordinated by University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and Delaware Nature Society.

On March 6, “5 Steps for More Butterflies in Your Garden” will highlight easy practices that homeowners can use to increase butterfly populations and for their own outdoor viewing pleasure.
On March 27, “Helpful Tools for the Birds and the Bees in 2023” will focus on the native shrubs, trees, and flowers most likely to attract birds, bees, and other pollinators. Plant sources for native shrubs, trees, flowers, and seeds also will be shared, along with ideas that homeowners can gradually incorporate into their yard, one step at a time, for enticing more pollinators.

Both hour-long presentations are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Laurel Public Library, 101 E. Fourth Street, Laurel, Del. A limited supply of butterfly habitat-enhancing milkweed seeds will be given away to attendees.

Plants rely on pollinators such as insects and animals moving pollen from one plant to another, to ensure that a plant or tree produces vegetables, fruits and nuts. Flowering plants not only provide food, but also are essential in maintaining local water quality because of their ability to absorb nutrients, prevent erosion and purify water. Insect pollinators have been declining due to the use of pesticides and the loss of habitat and their host plants. Creating a native plant garden can benefit local pollinator populations by offering more opportunities for nectar and reproduction.

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. 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

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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Spring Pond Trout Season to Open With Youth-Only Day March 4, Followed by Regular Downstate Opener March 5

Rainbow trout will be stocked soon in downstate ponds ahead of the March start of trout season in Kent and Sussex Counties. DNREC graphic by Duane Raver

Stocked Ponds Will be Closed to All Fishing from Saturday, Feb. 18 through Friday, March 3

Delaware’s 2023 downstate pond trout season will open for youth anglers under age 16 only at 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, followed by the opening of the regular trout season for all anglers a half-hour before sunrise on Sunday, March 5, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Fishing will be allowed on youth opening day from 7 a.m. to a half-hour after sunset and from a half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset thereafter, unless otherwise restricted by area rules.

Both Tidbury Pond near Dover in Kent County and Newton Pond near Greenwood in Sussex County will be stocked and open for trout fishing pending pond ice conditions that might prevent either stocking or fishing.

To improve trout fishing for the season openers, Tidbury Pond and Newton Pond will be closed to all fishing from Saturday, Feb. 18 through Friday, March 3 to accommodate trout stocking, eliminate incidental hooking of trout and allow trout to adjust to their new waters.

Each pond will be stocked by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife with more than 300 pounds of 12- to 13-inch rainbow trout before opening day, with a second stocking to follow in mid-March. Trophy-sized trout weighing two or more pounds will be included in the stocking as an added attraction for trout anglers.

Trout anglers planning to fish Tidbury Pond or Newton Pond should note the following rules and regulations:

A Delaware fishing license is required, unless an angler is exempt
A Delaware trout stamp is required through April 1, unless an angler is exempt
The daily possession limit is six trout

Proceeds from the purchase of Delaware trout stamps are used to help purchase trout for stocking the next year. This popular fishery is also supported by federal Sport Fish Restoration funds administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that are generated from anglers purchasing fishing equipment.
Delaware’s trout season in upstate streams will open Saturday, April 1 with a youth-only day, followed by the opening of the regular trout season for all anglers on Sunday, April 2.

Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps are sold online and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license or trout stamp online, visit de.gov/fishinglicense. Additional information about fishing in Delaware, including license and trout stamp requirements, is available in the 2023 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form from license agents throughout the state.

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

DNREC, DDA Celebrate World Wetlands Day with Agreement to Manage, Protect Delaware’s Unique Wetland Communities

DNREC and the Department of Agriculture celebrated World Wetlands Day by signing a cooperative agreement to manage and protect unique wetland communities that occur on state-owned forest, park and wildlife lands, such as depicted above at Blackbird State Forest. /DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Department of Agriculture (DDA) Forest Service are to celebrate World Wetlands Day today, Thursday, Feb. 2, by signing a cooperative agreement to manage and protect unique wetland communities that occur on state-owned forest, park and wildlife lands.

Wetlands are extremely important ecosystems that contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, water availability, world economies and commerce, cultural and recreational values, and global biodiversity. The unique wetland communities memorialized by DNREC and DDA are wetland types that provide critical habitat for Delaware’s rarest plants and animals, including endangered species, some of which also are globally rare.

“We are charged with great responsibilities as stewards of public lands for enjoyment by Delawareans and our out-of-state visitors, while also acting as stewards for the thriving existence of the plant and animal populations that inhabit these unique wetland communities,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The agreement signed today between DNREC and DDA shows that both agencies recognize the value of these lands and their wetlands habitats as unique wetland communities and that we are committed to conserving and protecting them for the future. Wetlands play an important role in climate change resilience by protecting us from flooding and can offset changes in precipitation by storing water and reducing the effects of drought and severe storms.”

“State Forest lands harbor a rich diversity of plant and animal species thriving in healthy forests and wetlands that are essential for their continued existence. Our foresters often engage in cooperative land management activities with DNREC in the best interest of both agencies and the public to preserve a healthy environment,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “When we readily share sound management strategies and techniques, especially when it comes to protecting rare or unique habitats on state-owned lands, we all benefit from those collaborative efforts.”

Unique wetland communities make up nearly 18,000 acres of Delaware’s land surface. Delaware’s unique wetland communities include Coastal Plain Seasonal Ponds, Bald Cyprus Swamps, Atlantic White Cedar Swamps, Peat-land Fens, Black Ash Seepage Swamps, Piedmont Stream Valley Wetlands, and Inner-dune Depression Meadows. Recently, DNREC released the 54-minute documentary film “Wetlands of Wonder: The Hidden World of Vernal Pools” (also known as Coastal Plain Seasonal Ponds or Delmarva bays), which spotlights the unique character of these wetland types.

The new agreement provides guidance for land managers at DNREC and DDA to consider for taking on protection, conservation, restoration and management responsibilities for these wetland communities. Recognizing the varied landscapes throughout Delaware, these guidelines can be used for future agency efforts and the management actions prescribed for state-owned lands. Both DNREC – through wildlife areas managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife and state parks overseen by the Division of Parks and Recreation) and DDA, through its Forest Service, manage these state-owned lands in the public interest so that residents and visitors can enjoy the natural habitats they represent through various low-impact recreational activities. The agreement fosters collaboration and coordination between the agencies and their individual and diverse management expertise.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated internationally to raise awareness about wetlands and reaffirm the importance of protecting these critical ecosystems. More information on how to celebrate World Wetlands Day, including events and educational resources, can be found at worldwetlandsday.org. More information about Delaware’s Unique Wetland Communities, is available at de.gov/delawarewetlands.

Media Contacts: DNREC – Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; DDA Forest Service – Sophia Curran, sophia.curran@delaware.gov